Archive of Our Own ^beta

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.

Chapter Text

A few days later, the great hall stood crowned in flowers, silk, and light. The kingdom gathered in polished rows, voices hushed beneath domed ceilings and stained-glass windows. It was finally the day—their day.

Flynn stood at the altar dressed in royal attire, gold embroidery brushing his sleeves. The clothes fit him, but he still felt like an imposter wearing someone else’s name.

Okay… this is it, he thought, fingers flexing slightly at his sides. My wedding day. The words tasted unreal. I never thought I’d ever stand here. Never thought anyone would want to marry me. Sure, I’m handsome—devastatingly so—but I was a mess. A thief. A man with a past darker than I’d ever admit in a place like this.

He swallowed. His eyes flicked over the nobles, soldiers, council members, and courtiers gathering like vultures in silk. Yet here I am. And she wants me. My Rapunzel. The only one who ever looked at me and saw something worth loving.

If she wanted out after today, he would take her. He’d promised. He’d tear the gilded walls down brick by brick if it meant she’d never feel trapped again.

But then the whispers began. They slithered between the pews like smoke.

“He’s a disgrace—”
“He’ll ruin her—”
“That rat should’ve been hanged—”
“The kingdom is doomed—”
“He bewitched her, confused her—”

His jaw tightened. Can’t these people at least whisper a little quieter? He forced his shoulders to square, his breath to steady. No. Not today. I won’t let their poison touch this memory. Not when she’s about to walk toward me.

A soft commotion drew his eyes away—Maximus, dignified as ever, clip-clopping down the aisle, carrying the rings, with Pascal perched atop him. Despite himself, Flynn exhaled a laugh under his breath, tension loosening slightly. Of course it's them. My two tiny, judgmental chaperones.

Then time stilled.

Gasps echoed. Heads turned. And he saw her.

Rapunzel stepped into the light at the end of the aisle, and everything inside him went quiet. She wore a simple white dress, soft and unpretentious, with a long veil trailing behind—like an echo of the hair she once had and the girl she still was beneath the crown. She held a bouquet in trembling hands.

She’s… holy hell. She’s beautiful. And she’s mine. Mine. His throat tightened with awe. How is this real? How am I the man she chose? How did a miracle like this land in my arms? I don’t deserve it, but I swear I’ll spend my life trying. I’ll give her every good piece of me. Every day I breathe will be proof she won’t regret choosing me over a prince or a palace.

And down the aisle, she stood frozen for a heartbeat, taking in the sight of him.

This is it, Rapunzel told herself, fingers flexing around the bouquet. Not a dream. Not a wish. My wedding. To him. A small tremor of nerves flickered through her—my first ceremony, my first vows, my first everything—and then her father stepped to her side, offering his arm.

The touch made bile rise in her throat.

How can he pretend to be the loving father when he’s planning to murder the man I love? she thought bitterly as she gently took his arm, more for show than anything. He is a liar. A manipulator. But I won’t let him poison this moment. I won’t let him take my joy. Nothing will.

She lifted her chin, smiling as widely as she could manage as the doors opened fully and they began to walk.

Flynn’s breath left him in one unguarded exhale. “Wow,” he muttered under his breath, unashamed. I could get used to a view like this. Hell, I am used to it. She’s been mine in every way that matters since that moment in the tower. Today the world will finally know it too.

As they walked, the king leaned closer to his daughter and whispered, “Are you really sure about this? We can still cancel everything…”

“No.” Her voice was low, edged with steel. “Nothing will ever separate us again.”

How dare he? she thought. Still trying to control me. Still pretending this is love instead of cruelty. He is the worst father.

“But I could still find him a place to live away from you and—”

“No, father,” she cut in, anger sharpening her whisper. “I will not leave him. Never.”

“All right. So be it.”

A chill ran down her spine. She knew exactly what he meant. He’s still planning to have him killed. To make it look like an accident. But by then… we’ll be gone. We’ll be beyond his reach.

They reached the altar at last, and she finally slipped free of her father’s arm. Her fingers trembled, but her smile didn’t falter as she stepped toward Flynn.

I’m really here, she thought. I’m walking toward my future. Toward my choice. My home.

And as Flynn reached for her hands, he thought, Whatever comes after this—exile, danger, freedom—I’ll face it with her. And I’ll make damn sure nothing takes her from me again.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of Rapunzel and Eugene in marriage,” the priest began, his voice echoing through the grand hall.

Rapunzel barely heard a word. Her eyes were fixed on Flynn—her Eugene—standing just across from her in his ceremonial clothes, smiling at her like she was the only soul in the room.

He’s here. He stayed. And after today, he’s mine forever. No one will ever take him from me again. Once the vows are spoken and the dancing starts, we’ll be gone. We’ll run before their lies can reach him. I won’t live in their cage another day. I don’t need crowns or thrones or people who pretend to be my parents while plotting his death. They’re no better than Gothel. I only need him. My Eugene.

Flynn’s smile softened as he watched her, trying not to let the tremor in his chest show.

She’s really here—she didn’t run, she didn’t change her mind. She wants me. Me—of all people. How can that be real? How do I deserve someone like her? With every breath I’m afraid she’ll realize I’m not enough. The whole kingdom keeps reminding me I’m not worthy. She’s sunlight and grace and everything I’ve spent my life stealing glimpses of from the shadows. But if she wants me… I’ll give her everything I have to give. I’ll work, I’ll bleed, I’ll do whatever it takes. As long as she’s happy.

He glanced briefly at Pascal and Maximus. The chameleon squinted with suspicion, the horse stood like a sentry—then they both gave practiced smiles. Flynn exhaled and turned his attention back to Rapunzel and the priest.

When the priest said, “Should anyone present know of any reason why this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace,” the air shifted.

Rapunzel’s gaze cut toward the king and queen. They kept their smiles, their hands folded, masks of approval painted over treachery.

Liars. Cowards. They won’t even speak the hate they whisper in shadows. They pretend to bless this marriage while planning his death behind my back. Just like Gothel—smiling, pretending, waiting to strike. Every parent I’ve ever had was a cage.

Several guests raised their hands to object, but the king dismissed them with a wave, maintaining his false calm.

Of course he pretends to be noble. He pretends to accept this so no one suspects his plan. But he still means to kill him. And he expects me to smile and obey. I will never forgive him. He lost the right to be my father the moment he chose murder over mercy.

Flynn caught the king’s expression just long enough to feel the weight of it.

They won’t stop. Even now, they’re planning it. They’ll smile at our wedding and spill my blood after. And she knows it. I won’t let them hurt her again—I won’t let them break her like before. She’s suffered enough. I’ll never leave her—not ever. Not even if it costs me everything.

The priest cleared his throat. “All right. Do you, Flynn Rider—” he hesitated, correcting himself, “I mean Eugene Fitzherbert—take Rapunzel to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

“I do,” Flynn said, voice steady. Then, softer: “And longer than that. My love for her won’t end in death. And I should know—I’ve been there.”

A soft murmur swept the room.

“And do you, Rapunzel, take Eugene Fitzherbert to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love and cherish him until death do you part?”

“You can still say no, dear,” the king called out across the aisle.

Rapunzel’s head snapped toward him, fury simmering beneath her composed smile.

“You had your chance to object,” she said, voice low and sharp. “Now do as you were told—and forever hold your peace.”

Then she turned back to Flynn and the priest. “I do.”

The priest blinked, recovering. “All right. Then they shall live their lives together as husband and wife in everlasting peace. May I have the rings?”

Gasps scattered through the crowd.

Maximus and Pascal strode forward—absolutely drenched in tar—carrying the rings with comical dignity.

What on earth…? Rapunzel’s thoughts tripped over each other. How did that even happen in the middle of a wedding?

That’s… new, Flynn thought, fighting a laugh. At least they didn’t eat the rings.

He carefully took them from the tar-soaked duo and slid the band onto Rapunzel’s finger, his touch lingering a little longer than necessary. Rapunzel’s hands trembled as she placed his ring onto his finger, her heartbeat crashing in her ears.

The priest, still bewildered, cleared his throat. “I… I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss.”

The world disappeared the moment the priest’s words left his lips.

Rapunzel didn’t wait—she threw herself into Flynn’s arms, her joy erupting into a breathless laugh before her mouth claimed his. The instant their lips met, everything else vanished. No altar. No hall. No eyes watching. Just him.

God—she could taste him, warm and real and hers. Her heart thundered like it was trying to break free from her chest. My husband. Mine. Finally mine. Her fingers tangled in his hair as if afraid he’d vanish the moment she let go. Heat flooded her cheeks, her pulse humming low in her belly. Every inch of her leaned into him, needing him closer, needing him completely.

Flynn barely had time to breathe before instinct took over. He caught her against him, hands splaying across her back, pulling her flush to him. Her lips moved against his—soft, hungry, desperate—and his head spun. She’s my wife. She chose me. She wants me. He deepened the kiss, unable to stop himself, his thumb brushing her jaw while the other hand traced down the curve of her waist. The warmth of her body against his sent a surge of wanting through him so strong he thought his knees might give out.

Rapunzel sighed into the kiss, a helpless sound of relief and possession all at once. Her lips parted and she kissed him harder—like she was breathing him in, like air wasn’t enough anymore. The world beyond his touch didn’t exist. Let them try to take him from me now. Let them watch. He’s mine. I’ll never let him go again. Her body pressed into his chest, and she felt the answering tension in him—felt the way he held himself back by a thread.

A low sound escaped Flynn—half groan, half surrender—as she melted against him. His fingers curled into the fabric of her dress, fighting the urge to lift her into his arms and carry her away that very moment. Careful. Not yet. Not here. But god, she tastes like forever. Her kiss was fire and vow and freedom all at once, and he let it burn through him. Every mistake he’d ever made, every cruel word he’d heard, every doubt he’d carried—all of it shattered under the reality of her mouth on his.

They swayed as they kissed, lost in the motion of each other. Rapunzel felt his breath hitch when her arm tightened around his neck, and warmth pooled low in her stomach. He’s here. He’s safe. I’m not dreaming. He’s mine and I’m his and nothing—not crowns, not kings, not cages—can touch us now.

Flynn barely remembered to breathe, his heart pounding so hard it almost hurt. He kissed her slower now but deeper, letting himself savor the softness of her lips, the tremble in her breath, the way she clung to him like he was the only thing she’d ever chosen for herself. She’s my wife. My wife. And after today, I’ll take her far from here. I’ll give her everything I can. And tonight… God, tonight she’ll be in my arms with no one to pull her away.

When they finally broke for air, their foreheads rested together, their breathing unsteady and shared. Rapunzel’s thumb brushed his cheek, her lips still pink and parted, eyes dazed and glowing. He’s mine. He isn’t going to be taken from me. They’ll never cage me again.

Flynn cupped the back of her neck and pressed the softest kiss to her brow, dizzy with love and want. No one is going to hurt us now. We’ll be gone before they can even try.

They didn’t speak. They didn’t need to.

Their first kiss as husband and wife wasn’t a display.

It was a promise whispered through touch, claimed in breath, sealed in fire.

After the signing of their marriage certificate, Flynn grinned, trying to mask the thrill still coursing through him. “So… who wants a piece of cake?”

Rapunzel’s stomach lurched as she glanced over—only to find the cake gone. Maximus and Pascal looked awkwardly at them, tails and ears stiff with guilt.

Oh no… Rapunzel thought, heart racing. If the cake’s gone, how will we distract everyone for our escape? She tightened her grip on Flynn’s hand, trying to steady herself.

“Um, I’m sure there are other refreshments,” she said, voice light, even though panic thrummed in her veins. “How about you all go ahead while I… tie my shoes?”

“But you don’t wear shoes, dear,” the queen replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, that’s the problem. I need shoes for the dancing afterward,” Rapunzel said, forcing a casual smile. Just a few more minutes, we have to keep them distracted…

Flynn leaned closer, his gaze soft and burning at the same time. “And I… need to get my apron.”

“Your… apron?” the king said, frowning.

“Yes, can’t eat wedding dinner and ruin these clothes,” Flynn replied with a sly smile. He squeezed Rapunzel’s hand. “Go ahead, we’ll catch up.”

He’s keeping it light… keeping me calm, Rapunzel thought, heart swelling. But he’s mine. We’re really doing this.

They slipped out of sight, hearts hammering, minds racing. We have to move fast, she reminded herself, glancing back at the room. Her chest tightened when she saw her father whispering to the captain. He’s still planning it. They still want him dead. We can’t waste another second.

Luckily, no one followed them. Relief mixed with adrenaline surged through them as they mounted Maximus—still sticky with tar but fiercely loyal—and rode away.

“Max,” Flynn said, laughing despite his racing heart, “couldn’t you have taken a bath before you went back inside?”

At least they haven’t noticed yet, he thought, glancing at Rapunzel. She was radiant, her short brown hair brushing her shoulders, eyes bright with determination and fire. We’re free. We’re really free.

Rapunzel’s hand found his, fingers curling around his palm. Her heart pounded, a fierce, uncontainable rhythm. If I had to choose between him and the crown a hundred more times… my choice would always be him. My home is with him, and no one will ever take that away.

“I love you,” she whispered, voice trembling with both joy and desire.

“I love you too,” Flynn replied, and the weight of his gaze—soft, possessive, alive—made her chest swell. I’ve never loved anyone like this. She’s mine, all of her, and nothing will ever change that.

They rode in silence for a few heartbeats, letting the wind whip around them. Then Rapunzel leaned closer, her lips brushing his ear, and slipped a hand beneath his shirt. Her touch was daring, hungry, and electric.

Finally, she thought, heat flooding her. I’ve waited for this. I want him, every inch, every moment. I want to feel him, all of him, and never let go.

Flynn’s breath hitched at her touch. God… she’s mine. She’s here, and she wants me. She’s driving me crazy, and I’ll give her everything. Everything she deserves, and more. He pressed a tender kiss to her temple, savoring the soft curve of her neck, the pulse beneath his lips.

“Then… tonight,” she whispered, a shiver in her voice, “you’ll give me our wedding night. No holding back. No more waiting.”

His hands tightened around her waist, holding her close even as his mind raced with desire and restraint. Yes. All of you, all of this. Tonight, she’ll have me entirely. And I’ll make her mine, safe and free and ours.

He brushed his lips to hers, soft at first, reverent, and she melted into him like sunlight into water. “Of course, sunshine,” he murmured. “Then I’m all yours.”

They kissed again, deeper this time, letting the world fall away behind them as Maximus carried them swiftly into the night. Every beat of their hearts, every tremble of skin and breath, was a vow: together, unstoppable, and finally free.

In the castle, everyone soon found out the bride and groom had vanished without a trace, but Flynn and Rapunzel didn’t care. The kingdom had rejected Flynn and their love and therefore didn’t deserve them.

They rode through the night, the wind whipping past them, until the soft glow of a tiny inn appeared in the distance. Relief and anticipation coursed through Flynn as he dismounted, guiding Rapunzel gently. Every glance at her sent a surge of warmth through him—her short brown hair catching the moonlight, her eyes alight with trust and longing.

He paid with the few coins he’d earned, his fingers brushing hers, and carried her into the small room, setting her carefully on the bed. She’s here. She’s really here. Mine. Finally mine.

“Are you really sure you want to do this tonight?” he asked softly, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. “We can wait… just sleep tonight if you want.”

Rapunzel’s gaze locked on his, fierce and unyielding, and her lips found his in a kiss that was urgent, demanding, and tender all at once. I’ve waited for this an entire month, she thought, heart hammering. I want him, all of him, finally. Every moment away from him has been torture. Her hands moved to unbutton his shirt, pulling it from his shoulders. I need him, here, now. I’ve never wanted anything more.

“Don’t you want it too?” she asked, her breath hot against his skin.

“Of course I do, Rapunzel,” he murmured, his own pulse racing. God, she’s mine. I’ve wanted her like this, like my heart could burst for her, for so long. But I’m nervous too… she’s everything. I don’t want to mess this up. “I’m just nervous. I’ve never done this before.”

She kissed him fiercely again, teeth and lips soft and demanding, and whispered, “Then let’s be our firsts together. Let’s finally become one.”

His hands trembled slightly as they met again, brushing away stray strands of hair from her face, cupping her gently, memorizing the warmth of her skin. I’ll remember every inch of her tonight. Every gasp, every shiver. She’s mine, and I’ll cherish her like nothing else in this world.

Slowly, they undressed each other, taking their time, between frantic kisses and tender caresses. Every layer removed was an act of trust, an affirmation of love, and they drank in the sight, the feel, the presence of one another. She’s perfect. Every curve, every sigh, every tremble… she’s my heart outside of my body.

Finally, Flynn entered her, and it wasn’t just physical—it was a joining of souls. Every movement, every gasp, every heartbeat spoke of love, of devotion, of the life they were claiming together. I will never let her go. She is mine, completely, and I am hers.

Rapunzel’s fingers tangled in his hair, clinging to him as if anchoring herself to reality. Every kiss he pressed to her shoulders, her collarbone, every soft curve of her body, made her feel treasured, chosen, adored. I am hers, wholly, and she is mine. Every moment is ours. I’ve waited my entire life for this, and now it’s here.

They moved together as if dancing in candlelight, the world outside the room falling away into nothing. Heat and desire mingled with love and reverence. This is everything I’ve dreamed of, Flynn thought. And yet, it’s more than I ever imagined. She’s mine in every sense, and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it.

When they finally collapsed together, sated and trembling, Rapunzel rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady drum of his heartbeat. I am home, she thought. He is my home, and I never want to leave.

Flynn held her close, burying his face in her hair, feeling her warmth, her softness, her heartbeat. I will protect her, love her, cherish her, all of it. She is mine, and nothing in this world can take her away.

They didn’t speak. They didn’t need to. Every touch, every sigh, every lingering glance said everything. Tonight, the world belonged only to them.

They lay entwined in the soft sheets, still trembling from the intensity of their first time together. Rapunzel’s head rested on Flynn’s chest, listening to the steady, strong beat of his heart. Her fingers traced lazy circles over his skin, memorizing every inch of him. I’ve waited so long for this. I’m finally his, and he’s mine. Safe, loved, completely… blissful.

Flynn’s arms were wrapped tightly around her, holding her as if the world outside could never touch them. His lips brushed the top of her head, over her hair, then down to her forehead. She’s breathtaking. Every sigh, every shiver… it’s all mine. I’ll never let her doubt it, never let anyone hurt her again. She’s my life, my home, my everything.

“How was it?” he asked softly, his voice husky from exertion and desire. “Was I… gentle enough?”

Rapunzel lifted her head slightly to look at him, her eyes bright, shimmering in the soft candlelight of the inn room. Her lips curved into a smile, and she pressed a soft kiss to his. “It was… complete bliss,” she whispered, her voice thick with awe and love. Every second felt like magic, like I was finally where I belong. With him. Only him.

Flynn’s chest swelled at her words, and a low, contented sigh escaped him. “For me too,” he admitted, pressing a lingering kiss to her temple. Every nerve in my body aches for her, but it’s a good ache… the ache of having her, of finally holding her, of knowing she wants me as much as I want her.

They kissed again, soft and lingering this time, letting their hands roam gently over each other, exploring without urgency. Every brush of skin, every gentle touch, sent shivers down their spines. She’s everything I’ve ever needed, Flynn thought. And I’ll spend forever making sure she never forgets it.

Rapunzel pressed closer, sighing against his chest. He’s mine. I’ve finally claimed him, and nothing will take this from me. I could stay here forever, in this warmth, this safety, this love. She tangled her fingers in his hair and murmured his name like a prayer.

“I love you,” Flynn whispered, tilting his head so their lips met in another tender kiss. I’ll never leave her side. I’ll never let anyone hurt her again. She’s my wife, my life, my light.

“And I love you,” she replied, her lips brushing his again, soft and certain. Every heartbeat is his, every breath is for him. I am his, completely, and it has never felt so right.

The night stretched on, filled with whispers, kisses, and soft touches. They moved together again, tenderly, slowly, as if savoring every moment, every sensation, every laugh and sigh. It was love in its purest form—physical, yes, but far more than that: a union of hearts, souls, and trust.

Eventually, exhaustion and satisfaction pulled them into a quiet stillness. They lay together, limbs entwined, bodies warm against each other. Rapunzel rested her head on his chest again, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing, the steady beat that promised safety and devotion.

Flynn held her close, pressing his lips gently to the top of her head. This is home. She is home. Every mistake, every shadow of my past is worth it for this moment. She is mine, and I am hers, and nothing in the world can change that.

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, hearts beating in sync, breathing mingling, utterly safe, utterly loved, utterly together. Tomorrow the world might still be cruel, the kingdom still oppressive—but tonight, in the quiet glow of their room, they had everything they had ever wanted: each other.

The next morning, the first light of morning filtered through the small inn window, dusting the room in gold. Rapunzel stirred, still nestled against Flynn’s bare chest, his arms wrapped protectively around her. The steady rise and fall of him beneath her was the most perfect rhythm she had ever known. I can’t believe this is real. He’s mine, and I’m his… every moment, every touch, every heartbeat belongs to us now.

She pressed a soft kiss to his collarbone, then another to his neck, letting her lips wander teasingly over the warmth of his skin. Her fingers traced the lines of his chest, memorizing him again and again. I want to feel him everywhere, to mark this as ours. To never let go.

Flynn stirred, groaning softly, one hand tightening around her waist instinctively. He felt her lips on him and the gentle weight of her against him, and his eyes fluttered open to meet her gaze. She’s awake before me… beautiful, radiant, my wife. Every inch of her makes my heart pound like this is the first time I’ve ever truly lived.

“Good morning, my husband,” Rapunzel murmured, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips.

Flynn blinked, his voice thick with sleep and desire. “Morning… my wife,” he replied, a slow smile spreading across his face. I can’t believe I get to call her that. My wife. Ours. Everything we did last night… it wasn’t just love, it was a promise. And now I get to wake up with her in my arms.

Rapunzel leaned up on her elbows, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips. He responded instantly, hands moving to cup her face, tilting her gently against him. Their lips met again, soft and teasing, warm and tender, a slow exploration that made both of them sigh.

“I can’t believe I’m really married to you,” Flynn murmured against her mouth, his thumb brushing her cheek. “And that we… well… did that last night.”

Rapunzel giggled, nibbling gently at his lower lip. “You mean… we did it?” she teased, voice low and breathless. “That was our first time as husband and wife, you know. Feels pretty amazing.”

Flynn chuckled, rolling them so he could hover over her. “Amazing doesn’t even begin to cover it,” he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her neck, then nuzzling her shoulder. She’s perfect. Every part of her is mine, and I’ll never get enough of her. Never.

She squirmed happily under him, tracing little circles on his bare chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. “I want to stay here all day,” she murmured against his skin, voice filled with longing. “Just… us. No one else. No kingdom. No responsibilities.”

Flynn smiled, pressing a tender kiss to her temple. “I wouldn’t leave this bed for the world,” he admitted. Because I can’t, not when she’s here. She’s everything. And I belong right here with her, right now.

Rapunzel’s eyes glittered mischievously. “And… maybe we could… do it again?” she whispered, brushing her fingers down his chest with teasing urgency. I can’t get enough of him. Every inch of him belongs to me, and I want more. I want everything.

Flynn laughed softly, shaking his head, but his hand stayed on her back, holding her close. “I’m… a little tired, sunshine,” he said, voice husky. “But…” He caught her lips in another slow, lingering kiss. “…for you, I think I could manage.”

Her grin widened triumphantly, and she pressed closer, capturing his mouth again, feeling his arms tighten around her. He’s mine, and I’ve won. Again. Every time I touch him, I win his heart all over again.

They moved together again with the same tender reverence as last night, slow and deliberate, each touch and kiss a promise renewed. Every sigh, every whispered name, every heartbeat felt like a vow. I am his, and he is mine, and nothing will ever take this from us, Rapunzel thought, lost in the pleasure and love flooding her.

Flynn’s thoughts mirrored hers, racing with awe and devotion. She’s mine. Every gasp, every sigh, every shiver—she trusts me with herself completely. I’ll hold her, love her, protect her. And I’ll never let her doubt it. Not for a second.

When they finally collapsed together, tangled in sheets and limbs, Rapunzel pressed her face into his chest, smiling softly as he held her close. “I love you,” she whispered, voice muffled but full of certainty.

“I love you too,” Flynn replied, pressing his lips to the top of her head, letting a contented sigh escape him. Forever, Rapunzel. This is just the beginning. Nothing will ever touch what we have.

They snuggled close, kissed softly, whispered sweet nothings, and made love again, slower this time, savoring every heartbeat, every brush of skin, every stolen laugh and tender moan. Exhausted but ecstatic, they eventually drifted into sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms, completely safe and completely, irrevocably in love.

They drifted awake sometime later, the afternoon sun slanting gently across the room. Flynn was still lying on his back, one arm beneath Rapunzel, the other draped protectively around her waist. She stirred first, her cheek pressed to his chest, the slow, rhythmic beat of his heart lulling her into a state of dreamy warmth. He’s still here. Still holding me. My husband. Mine.

Without a word, she lifted her head and pressed a soft kiss to the hollow of his throat. Then another, and another. Flynn groaned quietly, voice low from sleep. “Morning again, sweetheart?” he mumbled, eyes still mostly closed.

Rapunzel smiled against his skin and kissed her way up to his jaw. “More like afternoon,” she whispered, her fingers tracing lazy patterns across his stomach. I could kiss him for a lifetime and it still wouldn’t be enough. I don’t want to stop. Ever.

Flynn blinked his eyes open, only to find her lips capturing his before he could speak. She kissed him slowly at first, then deeper, her body melting into his. He responded instinctively, one hand sliding up her back, the other tangling in her hair. She tastes like morning and forever. How am I supposed to say no to this? To her?

They broke the kiss only for breath, foreheads resting together. Rapunzel’s eyes were heavy with longing and mischief. “I want you again,” she whispered, voice soft but certain.

Flynn huffed a tired laugh, brushing his thumb across her lower lip. “Sunshine… you’re going to be the end of me,” he murmured, though the affection in his eyes betrayed his words. I should be exhausted. I am exhausted. But she asks, and I’d give her anything. Everything.

She kissed the corner of his mouth, then his jaw, then his shoulder. “Please,” she breathed. “I love you. I want all of you.”

His answer came in the form of his lips crushing gently against hers, his hands pulling her on top of him. She could ask me for the world, and I’d find a way to place it in her hands. But she only ever asks for me. And I’ll give her that again and again until I can’t breathe.

They made love slowly, tangled in sheets and whispers, every touch familiar now but still new, still breathtaking. Rapunzel clung to him, lost in the rhythm of his heartbeat and the heat of his skin. Nothing in the world has ever felt this right. He’s mine. My Eugene. My husband. My home.

When at last they collapsed together once more, she rested half on his chest, breathing softly, her lips brushing his skin with every exhale. Flynn traced his fingers through her hair, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll build you a life,” he murmured, voice thick with devotion. “A real one. Somewhere they’ll never find us. A cottage by the sea, maybe. With quiet mornings and no crowns. No judgment. Just peace.”

Rapunzel lifted her head, eyes shining. “I don’t need a cottage or the sea,” she said, framing his face with both hands. “I just need you. If you’re there, I’m home.” She kissed him again, slow and deep, as if to seal the words into his soul. He doesn’t understand. He is the life I want. The rest is just scenery.

Flynn’s heart squeezed, overwhelmed by the way she looked at him—like he was everything. “I’ll still give you everything I can,” he whispered against her lips. “I’ll work, I’ll build, I’ll find us a place where no one knows our names. Somewhere the world won’t try to take you from me again.”

She straddled him gently and leaned down, brushing her nose against his before giving him another lingering kiss. “Let them try,” she murmured. “They can’t, not anymore. I’m yours. Forever.”

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back, slow and consuming, his exhaustion forgotten beneath the warmth of her body and the certainty of her love. She chose me. Again and again, she chooses me. And I’ll spend the rest of my life earning it.

Their mouths met over and over, unhurried but hungry, a chain of kisses that neither of them wanted to break. Rapunzel’s hands slid across his chest, her lips trailing along his collarbone. I could stay here forever. Kissing him. Loving him. Existing only in this bed in his arms.

Flynn buried his face in her hair and smiled against her skin. “If you keep kissing me like that,” he whispered, “we’re never leaving this room.”

“Good,” she breathed, capturing his mouth again. “I don’t want to.”

And with his arms wrapped around her and her lips claiming his once more, they sank back into each other—wrapped in warmth, safe from the world, lost in a love that felt endless.

Late afternoon light slanted through the shutters, painting the room in soft gold. The sheets were tangled around them, their bodies still pressed close. Rapunzel lay draped across Flynn’s chest, her fingers tracing slow, lazy patterns along his skin. His hand rested at the small of her back, thumb brushing in gentle circles as their legs remained intertwined.

She lifted her head just enough to kiss the line of his jaw, then his cheek, then the corner of his mouth. How can I want him again already? How can loving him feel new every time, like the first breath after holding it too long?

Flynn let out a low laugh against her lips, brushing a strand of hair from her face before kissing her forehead. “You’re going to kiss me into oblivion,” he murmured, though he made no move to stop her. He dipped his head and pressed his mouth to her neck, lingering as she sighed. I could stay here the rest of my life and never feel hungry for anything but her.

She nuzzled closer, her toe nudging his ankle, her lips brushing along his shoulder. “I love you,” she whispered between feather-light kisses. “I love you so much it doesn’t fit inside me.”

Flynn tightened his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, my darling. More than anything. More than—” She silenced him with another kiss, smiling against his mouth.

They stayed like that for a long while—kissing, touching, murmuring things soft and secret. Sometimes they laughed quietly into each other’s skin, sometimes they just breathed together, foreheads touching. His stubble brushed her jaw as he nibbled gently at the line of her throat, and she tugged playfully at his hair in response.

Eventually, Flynn exhaled and shifted slightly. “As much as I’d like to keep you right here forever,” he said softly, “you haven’t eaten since… I don’t even know when. I should grab us something from the inn.”

Rapunzel tightened her hold around him immediately, cheek pressed to his chest. “No,” she mumbled. “Don’t go. Stay here with me.” If he lets go, even for a moment, the world might find us. I just got him. I don’t want to share a second with anything else.

He kissed her temple reassuringly. “I’ll be quick. Two minutes, I promise.” She frowned adorably and kissed his collarbone as if that would anchor him in place.

“I mean it,” he whispered, brushing his lips over her hairline. “You’ll blink and I’ll be back. And then we can stay in this bed for the rest of the day. But if we don’t eat something soon, you’ll faint, and then I’ll feel like the worst husband in history.”

Her heart fluttered at that word—husband—and she relented with a soft sigh. “Fine. But hurry.”

He grinned and kissed her slowly, like he had to taste her one more time before moving. Leaving her for even a moment feels wrong. But taking care of her—that’s part of loving her too. He slipped out of the bed, tugging on his trousers, and gave her one last look before hurrying out the door.

Rapunzel curled into the warm space where he’d been, hugging the blanket to her chest. Two minutes. I can survive two minutes. But I already miss him.

True to his promise, he returned quickly, balancing a tray with bread, cheese, sliced fruit, and a bit of honey. “See? Not even enough time to miss me,” he said as he nudged the door shut with his foot.

She smiled and sat up, the sheet still wrapped loosely around her. He set the tray at the foot of the bed and climbed back in beside her, immediately pulling her onto his lap. “You first,” he said, picking up a slice of pear and brushing it to her lips.

She accepted the bite and fed him one in return, giggling when he kissed her fingertips as he took it. They passed food back and forth, sharing bites and brushing crumbs from each other’s lips with lingering touches and kisses between every mouthful. At one point, Flynn dabbed a bit of honey on her lower lip just so he could kiss it away.

Even food tastes better with him. Even breathing feels sweeter when I hear it between his kisses, Rapunzel thought, cupping his face as he leaned in again.

He rested his forehead against hers, his voice a low murmur. “I swear, every time I think I’ve run out of ways to love you, you prove me wrong.”

“And every time I think I’ve reached the limit of happiness,” she whispered back, “you do something simple… and it grows again.”

Their mouths found each other once more, slow and heated, the kind of kiss that made the rest of the world fade. The tray was forgotten, the sheets drawn around them again as they sank back into the pillows.

I’ll never stop wanting him, Rapunzel thought as he pulled her close. Not after a lifetime. Not after a thousand mornings.

She could ask me forever, Flynn thought as her lips brushed his neck, and I’d give her every tomorrow I have.

Their laughter quieted into sighs, their whispers softened into breathless murmurs of love, and soon their bodies found each other again—slow, devoted, and certain—as the sun dipped lower outside the window and the world beyond their room slipped further from their thoughts.

Evening settled over the inn in a wash of amber and violet, shadows stretching softly across the floorboards. The air in their little room was warm, thick with the quiet of shared breath and the scent of candlewax and skin.

Rapunzel lay half on top of Flynn, her fingers idly tracing the lines of his chest, her lips wandering wherever her touch lingered. His arm rested around her waist, heavy and content, his other hand gently combing through her hair as though he never wanted to stop.

I could drown in her and never wish for air, he thought as she pressed a slow kiss just beneath his jaw. How many times have we loved each other today? And still—still she looks at me like I’m the only world she wants.

She shifted above him to meet his gaze, green eyes glowing in the low light. “You know,” she murmured, her lips curving into a playful smile, “this bed must think we’re trying to set some kind of record.”

Flynn huffed a laugh, though it came out more like a quiet, breathless sigh. “Then the bed is going to win. I think it’s already planning my funeral.”

She laughed softly and leaned down to kiss the corner of his mouth. He looks so tired and beautiful. I should let him sleep—but I can’t stop wanting him close. I’ve waited so long to love him like this, without fear, without distance.

Her hand slid up his shoulder, and she pressed another kiss to his lips—soft at first, then deeper, inviting. He returned it with a sleepy hum, his fingers tightening at her waist automatically. But when she shifted to straddle him again, his laugh broke through the haze.

“Sunshine,” he breathed, brushing his thumb across her cheek, “I think you have officially defeated me. I can’t feel my legs. Or my soul.”

She feigned a pout, though her eyes danced with affection. “Are you surrendering?”

“I surrendered the second you kissed me at the altar,” he said, kissing her forehead. And I’d surrender a thousand more times if it meant I could keep this—her weight on my chest, her hair on my skin, her heart choosing mine.

She rested against him again, her head tucked under his chin, lips pressed lightly to his collarbone. “You know,” she whispered sleepily, “if you weren’t so handsome, I’d be very offended.”

He chuckled, rubbing her back in slow, languid strokes. “If you weren’t so persistent, I might be conscious.”

They kissed again—unhurried, lingering, the kind that said more than breath could carry. Her fingers toyed with his hair, and he cupped the back of her head, holding her as though she were something holy.

He’s here. He’s safe. He’s mine. And I’m his. No one can take this night from us, Rapunzel thought, pressing her cheek against his heartbeat.

Flynn closed his eyes as she settled fully against him, her leg draped over his hip, her breath soft and warm against his throat. I used to sleep with one eye open. Now I think I could sleep through a war with her safe in my arms.

She lifted her head one last time and kissed him, slow and sweet and final. “I love you,” she sighed, her voice drowsy and full.

His arms tightened around her, lips brushing her hair. “I love you more than anything,” he murmured, already half asleep.

Wrapped around each other, they sank into the pillows, their bodies still tangled, their breathing falling into the same rhythm. No fear. No walls. No footsteps outside the door. Just the hush of night and the warmth of love earned the hard way.

Forever starts like this, she thought as her eyes drifted closed.

If this is dreaming, he thought as sleep pulled him under, let the world never wake me.

They fell asleep exactly as they’d spent the day—entwined, safe, and certain that no kingdom, no crown, and no memory of cages could ever touch what they had now.

Chapter Text

Moonlight pooled across the sheets like spilled silver, soft and quiet and secret. Flynn lay awake on his back, the rise and fall of Rapunzel’s breathing warm against his chest. One of his arms was tucked beneath his head, but the other held her protectively, as though letting go—even in sleep—would risk losing her.

How is this real? he wondered as he looked down at her. Her leg was thrown over his, her fingers lazily tracing shapes against his ribs even in sleep. She’s wrapped around me like I belong here. Like I’m not someone who had to steal and run and fight to live. She chose me. She married me. She’s mine.

Her short brown hair, tousled from sleep and affection, shimmered faintly in the pale light. He couldn’t stop staring. There was a softness in her features now, a peace he hadn’t seen often—one that came only when she felt safe. And she felt safe with him.

His chest ached with the weight of it.

He lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss into her hair. The scent of her—the warmth, the memory of skin and laughter and whispered vows—wrapped around him like a blanket.

Rapunzel stirred at the touch, eyes fluttering open slowly, her gaze hazy with sleep until it found his. The moment she saw him, she smiled—quiet, dreamy, glowing.

He’s still here. He didn’t slip away. He didn’t disappear when morning came. Her heart fluttered as she nuzzled closer, drinking in the steady thump of his heartbeat beneath her palm.

“Hey, beautiful,” he whispered, his fingertips gliding through her hair like she was something precious.

Her lips curved, and a soft flush kissed her cheeks. “Hey,” she breathed, her voice warm and sleepy. She curled even closer, her hand resting over his heart, feeling its strength. He always holds me like I’m something he could lose. I want him to know I’m not going anywhere. Ever.

“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked gently.

Flynn’s thumb brushed the curve of her bare shoulder as his eyes roamed over her face. “Not really,” he admitted. “I was busy admiring my wife. You know, she’s kind of stunning.”

Her sleepy giggle vibrated against him, melting him entirely. He says it so sweetly. He always says it like I’m his miracle. Does he know he’s mine too?

“Well,” she teased softly, lifting her chin to meet his gaze, “your wife is very lucky to have such a charming husband. What’s on your mind?”

“You,” he said without hesitation. His voice was low, honest, reverent. “How I ever got so lucky to have you in my arms. How I don’t deserve you—but I’m going to spend every day of my life trying to be worthy of you.”

Emotion welled in her chest at the raw sincerity in his words. She lifted her hand and cupped his cheek, her thumb tender against his skin. How can he not see it? He saved me. Not just from Gothel. From loneliness. From doubt. From being someone else’s possession. He gave me a choice—and I chose him. I’ll choose him forever.

“Eugene,” she whispered, voice thick with love, “you’re more than worthy. You’re my dream, my heart, my everything. You make me feel safe, and seen, and loved. I can’t imagine my life without you.”

His throat tightened as he captured her hand, pressing slow, reverent kisses to her palm—then to her wrist, lingering as though he could imprint his devotion with his lips. How did I ever live without this touch? Without this woman who speaks to the broken parts of me like she was always meant to heal them?

“And I couldn’t live without you, my Rapunzel,” he murmured against her skin.

She lifted herself and kissed him—soft, aching, adoring. Every brush of lips was a vow renewed. He’s mine. My husband. My home. I want him again. I want him always.

“Eugene,” she breathed, barely separating their mouths, “I want you again.”

Before he could respond, she eased herself over him, straddling his waist with sleepy confidence and aching longing.

He let out a half-groan, half-laugh, running a hand over his face. “Angel, it’s too early for this.”

She leaned down and nibbled at his lower lip, making his breath hitch. “No, it’s exactly the right time. We’re on our honeymoon—which means you have to love me whenever I wish.”

God help me, he thought, his pulse thundering as she kissed his jaw. She could ask me for the moon and I’d try to lasso it for her. She wants me—still—after everything. And I’ll never say no to her. Not when she looks at me like that.

“All right,” he surrendered softly, voice roughened by affection and want. “Since I’m unable to resist my beautiful wife—and I swore I’d give her everything she ever wants…”

He rolled them gently with practiced care, settling above her, brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead before kissing her again—slower this time, deeper, reverent.

He loves me like I’m something sacred, Rapunzel thought, arching into him. I will love him with every breath.

They came together again—bodies moving in a rhythm that felt written in their bones, hearts echoing the same vow in silence. It wasn’t rushed, wasn’t wild—it was warm and aching and whole. Every sigh felt like a promise. Every kiss like a lifetime.

And when they finally stilled, breathless and entwined once more, Flynn gathered her gently against his chest, pressing a kiss into her hair.

Rapunzel hummed contentedly, snuggling closer, her fingers tracing lazy spirals over his ribs. He’s warmth. He’s home. I could stay here forever and never be empty again.

“Try to sleep some more, my heart,” he whispered, exhaustion softened by devotion. “So you’re rested for the morning—when I plan to love you even more passionately than yesterday.”

Her lips curved against his skin, bliss tugging her back toward dreams. “I love the sound of that,” she mumbled, already drifting.

He held her until her breathing turned deep and peaceful, his thumb brushing her shoulder in slow, absent strokes. There is nothing in this world I wouldn’t give for her. And nothing—nothing—that will take her from me ever again.

Moonlight guarded them both as they slipped back into sleep, hearts pressed together in perfect quiet.

In the morning, light crept in softly through the thin curtains, golden and gentle, warming the tangled sheets and the two bodies nestled beneath them.

Rapunzel stirred first, her cheek pillowed against Flynn’s bare chest, his arms still wrapped around her as though even in sleep he refused to let her out of his hold. She listened to the steady thump of his heartbeat, slow and strong beneath her palm.

I could wake up like this every day for the rest of my life. He’s warmth and safety and everything I ever wanted. My husband. My Eugene.

She tilted her head and pressed a soft kiss to his chest—then another, a trail just beneath his collarbone.

Flynn’s breath hitched. He blinked himself awake, eyes still heavy with sleep, and looked down to find her gazing up at him with a smile both innocent and wicked.

“Mmm… morning, wife,” he murmured, voice rough and drowsy but soft with affection.

Rapunzel’s smile widened. “Good morning, husband.” She brushed her lips over his heart again, slow and lingering.

He pulled her closer, tucking her securely against him, kissing the top of her head. This is real. She’s in my arms and she’s not leaving. I get to wake up with her every day. How is this my life?

She lifted her head and kissed him properly, slow and warm, her fingers sliding up into his hair. He melted instantly into the kiss, even as he groaned sleepily against her mouth.

“Happy second day of being married,” she whispered against his lips, grinning.

He chuckled, brushing his nose against hers. “We survived a whole day of wedded bliss. Think we can handle another?”

“With you? Absolutely.” She kissed him again, softer this time but lingering—and then deepened it with intent.

Flynn made a half-amused, half-weary noise. “Angel… you’re trying to kill me. I’m still recovering from yesterday.”

She traced a teasing finger down his chest, following every line she’d kissed the night before. “You’re very dramatic for someone who swore to love me in every way I desire.”

He threw his head back against the pillow and groaned theatrically. “So this is what being married means. No mercy.”

She straddled his waist without warning, smiling down at him with sleepy triumph and love burning bright in her eyes. How can he still be surprised that I want him? Doesn’t he feel what I feel? Doesn’t he know he’s mine?

He rubbed a hand over his face, peeking at her through his fingers. I’m exhausted. I’m sore. I’m completely at her mercy… and I’d still choose her a thousand times over. She wants me again. How can I ever say no?

“All right, all right,” he sighed, voice turning low and fond. His hands slid to her hips. “You win again, Mrs. Fitzherbert.”

Her heart fluttered at the title. Say it again. Say it forever. She bent down and kissed him, slow and hungry and full of joy.

They moved together in soft sheets and soft light, no rush, no hesitation—just whispered breaths and shared heartbeats. It wasn’t wild this time, but deep and sure, familiar already in the most breathtaking way. Every sigh from her lips made him feel like he’d been chosen again. Every brush of his hands over her skin made her feel claimed in love, not fear.

When they finally collapsed together once more, she lay sprawled across his chest, her fingers tracing lazy circles over his heartbeat.

Flynn kissed the top of her head, holding her close as their breathing slowed. I could stay like this forever. I’ll give her anything. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving she didn’t make a mistake choosing me.

Rapunzel nuzzled into him, draping her leg over his. He loves me. He loves me, and nothing can take him from me now. If this is how every morning feels, I never want it to end.

He tipped her chin up with his knuckles and kissed her forehead, her nose, then her lips. “Still happy, princess?”

She smiled against his mouth. “Blissfully.” Another soft kiss. “Hopelessly.” Another. “Completely.”

“And insatiably,” he teased weakly.

“Always,” she whispered, curling into him like she belonged nowhere else.

Wrapped in sheets and sunlight and each other, they drifted back into quiet contentment—hearts full, bodies warm, lips still brushing in soft, sleepy kisses neither of them could stop giving.

Later, Flynn and Rapunzel took a bath together. Steam curled lazily through the small bathing room, fogging the mirror and warming the air. The inn’s copper tub was filled nearly to the brim, water still rippling from where Flynn had just stepped in. He leaned back with a soft exhale, dark hair damp against his forehead, eyes half-lidded as the heat soaked into his tired muscles.

Rapunzel slipped in after him, easing herself into the water and settling between his legs with a content sigh. His arms immediately encircled her from behind, drawing her back against his chest like instinct.

How is it that every inch of me fits against him like I was meant to be here? she thought, resting her head beneath his chin. I used to take baths in the tower… but I never imagined this kind of warmth. This kind of love.

Flynn pressed a slow kiss to her shoulder, his breath feathering across her skin. His hands, lazy and warm, smoothed over her arms beneath the water.

She’s real. She’s here. In my arms. In my life. My wife. He couldn’t stop thinking it. Every time he touched her, every time she leaned into him, the word echoed in his chest like a prayer.

She turned slightly to face him, water beading on her collarbone. Her fingers traced a path across his jaw before she leaned in to kiss him—soft at first, then deeper, lingering. He met her halfway, tilting into her mouth, one hand rising to cradle the back of her neck.

Rapunzel shifted, lifting herself just enough to turn fully around in the water and straddle him. The water rippled around them, lapping softly at the sides of the tub.

His hands instinctively came to rest at her waist, thumbs brushing her skin beneath the water’s surface. He looked up at her, awe written openly across his face.

She chooses me every time. Even now. Even like this. How do I ever live up to that kind of devotion?

She cupped his face with both hands, her thumbs brushing his cheeks as she kissed him again—slower this time, with a kind of reverence that made his chest tighten.

He looks at me like I’m a miracle… but he’s the one who saved me. Who loves me. Who gives me this happiness I never thought I’d be allowed to want.

His fingers slid up her back, tracing each dip and curve with whisper-soft affection. She melted into him, sinking closer, her forehead resting gently against his. Their breaths mingled, their lips brushing in small, unhurried kisses that tasted of morning and safety and worship.

They didn’t need words—just quiet sighs and fingertips and closeness.

Rapunzel trailed her mouth along his jaw, her hands roaming his shoulders with slow admiration. He closed his eyes, letting his head fall back a little.

If she keeps touching me like this, I’ll forget how to breathe. And honestly… I wouldn’t mind.

She smiled against his skin, feeling his heartbeat pick up beneath her hands. “You’re looking at me funny again,” she whispered, brushing her nose against his.

Flynn gave a breathless laugh. “Just trying to figure out how to thank the universe for giving you to me.”

She kissed him again before he could say more—firm, adoring, slow enough to make him dizzy. His hands tightened around her waist, needing her closer despite there being no space left between them.

They stayed like that—kissing, laughing softly, sharing little murmurs and quiet touches—as the water gradually cooled around them. Every brush of lips, every lingering caress, was another promise written on skin instead of spoken aloud.

By the time they finally rose from the bath, wrapped in towels and each other’s arms, they were flushed and breathless and glowing—renewed not with exhaustion, but with tenderness.

I could spend every morning like this, she thought, fingers lacing with his.

And I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure she gets to, he vowed silently, pressing a kiss to her temple as they stepped back into their room.

Flynn was still toweling off his hair when she caught his wrist and tugged him back toward the bed, her eyes bright with mischief and aching devotion. How does she still look at me like I hung the stars? he thought, heart stumbling as she pulled him down beside her.

They tumbled onto the mattress in a tangle of limbs and laughter, her lips already seeking his, soft and warm and achingly familiar. His hands slid instinctively along her waist, feeling the dip of her spine as she pressed herself to him like she could fuse their hearts through skin alone.

“You know we can never go out in public again,” he teased against her mouth, breath hitching as she kissed along his jaw. “We’ll scandalize every poor soul who so much as glances our way.”

She gave a soft, breathy laugh and shook her head, her fingers threading through his messy hair. “We don’t need the public,” she murmured. “Not after how the kingdom treated you. Treated us. I won’t go back there. Not ever.”

A flicker of guilt and relief twisted inside him. She deserves more than exile. More than hiding with a wanted man. But she looked at him like nothing in the world could compare. “Then we’ll go farther,” he said quietly. “Somewhere they can’t follow. Somewhere they don’t know your name or mine.”

“How will we earn money?” she asked, though her arms tightened around his neck as if afraid of even the idea of him leaving the bed. “You can’t leave me to go find work yet.”

“I’ll find it wherever we pass,” he promised, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone. “A day here, a week there. I’ll take care of you, sunshine. Always.”

She pouted, but her smile curved at the edges. “But not yet. I want to stay in this little bubble with you. A few more days. Or weeks. Or forever.”

He chuckled softly and kissed the tip of her nose. “My money will only last a few more days at most. Then I really will have to venture out of this bed you keep me trapped in.”

Rapunzel grinned and rolled halfway onto him, her thigh sliding over his. “We could sell the wedding crown,” she suggested lightly. “It’s still in our bag. That should buy us a year of honeymooning.”

Flynn groaned at the memory of the jeweled circlet hidden in their satchel. “Absolutely not. I am not funding our life with royal headwear.”

“Why not?” she teased, trailing soft kisses along his shoulder. “It’s mine. And I’d rather trade jewels than give you up to work so soon.”

He shook his head, smiling despite himself. “Because I want to earn for my wife.” Then he hesitated, warmth creeping through him. “Which reminds me… I owe you something.”

She looked up, curious, as he reached over to the small pack near the bed and pulled something wrapped in cloth from the side pocket. He sat back up beside her, heart thudding with a nervousness he couldn’t quite explain. Please let her like it. Please let it be enough.

“I bought this when I… well, when I spent that month trying to find work in the kingdom,” he said quietly. “I wanted to get you a wedding gift, and I didn’t know if I’d have anything to give you besides my name.”

Her breath caught as he unwrapped the small bundle. Inside was a delicate carved wooden charm on a thin cord—two entwined sunbursts forming a heart, smoothed and shaped with painstaking care. She lifted it with trembling fingers, eyes glistening.

“Eugene… it’s beautiful,” she whispered, voice thick with emotion. He thought of me even when he suffered because of their cruelty. He still loved me enough to make this.

He traced the back of her hand with his thumb. “I whittled it on nights I couldn’t sleep. Wanted you to have something from me that no crown could outshine.”

She didn’t answer with words—instead she cupped his face and kissed him with such sweetness and longing that his chest squeezed tight. Then the sweetness melted into heat, into hunger, into that fierce devotion he could never refuse.

“I love it,” she murmured against his lips. “But I want something else too.”

He raised a brow, half-laughing. “You are going to run me into the ground, wife.”

“Then collapse with me,” she whispered, pushing him gently onto his back, her short hair brushing his face like silk. “Because I’m not done loving you.”

And though his muscles ached and his breath came uneven, he couldn’t deny her. How could I ever deny this woman? Her love wrapped around him like light itself, and his arms came up to hold her close as their mouths met again.

They sank into each other all over again—hearts racing, thoughts blurring, every kiss deepening that ache in their chests. Their world was only breath and warmth and the quiet, wordless truth that nothing had ever felt this right.

My Rapunzel. My miracle. My home.
My Eugene. My heart. My forever.

And once more, the afternoon dissolved beneath their hands and lips, the bed creaking softly beneath the rhythm of their love and laughter.

Flynn had managed—barely—to pry himself from the tangle of sheets and Rapunzel’s warm limbs, but the moment he stood, she slipped into his discarded shirt and followed him like a shadow. The inn’s small hearth crackled with low embers, just enough for him to cook something simple from what he’d bought the day before. But concentrating was almost impossible with her pressed against his back, arms wrapped firmly around his waist.

How am I supposed to cook when she clings to me like she’s afraid I’ll disappear? he thought, equal parts amused and enthralled. Her cheek rested between his shoulder blades, her breath warm on his skin. Every five seconds—or less—she tilted her head to kiss his spine, his shoulder, the corner of his neck whenever he turned slightly.

“I can’t cook if you keep distracting me,” he murmured over his shoulder, though his voice held more laughter than complaint.

“That’s not my fault,” she said softly, kissing the edge of his jaw. “You look far too good without a shirt. And this”—she plucked at the hem of the loose garment she wore—“smells like you. It’s unfair.”

He shook his head, smiling helplessly. If she knew what she does to me… if she knew how easily I’d burn everything just to kiss her back… “At least let me keep the food from turning into charcoal.”

She gave a dramatic sigh and loosened her hold just enough to let him stir the pan—but she stayed close, fingers trailing absent patterns along his stomach. Each touch sent sparks up his spine.

By the time he set their meal on the small table and sat down, she settled herself in his lap, still wearing nothing but his shirt and a smile. They ate slowly, feeding each other bites between kisses that always lingered too long to be practical.

She’s going to undo me again, he thought, watching the way her lips brushed his knuckles before she offered him another forkful. And I won’t even try to stop her.

When the last bite was gone, neither of them made it more than two steps from the table before the hunger between them flared beyond restraint. She tugged him toward the bed with a soft laugh and he followed willingly, hands finding familiar curves as her mouth claimed his again.

They made love in a blur of sighs and whispered names, losing themselves in each other until the world slipped into quiet again. When they finally lay still, the only sound was their breathing—uneven, overlapping, content.

Rapunzel straddled his waist, still catching her breath as she trailed lazy kisses across his cheeks, his lips, his chest. “I wish we could stay like this forever,” she murmured, her voice hushed with happiness. “Just kissing and loving and never stopping.”

Flynn let his head sink back into the pillows, one hand resting over her hip, the other brushing her hair from her face. If she keeps kissing me like that, I’ll never move again… not sure I’d even want to. “You’ve completely exhausted me,” he said with a tired, adoring groan, “but I’m still at your mercy. Always.”

She kissed the corner of his mouth, then the other, then the tip of his nose. My husband. Mine. My heart, my match, my miracle. How could I ever stop? “Good,” she whispered. “Because I’m not done loving you.”

He gave her a drowsy smile, cupping her cheek. “Angel… if you kiss me one more time I’ll fall asleep kissing you.”

“Then you’d better get used to it,” she said, brushing her lips over his again. “Because I’ll want more in the morning.”

He chuckled softly. Morning, afternoon, night—she could ask a thousand times and I’d still give her everything. “I believe you.”

She finally relented enough to tuck herself against him, head resting on his shoulder, her fingers tracing idle circles on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close as if she were the only warmth that existed.

How is this real? How do I get to fall asleep with the woman I love more than life breathing against my skin? How did I get so lucky? he wondered, eyelids already fluttering.

Rapunzel pressed one last kiss to his collarbone. “Sleep, my love. But you owe me a dozen more kisses in the morning.”

“And you’ll get them,” he murmured.

Contentment wrapped around them like a blanket. With her pressed to his chest and his arms around her, their heartbeats fell into the same quiet rhythm. They drifted into sleep safe, sated, and lost in dreams of the love that waited for them with the dawn.

The next morning, light slipped through the thin curtains, soft and golden, warming the sheets and the two tangled bodies beneath them. Rapunzel stirred first, still draped across Flynn’s bare chest, their legs intertwined, her cheek resting over his heartbeat. She blinked lazily, then pressed a sleepy kiss to his skin.

He hummed at the touch, eyes still closed, and lifted a hand to cradle the back of her head. “Morning, my angel,” he murmured, voice low and deliciously rough with sleep.

She lifted her head just enough to kiss the line of his jaw, then his lips. “Good morning, my husband.”

He opened his eyes then, and the tenderness in them made her breath catch. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, reverent. “I still can’t believe it,” he whispered. “How I ever got so lucky to have you in my arms… It feels like a dream I’m terrified to wake from.”

She smiled softly and settled closer, her fingers tracing the firm planes of his chest. He still doubts he deserves me… but I’ll spend forever proving he does. “You won’t wake,” she promised against his lips. “Because you’ll have me forever. I’m yours. Always.”

He kissed her deeply at that—slow and savoring, as though trying to memorize her lips all over again. She melted into him, and when the kiss ended, she scattered soft ones along his neck before settling back into the crook of his shoulder.

For a blissful while they simply snuggled, trading lazy kisses and whispered touches, breathing in each other’s warmth.

But Rapunzel soon shifted, her thigh brushing his in a deliberate glide. “Eugene…” she murmured, lips grazing his collarbone. “Love me again.”

He let out a half-groan, half-laugh, cupping her waist. Three days… three whole days and nights of loving her. And I’d do it for a lifetime if she asked. “Sunshine,” he said gently, “after today, we need to keep moving. We’ve stayed here three nights already. We should leave the inn and get farther from the kingdom—before anyone starts searching.”

She pouted, fingers trailing over his stomach. “I don’t want to get up yet.”

“I know,” he said, kissing her brow. “But we can’t stay hidden forever. We should start the journey today.”

“Then,” she whispered, lips brushing his throat, “love me once more before we go.”

He gave a breathy, helpless laugh. How am I supposed to deny her anything when she looks at me like that—touches me like I’m her whole world? “Once more,” he agreed, voice husky. “But after that, we pack and ride. Deal?”

She pretended to consider it, then nodded with a dramatic sigh. “Deal. But I’m going to make it last.”

He rolled her gently onto her back, their bodies already moving toward each other with instinctive need. “I wouldn’t expect anything else from you, Mrs. Fitzherbert.”

Their lips met again, and the world slipped away. They loved each other slowly, lingeringly, savoring every breath and touch like it was sunrise itself. His thoughts blurred with devotion—she’s mine, she’s safe, I’ll protect this happiness with everything I am—while hers flooded with fierce joy—he’s my home, my heart, my forever.

When it was over, they didn’t move for a long while. Rapunzel lay curled against him, fingers tracing idle shapes on his chest as their breathing evened out. He pressed soft kisses to her hairline, her forehead, the bridge of her nose.

“I could stay like this all my life,” she whispered.

“You’d get no argument from me,” he murmured, brushing her lips with his. If only I could freeze time… keep her in my arms and never face another cruel stare, another threat.

But eventually, reality pulled at the edges of their warmth. With great reluctance, she lifted her head and sighed. “I suppose… we should get up.”

He smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, then kissed the tip of her nose. “Only because we’ll come back to bed tonight.”

She smiled and kissed him one more time—soft and lingering, as though imprinting it onto the morning—before finally, painfully, pulling herself from the sheets.

Their bodies parted, but their hearts stayed wrapped tightly together.

The wind whipped through their hair as they rode Maximus, Pascal perched proudly on Flynn’s shoulder. The road stretched ahead, golden in the afternoon sun, their laughter mingling with the rhythmic thud of hooves. Flynn’s arms were wrapped around Rapunzel as she leaned into him, and she caught his gaze, eyes sparkling behind her hood.

We’re free, Rapunzel thought, pressing a kiss to his chin. Finally, truly free. No towers, no cages, no Gothel, no cruel parents. Just him—and me, by his side.

Flynn caught her lips with a quick smile, a spark of mischief and adoration. I can’t believe she chose me. Chose this life—chose me over a crown, over comfort. And I’ll make sure she never regrets it. He pulled her closer, letting their bodies sway slightly as they rode, brushing cheeks and exchanging soft, lingering kisses.

Hours passed in a blur of wind, laughter, and stolen touches until the sun dipped low and they reached a small, quiet village. They dismounted, Flynn helping her down, hoods pulled over their heads and slipped into the inn without drawing attention. But outside, they overheard whispers—snatches of cruel amusement.

“Have you heard? The kingdom is lost… the princess has lost her mind. She’s eloped with that filthy scoundrel of a thief.”

Flynn’s chest tightened at the words. They think she’s crazy… they know I’m unworthy. I’ve failed her just by existing in this world they forced her into. Guilt clawed at him. I wanted to protect her from this. I can’t stop their voices—but I will stop them from hurting her again.

Rapunzel caught his hand under the table, squeezing gently. Don’t let them see it hurt you, she whispered. We’re together. That’s all that matters. None of it—none of their cruel words—changes us.

Later, in their room, the warm glow of lantern light surrounded them as they shed their travel cloaks. Flynn pressed her into his chest immediately, lips finding hers in a kiss that was equal parts comfort and hunger.

“We don’t need them,” she murmured against his shoulder as they sank onto the bed. “Not that kingdom. Not my parents. You’re my freedom, Eugene. My home.”

His hand rested over hers on his chest, thumb brushing over her knuckles. “And you’re mine. Always,” he whispered, letting the words sink between them like a vow. He kissed the top of her head, the curve of her neck, savoring her softness. She’s my home too… I’d follow her anywhere, and nothing else matters.

As they tumbled into the sheets again, losing themselves in whispered kisses and shared warmth, making love as passionately as always, Rapunzel felt the joy of freedom—but alongside it, a pang of guilt. He loves me so much… and yet he has to hear the cruelty of my world. How can I bear that? She pressed herself closer, silently promising that no one would ever hurt him as long as she could help it.

Flynn, feeling her small shiver against him, kissed the crown of her hair. She carries the weight of their world so lightly, and yet she thinks she owes me comfort. I’ll bear it all for her. I’ll protect her heart, even from the world that tried to crush it.

Hours slipped by in the golden haze of love and whispered promises, until exhaustion mingled with satisfaction, and they finally drifted into sleep. Rapunzel nestled against him, her head tucked beneath his chin, hands splayed across his chest. Flynn’s arms curled around her, drawing her impossibly close, their breathing syncing, their hearts hammering in tandem.

And in the quiet, safe cocoon of their room, far from the kingdom that had tried to dictate their lives, they slept—utterly, completely, gloriously at peace.

Night had settled thick and silent over the little inn. Flynn slept on his back, one arm wrapped securely around Rapunzel, her cheek tucked over his heartbeat. The quiet should have been peaceful—but somewhere in the dark, her breath hitched.

At first it was soft—a whimper, a tremble in her fingers against his skin. Then came a broken whisper.

“No—no, please, Eugene—come back—”

Flynn stirred just as she jolted violently in her sleep, tears already slipping down her cheeks. “Sunshine?” His voice was hushed, alarmed. She didn’t wake. Her hand clenched his shoulder, her body shaking as if freezing.

She’s dreaming… about that day. That day I died in her arms. The thought tore through him. Before he could speak again, she gasped—a ragged, silent cry—and truly broke.

He pulled her upright instantly, hands cupping her face. “Rapunzel—Rapunzel, love, wake up. I’m here.” His voice trembled despite himself.

Her eyes flew open mid-sob, wet lashes blinking in panic. For a heartbeat she didn’t seem to see him at all—just the memory of his lifeless body on cold stone. Then her gaze focused, and she choked out, “Eugene—” before flinging her arms around him.

He crushed her against his chest, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other splayed protectively along her spine. “I’ve got you,” he whispered into her hair. “I’m here. I’m alive. I’ll never leave you again.”

She wept against him, shaking, clutching him like he might disappear if she blinked. I saw you die again… I saw them kill you this time. I couldn’t stop them. The terror still throbbed in her chest.

Flynn pressed kiss after kiss into her hair, her cheeks, her trembling shoulders. She shouldn’t have to live with this fear. She saved my life—yet the memory is still killing her inside. If only I could take these nightmares away from her and carry them myself. My poor darling should never feel such sorrow ever again. His guilt wrapped around his ribs like a vise.

“I dreamed… they killed you,” she whispered shakily against his skin. “The way they planned. I saw you fall—I couldn’t—” Her voice broke again.

“Shh.” He brushed her tears away with his thumbs, kissing the trails they left. “They didn’t. They’ll never touch me. You saved me then, and I’m not going anywhere now. I swear it, Rapunzel.”

Her heart slowly steadied under his voice, his warmth, his scent. He’s alive. He’s here. He’s mine. No one can hurt him now. Yet the ache of fear still curled cold in her stomach.

Needing him—needing to feel him, to claim him—she pressed her lips to his with a desperate kind of tenderness. Flynn responded instantly, his kiss soft, grounding, endless. He laid her gently back against the sheets, hovering over her, brushing his knuckles over her cheek. “Are you sure?” he murmured, voice low and aching.

“Yes,” she breathed. “I need you. Please.” Make the nightmare fade. Remind me you’re mine and alive and safe.

Flynn kissed her again, deeper this time, and shifted over her with infinite care. His touch was slow and reverent, every movement meant to soothe, not overwhelm. If this is how I can calm her heart, then I’ll give her everything—every heartbeat, every breath.

Their bodies moved together in a quiet rhythm, not rushed, not wild—just aching with love and the need to feel each other alive and warm. Every sigh from her lips eased another shard of terror from her chest. Every gentle thrust whispered, I’m here. I’m not leaving. Not now, not ever.

When it was over, she lay sprawled over him, cheek resting on his chest, his arms cocooning her. Her breathing had finally gone soft and even again, fingers tangled lazily in his hair.

Flynn pressed a kiss to her temple, then another to her forehead. She falls asleep trusting me to protect her. And I will. Even if it costs me everything. He held her tighter, as if daring the world to try again.

His thumb stroked the dip of her waist as she drifted fully to sleep against him. No more nightmares. No more tears. I’ll carry every fear so she doesn’t have to. I’ll build a life so safe and bright she’ll never wake up crying again.

Only when he was sure her breathing was peaceful—and no ghosts lingered in her sleep—did he close his own eyes. But even then, he did not let her go.

Tonight, nothing would take her peace from her again.

The next morning, sunlight crept softly over the inn’s shutters, sliding across tangled sheets and the two lovers still wrapped around each other. Rapunzel’s head rose and fell gently with each breath Flynn took beneath her cheek. His arm remained firmly around her waist, as though it had never moved through the entire night.

She stirred first, lips brushing faintly over his chest in a sleepy kiss. His eyes opened at once—he hadn’t been fully asleep anyway. The memory of her nightmare still sat like a stone in his chest.

“Good morning,” she whispered, voice hushed and warm.

Flynn bent his head and pressed a kiss into her hair. She’s calm today. Thank the stars. “Morning, Sunshine.” His fingers traced slow circles on her back. Then, quietly, he added, “Are you alright? No more bad dreams?”

Rapunzel looked up at him, her green eyes softer than the dawn light. “I’m fine now,” she said, kissing his jaw. “You were here.”

He exhaled, the tightness in him loosening only slightly. She shouldn’t have to rely on waking to know I’m safe. I’ll make sure she never doubts it again. He cupped her face in both hands and kissed her slowly—assuring, devoted.

“I’m not leaving you,” he murmured against her lips. “Not ever again. Nothing in this world will take me from you.”

She rested her forehead to his, smiling faintly. “Then don’t let me wake up without you.”

“I won’t,” he said, with quiet fierceness. Another kiss—longer this time. She melted into it instantly, fingers curling at his shoulders.

After a still moment, Flynn drew a breath. “We should ride soon. Travel farther from the kingdom. There’s another village downriver—I might be able to pick up work there. We’ll need coin again soon.”

Rapunzel made a soft, unhappy sound and slid even closer, nuzzling into his chest as though anchoring herself. “I don’t want you to go anywhere. I don’t want our honeymoon to end after only these few days.”

Gods, I don’t want it to end either, Flynn thought, brushing his thumb along her cheekbone. Aloud, he kissed the tip of her nose and said gently, “You won’t have to be far. You can stay near wherever I’m working. But if you keep kissing me every five minutes, I might not manage much more than staring at you uselessly while the money runs out.”

She smiled against his skin and pressed a teasing kiss to his collarbone. “Then don’t work. Stay with me. We still have the crown. We could sell it and live in our honeymoon for a year.”

He gave a quiet, breathy laugh, though his gaze was soft and serious. “Tempting. Too tempting. But I want to take care of you with my own hands. Earn what we need. You deserve that, not stolen jewels.”

I don’t want treasure, Rapunzel thought, pressing her palm over his heart. I just want him. His voice, his arms, his warmth. She kissed him again—slowly, tenderly, savoring every second of his nearness.

Flynn let the kiss linger, his free hand sliding to the small of her back. I’ll find a way to work where no one sees her. Somewhere I can protect her and still hold my promise. Even if I’m exhausted—I’d do anything for her.

“I’ll find something that keeps us safe,” he said quietly against her lips. “A job where I can stay close, keep watch, earn for us both.”

“And until then,” she murmured, eyes shining softly, “stay here with me.”

His answer came in a kiss that deepened instantly—slow, adoring, unhurried. Rapunzel sighed into it, her hands threading through his hair as though she never meant to let him go. Their bodies curved naturally back into the sheets, warmth radiating between them like sunlight.

She could kiss me for the rest of my life and I’d still crave more, Flynn thought, feeling her breath catch as he trailed gentle kisses along her neck.

I’ll keep him with me any way I can, Rapunzel thought, heart swelling with pure devotion. If he must work, I’ll still hold him every moment before and after.

The morning slipped into quiet bliss—soft laughter, whispered vows, tender touches that spoke without words. They loved and clung and breathed as though the world outside did not exist, and for a while, neither of them allowed it to.

Wrapped in each other again, hearts steady and lips intertwined, they remained in the warm shelter of the sheets—safe, cherished, utterly lost in their devotion.

Chapter Text

They left the inn by midmorning, the world soft with a pale blue sky and the distant hush of wind through trees. Rapunzel sat in front of Flynn on Maximus’s back, her arms looped around his neck, pressing warm, fluttering kisses to his cheek every few breaths.

I could ride like this forever, Flynn thought, tightening one arm around her waist as he guided the horse along the quiet forest road. Every mile we put between us and that kingdom feels like a step toward something real—something I can finally give her.

Rapunzel rested her head against his shoulder, fingers toying with the collar of his cloak. We’re really free now. And he’s mine. My husband, my home, my whole world. She kissed his jaw again just because she could, and he smiled despite himself.

They reached the next village by afternoon. To keep her hidden, Flynn pulled the hood gently over her cropped brown hair—though she kept pushing it back to kiss his cheek. Eventually he gave up and simply lifted her into his arms, carrying her bridal-style down the narrow street.

Her arms slipped around his neck, her lips brushing his ear. He always holds me like I’m something precious… even when I’m the one clinging to him. She smiled, planting another kiss along his jawline.

Every villager who glanced their way saw only a cloaked man carrying a small wife protectively in his arms. Flynn kept his head lowered, scanning faces. Just a few errands. No attention. Keep moving. Keep her safe. But each time she kissed him, the tension in his shoulders eased.

He stopped at an open-air stall and bought warm bread, stewed apples, and a bit of cured meat. Before she could protest, he fed her the first bite himself. Rapunzel kissed his finger in thanks, making Flynn momentarily forget the food entirely.

Then, while she sat nearby on a low stone wall—still sneaking kisses to his cheek whenever he passed close—he spotted a simple hand-carved comb in a merchant’s booth. On impulse, he traded a few coins for it.

“For our fourth day of marriage,” he said, and Rapunzel lit up at the words, immediately kissing his cheek, then his lips, then his cheek again.

He remembers even the hours we’ve been married, she thought, heart fluttering. No king or castle could give me this kind of love.

They didn’t stay long in the square. A pair of merchants hauling crates from a cart to a cellar were struggling. Flynn hesitated only a second before stepping in.

“Let me help,” he said, glancing back at Rapunzel. “Stay close, Sunshine. Right there where I can see you.”

She sat on the crate he’d set near the wall, chin resting on her hands as she watched him lift heavy boxes with easy strength. Look at him… working so hard just to give us a life. He shouldn’t have to, but he wants to. For me.

She kissed the air at him every time he looked back—and he did look, again and again, drawn to her like a tide.

When the job was done, the merchants slipped a few coins into his hand in thanks. Flynn turned back toward Rapunzel, who was already stretching her arms up to him in silent demand.

He didn’t even bother to pretend resistance—he scooped her up into his arms again as though she weighed nothing.

She’ll never know how much it means to feel her hold on to me… how every touch reminds me I’m not alone anymore.

She curled into his chest, nuzzling beneath his chin. If I could stay in his arms for the rest of my life, I would. Let them whisper, let them wonder—I belong nowhere but here.

Maximus trailed behind them as Flynn carried her through the fading light toward the next inn on the edge of the village. Each step, each kiss she pressed against his jaw or lips, lightened the weight of the world on his shoulders.

And by the time he nudged the inn door open with his foot, Rapunzel still in his arms, both their hearts were quiet and full—content in the certainty that as long as they had each other, no road ahead could ever feel uncertain.

The small inn room was warm from the hearth still glowing faintly in the corner. The moonlight spilled through the window, painting silver streaks across the rumpled sheets where Flynn and Rapunzel lay entwined. Their bodies were spent, yet every touch lingered, every kiss still thrummed with the echoes of their love.

Flynn pressed a gentle kiss to the curve of her shoulder, savoring the softness of her skin beneath his lips. How did I ever get so lucky? he thought, running his fingers along her spine, tracing the line of her back as she pressed closer to him. She trusts me… she’s mine, and I’ll give her everything she deserves. I swear it.

Rapunzel’s head rested against his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart. She traced lazy circles over his ribs, feeling his warmth seep into her. He tries so hard for me… every day, every mile, every coin he earns… he does it all for us. For me. She sighed softly, curling into him as if trying to fuse herself with his very being.

“You know,” she murmured, lifting her face to meet his gaze, “I’m proud of you. For trying to find work… for wanting to take care of me. You don’t have to, but you do it anyway.”

Flynn smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She sees me. Not the thief, not the failures—just me. And that’s everything I’ve ever wanted. “I promise, Rapunzel,” he whispered, voice low but steady, full of conviction. “I’ll give you the best life I can. You’ll never want for anything, I swear it.”

Her eyes glimmered in the moonlight, the faintest worry still flickering there. He tilted her chin gently, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “Do you feel better now? You’re not still shaken by that nightmare, are you?”

Rapunzel closed her eyes, letting out a small, contented sigh. “As long as you’re here, Eugene… I feel safe. I’m home.” Her fingers curled around his, pressing him closer as she melted against him, finally allowing herself to sink into sleep.

Flynn held her tighter, his lips brushing her hair, his heart full. She’s my home too. I’ll protect her from every shadow, every cruel word, every memory that tries to haunt her. As long as I have her in my arms, she’ll never be alone again.

And there, in the quiet of the night, with the world shut out beyond the thin walls of the inn, they drifted together—safe, loved, and wrapped in the simple, infinite bliss of being each other’s forever.

The next morning, the first light of dawn spilled gently through the curtains, brushing the room in muted gold. Rapunzel was the first to stir, still wrapped in Flynn’s arms. Her cheek rested over his heart, rising and falling with each slow breath. No nightmares… thank goodness. The peace of the moment settled over her like a warm blanket.

She let her fingers move in slow, absent circles across his bare chest, savoring the heat of his skin, the strength beneath her hand. Her gaze drifted up, lingering on his face—relaxed, unguarded, beautiful in a way only she was ever allowed to see. His lashes lay dark against his skin, his mouth curved faintly in sleep. How can one person mean everything to me? How is it possible to miss him even while I'm touching him?

Her gaze fell to the faint scar that cut across his stomach. Her fingertips traced it with reverence, a quiet ache pulling at her heart. I thought I lost you… I felt you die in my arms. And now you're here, breathing under my hand, loving me like I’m worth surviving for. She lowered her head and whispered, barely audible, “You came back to me.”

Flynn stirred at the softness of her voice, instinctively drawing her closer even before waking. A tiny laugh escaped her as she brushed his hair back from his forehead and pressed a flutter of kisses along his cheek and jaw.

“Keep going, sunshine,” he mumbled, voice gravelly from sleep, “and I might just wake up.”

His lips curved before his eyes even opened, and Rapunzel flushed with a smile. “You’re awake?”

“Have been since kiss number three,” he said, cracking one eye with a lazy grin. Waking up to her touch… I’ll never get used to how that feels. I don’t deserve it, but I’ll spend my whole life making sure she never regrets choosing me.

She kissed his cheek again, and he pretended to sigh contentedly. “Not the worst alarm clock I’ve had.”

“You’re just so handsome when you’re asleep,” she teased.

He slid a hand up her back and pulled her onto his chest. “Only when I’m asleep? Should I pretend to stay unconscious more often?”

“Don’t you dare.” She laughed, brushing her nose against his. “I like you better awake.”

He cupped her cheek, thumb tracing along her jaw with aching tenderness. “I like waking up knowing you’re mine,” he murmured, kissing her slow and sweet. How is this my life? How is she real?

She melted against him as his mouth lingered over hers. I never want to wake up without him again. I never want these mornings to end.

He pulled back only an inch, eyes warm. “Now then, Mrs. Fitzherbert… what’s our plan this morning?”

A playful gleam lit her smile as she leaned in, lips barely brushing his. “We need to settle something first.”

“Oh?” His eyebrow lifted, amused.

“We need to decide who’s the better kisser.”

Flynn chuckled and tugged her fully on top of him, arms locking around her waist. “Dangerous challenge, sweetheart. I hope you plan to lose gracefully.”

“We’ll see,” she whispered, and then their mouths met again—soft at first, then deeper, teasing, lingering. Each kiss bled into the next until she broke the silence on a breath.

“I need you again,” she murmured against his lips.

He groaned dramatically. “Darling, it’s barely morning. I’m still exhausted from yesterday.”

“Then today you’ll rest. No lifting crates, no odd jobs. Today you love me. It’s our five‑day wedding anniversary.”

He brushed his thumb over her hip, half‑smiling. She has no idea what she does to me… but I’d give her the world if I could. “I wanted to earn more money, take you farther from them, find us a home—”

“We still have enough,” she whispered, trailing kisses along his jaw. “And right now, I want you.”

He stilled, searching her eyes. “You know there are consequences.”

She didn’t hesitate. “And you know I’d be overjoyed if those consequences meant a child. So… let’s try.”

His chest tightened at her certainty—fear and love tangled together. She wants forever with me… even in the shape of a child. How do I say no to that? How could I ever want anything but her—always, in every way? He gave a mock-exhausted sigh. “You know I can’t refuse you.”

She smiled triumphantly, and then there were no more words—only the return to each other. They moved together with the same aching reverence as the days before, every touch and breath steeped in devotion. It was slow and tender and full of quiet longing rather than urgency. She’s my beginning and my redemption.

He’s my safety and my joy and my forever.

When at last they collapsed into each other, breathless and warm and wrapped in the sheets and each other, Rapunzel laid her head back on his chest. His arm curved protectively around her, fingers tracing soft lines over her shoulder.

My heart is home. Right here.

If I die loving her like this every day, I’ll have lived more than I deserved.

And in that fragile hush of morning, wrapped in moonlight and warmth, they simply breathed the same air—content, safe, and entirely each other’s.

Later, the bathwater swirled around them, warm and scented with herbs, as Rapunzel leaned against Flynn, her lips brushing against his every few seconds. Each kiss sent sparks through him, and he groaned softly when she nibbled at his lower lip, her hands tracing the lines of his chest.

“Rapunzel, I’d prefer to leave this… to the bedroom,” he murmured, voice husky with desire, “the bathtub isn’t exactly comfortable for what you’re thinking.”

“But I want you,” she whispered, her voice both playful and insistent. “I want you all the time.” Her hands roamed over him, and he felt his resolve weaken. She’s my heartbeat, my chaos, my joy… how can I say no?

“And you’ll have me,” he promised, cupping her waist, “later, in bed. For now, I need to catch my breath. This morning has… already taken its toll.”

Rapunzel giggled, pressing a lingering kiss to his jaw. “Then you better recharge soon, my husband.”

He kissed her temple, inhaling the scent of her hair and skin. I could stay like this forever, feeling her against me, seeing her smile… it’s everything I’ve ever wanted. “I will, I promise,” he murmured.

Her fingers traced lazy patterns across his shoulders. “And speaking of exhausting, if you insist on finding work instead of selling my crown… couldn’t you do something less… backbreaking?”

“Backbreaking?” he teased, though his hand lingered lovingly on hers. “Carrying boxes isn’t exactly torture.”

“But I worry about you.” Her gaze softened, lips brushing against his ear. “I hate seeing you struggle.”

He cupped her cheek and kissed her deeply, letting her tension melt into him. She loves me enough to worry about me. And I’d endure anything for her happiness. “I never want to see you worry,” he whispered. “I’ll find a job that takes care of us without breaking me… or my back.”

Rapunzel tilted her head, brushing a wet strand of hair from his forehead. “What about writing? Or storytelling? You’re amazing with words.”

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “What if no one likes what I write?”

Her smile was bright, eyes shining. “They will. They’d love anything that comes from you… from us.”

His chest swelled with emotion. From us… she sees me as part of her life, part of our love… I’d move mountains for this girl. “Alright,” he said finally, brushing his lips against hers. “Maybe I can try writing, but I’ll still need to pick up a few honest jobs while I work toward it. I have to make sure we’re cared for. I have to make sure you and… anyone we might bring into this world are safe and happy.”

Her hand pressed to his chest, heart fluttering against his. “Our child… it would be the most beautiful person in the world.”

He laughed softly, brushing his lips against hers. “But only after their mother, of course. Always you first, sunshine.” She deserves the world, and I’ll give it to her in every way I can.

She leaned closer, nuzzling his neck. “But we still have some money, and we could sell the crown… you don’t have to exhaust yourself with other jobs besides writing.”

“I want to earn for us,” he said firmly, brushing damp strands of her hair from her face. “I want to provide for you through my own work, not stolen gold. I want you to know that I’ll always be responsible for us.”

“But it’s my crown, Eugene. I don’t want it anymore.”

He sighed and kissed her again, slow and lingering. “We can sell it someday, maybe. But I still want to earn our life myself. I promise I’ll find time for stories when you’re not kissing me breathless.”

Rapunzel giggled, tracing circles over his chest with her fingers. “Those moments are very rare, but I suppose I can wait… for now. Though I think we might need another week of snuggling… and…” She leaned in, nibbling at his lower lip, and his breath hitched.

“Careful angel, or I’ll take you back to bed right this instant,” he teased, his hands roaming her sides.

“Exactly what I want,” she murmured, voice sultry, water dripping from her hair as she pressed closer. “The bath’s cooling… and I need to be warmed up.”

He let out a soft laugh, pulling her against him, feeling the slick heat of her body against his. She’s impossible, beautiful, all-consuming… and I wouldn’t trade this for anything. “Don’t worry, sunshine. I’ll make sure you’re warm enough,” he promised, letting his lips brush over hers in a kiss that sent shivers down both their spines.

He grinned, lifting her carefully from the bath with ease, carrying her through the steam toward the bed. Every moment with her is a treasure. Every touch, every laugh, every kiss is mine to hold forever.

By the time they reached the bed, they were pressed together again, lips and hands inseparable. Water still clinging to them, hearts pounding in unison, they sank into the sheets in a tangle of limbs, kisses, and whispered promises, lost in a world that existed only for the two of them.

She’s mine. I’ll love her like this forever, Flynn thought, pressing a lingering kiss to her shoulder.

He’s mine. Always mine, Rapunzel thought, letting herself be utterly consumed by the warmth and safety of his arms, and the passion that never seemed to fade.

And in that quiet room, with the world beyond the inn forgotten, they made love again, their bodies and hearts moving together in perfect, breathless harmony.

The evening sunlight softened into amber as Flynn stood at the small stove in their rented room, hair still damp from the bath and shirt slightly askew from Rapunzel’s earlier enthusiasm. His muscles ached—in the most satisfying way—but he hummed as he stirred the pan. She could wear me out a hundred times, and I’d still want to make her dinner. Anything for her. Anything to see her smile.

Rapunzel curled up at the little wooden table, chin resting in her palm, watching him with sleepy, adoring eyes. The loose white shirt he’d thrown on still hung open at the chest, and the sight made her heart flutter. How is it possible to love someone so much that it fills every breath? I never thought freedom could feel like this… warm, human, alive… him.

Flynn carried the plates over and set them down, then leaned to press a lingering kiss to her forehead. She reached up to cup his cheek, smiling as he sat beside her. They ate slowly, sharing bites, laughing when their fingers brushed or their lips met in place of a spoonful.

Flynn fed her a piece of bread dipped in sauce. “So,” he murmured, brushing his thumb over her lip to catch a crumb, “where should we run off to next? Somewhere far. Warm. Somewhere no one would think to look.”

She leaned into his touch. “Wherever you are, I’m already home.”

He smiled, heart aching with softness. She could say one sentence and undo every scar I’ve ever carried. “What about somewhere with sun and sea? Italy, maybe. Or Spain. Or France.” He chuckled. “We don’t even have to stay in one place. I could show you the world.”

Her eyes lit up with quiet wonder. “Anywhere is perfect. As long as you’re with me.”

She says it so easily, like loving me isn't a risk. Like I deserve it. He reached for her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Then France first. I’ll take you there, sunshine. I’ll show you everything. Cities, fields, oceans—every place I can carry you.”

She felt her chest stir with warmth so deep it hurt. “Then I’ll love every place we go. Because you’re my freedom. My family. My home.”

For a moment he couldn’t speak. He tucked a curl behind her ear and cupped her face in both hands. How do I ever put this into words? How do I show her what she is to me? “And you’re all of that for me too. You’re my peace. My reason. The only future I want.” He kissed her gently, reverently. “I love you more than I ever knew was possible.”

“And I love you with everything I am,” she whispered.

Their dinner forgotten, Rapunzel rose and straddled his lap, looping her arms around his neck. His hands found her waist instinctively, heartbeat quickening as she pressed her forehead to his. She could ask anything of me, and I’d give it. Body, soul, every breath I have left.

She kissed him slowly, lovingly, with all the devotion she didn’t know how to speak. He came back to me. He chose me. He’ll never have to be alone again. And neither will I.

Their lips met, and the world stilled. They made love again, slow and quiet, not with urgency but with belonging—two souls memorizing each other for the thousandth time.

Later, wrapped in blankets and each other, Rapunzel rested her head over Flynn’s heart, its rhythm calm and steady beneath her ear. His fingers traced small circles along her spine, protective even in exhaustion.

I’ll get her to France. I’ll find a way. I’ll build a life so far from sorrow no one can reach us, he vowed silently, watching her lashes flutter as she drifted to sleep.

As long as he’s here, I’ll never be afraid again, she thought, breathing him in, warmth sinking into every part of her.

Night settled gently over them. Wrapped in love and quiet promises, they slipped into sleep—safe, entwined, and utterly each other’s.

The days blurred into a dream—soft mornings wrapped in blankets and kisses, afternoons spent traveling on Maximus with Rapunzel curled against Flynn’s chest, and nights tangled in each other’s arms. A week drifted by like a sigh, and neither of them wanted to wake from the bliss they’d built.

In every inn and cottage they stopped at, Flynn carried her over thresholds as though each one were a wedding doorway. She deserves to be treated like treasure, he thought every time her arms looped around his neck and she pressed a kiss to his jaw. I’ll make the world gentle for her, even if I have to drag it into kindness myself.

Selling the crown had felt like breathing after drowning. Rapunzel had stared at the gold for a long moment, then handed it over with a quiet strength. This never belonged to me. Eugene did. Our life does. Not them. Not the cruel people who sentenced the man I love to death for a crown and then tried to kill him behind my back. It was as though she’d cast off the last weight of people who called themselves parents but had never acted like them.

Flynn didn’t miss the crown either—only the fear it brought. Good riddance, he’d thought as he pocketed the coins. Now nothing ties her to those people. Now no one can use it to take her from me again.

With the money, they bought food, ribbons and pastries for her, and saved the rest for a far-off cottage by the sea. Flynn bought her gifts in every town—a carved comb, a scarf in her favorite shade, flowers braided into her hair whenever he could find them.

And she showered him in affection in return—drawings of the two of them, dozens of kisses for every breath he took, fingers always laced with his. He makes love feel like safety, she’d think whenever he held her, like something I never have to fear losing again.

On their one-week wedding anniversary, Flynn surprised her with a delicate necklace—silver with a small stone the color of sunlight through leaves. Rapunzel’s breath had caught. He keeps giving me pieces of forever. In return, she gave him a sketch of them laughing together. He stared at it longer than he’d ever admit. She sees me as something worth drawing. Worth holding on to.

By the time their second week crept close, their love felt even deeper, stitched into every hour of the day. One quiet morning, they lay beneath loose sheets, Rapunzel curled against his chest, her stomach growling adorably.

“What do you want for breakfast?” Flynn asked, brushing his fingers through her hair.

“Three things,” she said dreamily. “Pancakes. Strawberries. And… stew.”

He blinked. “For breakfast?”

She nodded, perfectly serious. “And maybe bread. And jam. And something crunchy.”

Flynn’s brow furrowed, and then a realization flickered through his mind. Wait. Three breakfasts. Extra sleep. The glow in her cheeks. Could it be—already?

He kissed her forehead gently, heart racing in disbelief and wonder. “Rapunzel, my darling…” His voice softened with awe. “I think you might be pregnant.”

She froze, then her eyes widened like sunrise. “Pregnant?” Her voice trembled with joy. “You mean… we’ll have a baby?”

Before he could speak another word, she launched herself at him, showering his face with kisses, laughing into his neck. His arms closed around her instinctively, holding her as though the world had just tilted into gold. A baby. Our baby. A piece of her and a piece of me. I never thought I’d deserve this kind of future.

“Oh, Eugene,” she breathed against his lips, tears bright in her eyes. “That’s so wonderful. It’s a miracle. We’ll have a baby. I’m so happy.”

“Me too, sweetheart,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. He cupped her face like something sacred. She’ll be the kind of mother anyone would dream of. And I’ll make sure neither of them ever know fear. “Our baby will be so lucky to have you as their mother.”

Her smile trembled as she stroked his cheek. “And you as their father.”

For a long moment they just held each other, breathing softly, hearts thrumming in tandem. Rapunzel rested her hand over her stomach, a soft glow in her eyes. A life we made from love. A future where no one can take him from me again.

Flynn’s fingers covered hers, his thumb brushing gently over her skin. I’ll build a world for them both. I’ll keep them safe. I’ll give them everything I never had.

Then she kissed him again, slow and overflowing with new dreams. He kissed her back, reverent and tender, their hearts full and futures wide.

They sank into the sheets together once more, snuggling, kissing, making love, laughing, their whispers soft and full of wonder. They spoke of tiny hands and lullabies, of where their cottage might be built, of stars they’d count as a family.

And soon, wrapped in love and promise and the quiet beginnings of new life, they were lost in each other again.

The news of the baby wrapped itself around Flynn’s heart like warmth by a fire. As soon as Rapunzel settled back against the pillows with a blissful little sigh, he slipped from the bed, determined to make good on her very enthusiastic breakfast order.

He moved around the small inn’s kitchen space with quiet focus, sleeves rolled up, hair still mussed from sleep and kisses. She’s carrying our child… our child. The thought repeated itself over and over, each time making his chest tighten with a mixture of awe and fierce protectiveness. They’ll both have everything I never did. And I’ll make sure neither of them is ever hurt.

By the time he returned, the tray was nearly overflowing. Pancakes stacked high and drizzled with honey, a bowl of strawberries, a small loaf of warm bread with jam, a dish of stew, and even some toasted nuts because she’d mentioned “crunchy.” Rapunzel’s eyes sparkled at the sight.

“You’re incredible,” she said, looking between him and the food as though she weren’t sure which was the greater miracle.

He laughed softly as he set the tray on the bed. “You asked for three breakfasts. I thought I’d better make five—just in case.”

She kissed his cheek, then his lips, then his jaw, each gesture full of sunshine. He’s already taking care of us, she thought, her hand unconsciously resting over her stomach. Our baby is going to grow up so loved.

They ate together under the blankets, feeding each other bites and laughing when jam smudged the corner of his mouth and he pretended not to notice so she’d have to kiss it away. Eventually, talk wandered to names.

“What about Rowan?” Flynn offered, absentmindedly stroking his thumb over her knuckles.

She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Rowan is sweet. And what about Elara? Or maybe something that means light.” Her heart fluttered just saying the words aloud. A name for someone we’ve already begun to dream about.

Flynn’s chest tightened at the sound of her joy. She already loves this little life as completely as she loves me. How do I deserve either of them?

When the last bite had been eaten and the dishes set aside, Rapunzel curled against him, her lips brushing his collarbone with unmistakable intent.

“Sunshine,” he murmured, smoothing a hand over her back, “you should rest. You’re carrying precious cargo now.”

She only smiled against his skin, fingers tracing the line of his shoulder. “I’m resting right here. And I want you close.” Her voice dropped, soft and certain. “Please.”

He hesitated for all of two heartbeats, then melted the way he always did when she looked at him like that. How could I ever deny her anything? She is my whole life.

He kissed her slowly, tenderly, with all the care in his soul. Love spilled between them like breath and warmth, until they tangled together once more, hearts pounding in unison. They moved with reverence and joy, wrapped in soft words and soft touches, and when they finally stilled again, she curled into his chest, peaceful and glowing.

Between gentle kisses along her hairline, Flynn rested his hand over her stomach and whispered, “When we travel to France… I’m going to protect you and our little one from everything. No one will find us—not your parents, not the kingdom, no one. I’ll build a life where nothing can touch you.”

Her eyes softened, shining with safety and certainty as she pressed herself closer. He means every word. He always has. I’m safe with him—safe, loved, free. She kissed his chest, over his heart. “I know. With you, I’m never afraid.”

Flynn held her tight, breathing her in like something holy. They’ll never take anything from us again. I’ll move heaven and earth before I let them try.

Rapunzel rested with her leg draped over his, one hand twined in his hair, one over his heart. The thought of their child nestled between their futures made everything feel brighter, safer, more real than any dream.

Soon, they drifted into a gentle doze, wrapped around each other, wrapped in promise, wrapped in love.

Rapunzel slept draped over him like a sun-warmed blanket, her cheek resting on his bare chest, one hand curled near his heart. Her breathing was soft and even, each rise and fall brushing against his skin like the gentlest reminder: She’s here. She’s mine. She’s safe.

Flynn stayed perfectly still for a while, just to memorize it—the weight of her, the faint scent of lavender in her hair, the knowledge that a tiny, growing life rested between them now. His hand brushed carefully over her back. I’ll give them both the world. And I won’t let her worry about me breaking my back or leaving her side to do it.

Slowly, so he wouldn’t wake her, he reached for the folded parchment and charcoal stick he’d tucked near the bedside table the night before. With Rapunzel still sprawled across him, he adjusted just enough to write, careful not to shift her.

He hesitated only once before the first words came.

Stories. I can sell stories. I can stay with her, protect her, earn for her—and for our child—without leaving her side or lifting crates until my arms give out. And she’ll never have to fear that someone might recognize her while I’m gone.

His hand moved steadily, the beginnings of a tale taking shape—an adventure with love at its center, inspired in part by the girl breathing against his ribs. He wrote a few pages before his thumb began to cramp from holding the charcoal at such an odd angle. He flexed his fingers quietly and glanced down again.

Rapunzel stirred.

Her lashes fluttered, her lips brushing against his skin as she blinked up at him with a drowsy, adoring smile. “Eugene…” she mumbled, voice thick with sleep, “why are you writing on me?”

He chuckled softly, brushing her hair behind her ear. “I’m not writing on you, sunshine. Just… around you.”

She squinted at the parchment in his hand, then gave him a theatrically offended pout. “Are you secretly writing love letters to someone else while I’m asleep on you?”

Flynn smirked. “Yes. To a certain princess-turned-outlaw-turned-wife who keeps distracting me.”

She lifted herself a little, still straddling his waist lazily. “What is it really?”

“A story,” he confessed, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. “Something I might be able to sell in France, or wherever we go. Work I can do without leaving you. No crates. No heavy lifting. No risk of anyone seeing you alone.” His thoughts warmed just saying it. Closer to her. Closer to our child. No more sneaking off for coin like a stray dog.

Rapunzel’s whole face lit up. He’s doing this for us—for me—for our baby. Always thinking of how to protect us. Her heart felt too full to contain. “You’re writing us a future,” she whispered, tearing up as she cupped his cheek.

She kissed his chin, then his jaw, then his lips—slow, soft presses that deepened with each breath. Her fingers slid into his hair while her other hand rested over his heart.

He tried to hold onto the parchment with his free hand. “If you keep kissing me like that, I’m never going to finish this story.”

“Good,” she murmured, nibbling lightly at his lower lip. “Stories can wait. I can’t.”

He groaned quietly, half-laughing, half-surrendering. She’ll be the end of my productivity and the start of every joy I ever have. “Is this because it’s our two-week anniversary? I thought you might wait until at least the one-month mark before you tried to ruin my concentration every five minutes.”

She gave him a satisfied smile and whispered against his mouth, “That’s two whole weeks away. And right now, I want my husband.”

And there it is, Flynn thought, already setting the parchment aside. I never stood a chance. With a soft, helpless laugh, he kissed her back deeply and let the charcoal roll to the floor.

“I’ll write more later,” he promised, voice low and full of affection. “Right now, you win. Again.”

“And I’ll win again after that,” she said, her grin turning into another kiss before he could reply.

“And again after that,” he murmured against her lips, arms wrapping around her as his thoughts fluttered with devotion. Let the world wait. She comes first.

Then the page lay forgotten on the blanket as his wife kissed him breathless all over again.

The road carried them farther from the kingdom and closer toward France—farther from shadows, closer to hope. Flynn held Rapunzel in his arms as he walked through the new village, both of them cloaked and hooded.

Rapunzel laughed softly against his shoulder. “Eugene, you don’t have to carry me everywhere.”

He only tightened his hold as if she were priceless glass. “I do. I’m not letting you walk while you’re carrying our baby.”

Our baby. The words echoed warmly in his heart every time he said them. It made him feel strong, useful—like he could finally be the man she deserved. She rested her hand over his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath the fabric.

Flynn bought her small presents—ribbons, sweets, a carved wooden toy he said would be for “when the baby arrives.” He insisted it was for their three-week anniversary too. I want her to have everything, he thought as he paid. She deserves the whole world for loving me.

Later, he found temporary work at a nearby farm—lifting tools, repairing fences, helping stack hay bales—while Rapunzel sat under a tree and drew. He glanced at her often. Her smile, her gentle hand on her belly, her glow—it fueled him more than rest or food ever could. We still have money from the crown. But I can’t just live off that. I need to earn. I need to feel worthy. I need to know I’m providing for them.

From where she sketched, Rapunzel watched him with soft eyes. My sweet Eugene. Always wanting to carry more than he has to. Always thinking of me and our little one, working even when he’s tired and when we still have more than enough. His heart is stronger than any muscle he has.

When his work was done, he scooped her back into his arms without hesitation and carried her through the village to a small restaurant. He ordered her three full meals when she sheepishly admitted her cravings. He watched her eat with warmth, amused and adoring. Look at her. She’s happy. She’s safe. And she’s going to be the most beautiful mother. I can’t believe she’s mine.

But the moment of peace didn’t last.

At a nearby table came the whispers—low, sharp, poisonous.

“That princess… ran off with a thief. The scandal of the century.”

“She threw away her crown for riffraff.”

“He doesn’t deserve a woman like her.”

Flynn stiffened, jaw clenching as he tried to ignore it. His arm tightened around her instinctively. Can’t they shut up? Can’t they leave her in peace? She deserves celebration, worship—not to be dragged through gossip because of me. I ruined everything for her. If she had stayed, she’d be loved and praised… instead she’s whispered about because she chose me. Because I tainted her name.

Rapunzel sensed the shift instantly. She saw the guilt in his eyes and felt his heartbeat turn heavy under her palm. Oh, my love. You’re carrying blame that isn’t yours. Why can’t they stop? Why must they keep punishing us for being in love? He thinks he stole something from me—when I never wanted that cold palace or those cruel people anyway. They tried to kill him for a crown. I want no part of any world that would harm him.

She cupped his face and kissed him softly, lovingly, with a promise in her touch. “Eugene,” she murmured, “please don’t listen to them. I don’t want that stupid kingdom. My life with you is heaven and a dream. I don’t need any of those horrible people.”

He looked at her then, the ache in his chest easing at the warmth in her voice. How does she still love me like this? How does she always know how to heal me? He kissed her back. “Thanks, sweetheart. I just wish you wouldn’t have to hear it. Hopefully there’ll be less of that when we reach France… then Italy… then Spain.”

She smiled into his shoulder as he lifted her once more and carried her through the fading light to the inn. Her fingers curled into his cloak. As long as he holds me, I fear nothing. Let them gossip. Let them choke on their lies. He is my freedom. My peace.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head while he walked. Tomorrow we’ll go farther. Farther from the kingdom. Farther from their words. The farther we go, the quieter the past becomes.

At the inn, he laid her gently on the bed and lowered his cloak. She reached for him immediately, pulling him down into a kiss that melted every lingering sting of guilt and fear.

They made love with slow devotion—each touch a reassurance, each kiss a vow silently renewed. They fell asleep wrapped together, her head on his chest, his arms around her, both of them breathing as one. She’s mine. I’ll protect her. I’ll protect our child.
He’s mine. I’ll follow him anywhere. Our love is home.

And the world outside, for one blessed night, finally went quiet.

Chapter Text

They had ridden so far from the kingdom now that the air smelled different—warm, foreign, touched with the promise of France just beyond the horizon. One month married. One month of kisses and tangled sheets and whispered dreams in the dark. One month of freedom.

Flynn woke first.

Rapunzel was sprawled across his chest, her hand resting over the small swell of her belly. He traced circles across her back, barely breathing for fear of waking her.

One month. She’s still here. Still choosing me every morning. And somehow… I’ve nearly finished the first draft of that story. Even with her lips constantly destroying my focus. His mouth curved. Not that I’d ever complain.

He slid carefully out from beneath her and padded to the small table in their rented room, digging into his satchel to check one last time. The folded stack of handwritten pages was tucked safely inside—his first story. He smoothed the top page with pride and disbelief.

I’m going to sell it. Maybe not for much at first, but enough. Enough to take care of her, of our baby. Enough to give her a life as soft as her smile.

Then he turned to arranging the meal he’d planned in secret. He had bartered and begged the innkeeper’s cook for fresh bread, sweet berries, slices of cheese, and a warm dish of something creamy and rich Rapunzel had been craving for days. He set the table, lit a small candle, and placed beside the plates the present he’d hidden: a delicate bracelet with tiny carved wooden charms—an initial for each of them and one blank charm for the baby to come.

He’d just finished when Rapunzel stirred under the quilt.

She blinked, pushing her hair from her eyes. The bed looked impossibly empty without him. Where is he? It’s our anniversary. He’d better not be sneaking off to do work when I fully intend to keep him in bed all day… or at least most of it.

“Eugene?” she called sleepily.

He turned with a smile that melted her every time. “Happy one-month wedding anniversary, sweetheart.”

She sat up, eyes going soft and shining as she took in the candle, the food, the little wrapped bundle on the table. He remembered. Of course he did. My beautiful, loving husband.

He came to her side and scooped her into his arms before her feet could even touch the floor. “Sit. Everything is ready.”

He set her gently in the chair and kissed the top of her head before taking the seat beside her. She took a bite of the warm dish and sighed with absolute delight.

“Oh, Eugene… this is perfect.”

He watched her eat like it was a performance made just for him. I could give her a feast every day for the rest of our lives and it still wouldn’t feel enough.

She finished a mouthful, then looked suspiciously playful. “You know… after breakfast, I’m going to keep you in bed all day. It’s a celebration, and I want you to love me until I can’t breathe properly.”

He choked on his bread, grinning. “Of course you do. You’ve barely let me rest this past month.”

She leaned over and kissed him slow and deep, savoring him. He always acts like he’s the one being overtaken when he’s the one who ruins me with a single look.

When the food was gone and she was licking jam off his thumb, he reached behind him and placed the little package in her hands.

“For you.”

She unwrapped it and gasped softly as the bracelet pooled into her palm. Her fingers trembled over the initials. “Eugene…” Her heart swelled so hard it ached. He thinks of everything. He loves in every way—through touch, through words, through the quiet moments.

She kissed him again and again, thanking him between breaths until she pulled him toward the bed.

But he stopped her with a teasing look. “Ah-ah. You promised I could give you your other present after breakfast.”

She raised a brow. “You already gave me a present.”

He smirked and pulled the manuscript pages from the satchel. “I finished the first draft.”

Her eyes widened in stunned joy. “You… Eugene! You did it? But when? I never let you out of my arms!”

He laughed, cheeks flushed with pride. “I wrote while you were asleep on my chest. And occasionally when you paused kissing me long enough to breathe.”

She threw her arms around his neck. My incredible, determined Eugene. Always thinking of us. Always working to make a better future—even while I devour him every day.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispered. “And so in love with you.”

He kissed her back with a low sound that was more devotion than words. I’d write a hundred books if it means giving her the world. But right now—she wants me again, and I’ll never deny her.

She tugged him onto the bed with her, laughter in her throat and love blazing in her eyes. “Now,” she purred, climbing into his lap, “you can give me the rest of my anniversary gifts.”

And he did. Over and over, with kisses across her glowing skin and soft words into her hair. They snuggled beneath the blankets, made passionate love, pausing only when she grew hungry again and he insisted on feeding her more leftovers between kisses.

By afternoon, they were tangled up and half-dreaming, her head on his chest, his arm over her waist and their child. Their thoughts melted into each other as sleep claimed them.

One month married, and I’ll love her for a thousand more.

One month with him, and I’ve already lived more joy than most see in a lifetime.

And somewhere in that peaceful silence, France waited just beyond the horizon—ready to be the next chapter of their love story.

Maximus’ hooves beat a steady rhythm along the dusty road, and Rapunzel couldn’t stop smiling. The breeze lifted her short hair from beneath her hood, and every now and then she reached down to stroke the horse’s mane with childlike delight.

“There!” she gasped suddenly, pointing ahead as the rooftops of a village came into view, nestled among rolling green fields and pale stone walls. “Eugene, look! We’re really here—France!”

He didn’t need to look. He’d been watching her the entire time.

Sweet heavens, how does she still glow brighter than the sun? I could cross every country in the world just to see her smile like this again.

Maximus snorted as if sharing the sentiment. Flynn tightened his arm protectively around her waist where she sat in front of him in the saddle.

“We made it, sunshine,” he murmured into her hair. “Farther than your parents ever thought we’d go.”

“And still together,” she whispered back, resting a hand over his on her stomach. “The three of us.”

They crossed into the village just as the market was stirring to life. Flynn kept his hood shadowing his face, always cautious, but for once his heart wasn’t pounding with fear. He could almost breathe.

They found a modest bookseller tucked between a bakery and a cooper shop. Rapunzel squeezed his hand as he stepped inside, the rolled manuscript tucked under his arm—the story he’d written in all those stolen quiet hours, and the delicate sketches she had added in the margins while napping beside him.

Minutes passed. Rapunzel waited outside on a bench, tracing the grain of the wood with her fingertips. Please let them love it. Please let him know how brilliant he is.

When Flynn finally stepped back into the sunlight, he wore the stunned smile of a man who hadn’t dared to hope.

“Well?” she gasped.

He held up a small pouch of coins and nearly laughed when she threw her arms around him.

“Eugene! You did it! They bought your story!” She kissed his cheeks, his nose, his mouth, over and over, practically glowing with pride. My Eugene. My wonderful husband. Already taking care of us in this new life.

She believes in me more than I ever believed in myself. I’d write a hundred stories if it means I get to see her look at me like this.

That evening, they took a quiet room at a small inn on the edge of town. For the first time in weeks, the air outside their window was free of whispers about kingdoms or crowns. Just distant music, laughter, and the crackle of lantern light from the street below.

Flynn sat on the edge of the bed, unlacing his boots with a heavy sigh. “I’m exhausted, you know,” he said dramatically, head hanging. “All that writing, and now conquering a foreign country with my charm…”

Rapunzel arched a brow, climbing into his lap with a slow smile. “Oh? Too tired to celebrate reaching France? And selling your story? And making me the proudest wife in the world?”

“I might just collapse,” he said, though his arms were already wrapping around her waist, drawing her close.

She brushed her nose against his. “Then collapse after,” she whispered.

She has no idea how much power she has over me. And stars help me, I don’t ever want her to stop.

He gave in—of course he did. He always would, for her. The rest of the world drifted away as they sank together into the pillows, easing into one another with the kind of tenderness that came not from urgency or fear, but from safety finally beginning to settle in their bones.

We’re in another country. They can’t reach us here. He’s safe. Our baby is safe. I’m home.

She’s calmer now. I can feel it in the way she holds me. France could be the beginning of the life she deserves.

They moved together slowly, reverently, with the reverence of a first time all over again. Each kiss lingered as if promising forever. Each breath was tangled with relief and wonder.

When it was over, she lay draped across his chest, tracing patterns over his heartbeat with sleepy fingers. He pressed his lips to her forehead, eyes closed, one hand resting over her stomach in silent devotion.

“We’re really starting over here,” she whispered.

“We already have,” he murmured. “And I’ll write a thousand more stories if it keeps you smiling like you did today.”

She smiled into his skin.

“And I’ll kiss you a thousand more times to make sure you never stop.”

They fell asleep like that—entwined, peaceful, and finally free enough to dream.

The weeks that followed felt like a dream stitched together from love, laughter, and the soft rhythm of hooves on French roads.

They wandered from village to village, always heading west, always a little closer to the sea. Every time the rooftops of a new town appeared in the distance, Flynn’s heart would swell—not because of the view, but because of her.

She looks at the world like it’s brand new each morning… and somehow she makes me feel the same.

He carried her everywhere, as if his arms were the only rightful place for her. Rapunzel would giggle and protest out of politeness, but never truly wanted him to stop.

Being in his arms feels safer than any castle ever could. Let them stare—I’ll never stop loving him so openly.

He bought her small things at every stop: a ribbon in Dijon the color of sunrise, sugared pastries in Lyon, a carved locket in a quiet market town whose name neither of them remembered. And every evening, whether the inn beds were soft or lumpy, they curled into one another and lost themselves in kisses, lovemaking and whispers until sleep claimed them in tangles of warmth.

Each morning began the same way—Rapunzel’s lips against his skin, the soft sound of her laugh, his arms instinctively pulling her back when she tried to rise.

“Five more minutes,” he’d mumble against her shoulder.

Five more minutes with her is worth more than all the gold I’ve ever stolen.

Sometimes five minutes turned into an hour… or an entire morning. On more than one occasion, they never even left the room. He would try to work on his new story, sitting against the headboard with a page on his knee, but Rapunzel could only leave his lips alone for so long before tugging his attention back to her. She would sketch on the floor or in his lap, only to abandon her charcoal and climb into his arms again.

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to write more than ten sentences in one sitting… but stars help me, I wouldn’t trade her for all the quiet in the world.

France was kinder. The whispers were softer, fewer, distant. The further they traveled, the less they heard of kingdoms and crowns and scandals. Rapunzel felt the air in her lungs finally loosen.

They can’t hurt him with their words anymore. They can’t make him feel guilty for loving me. I can finally breathe again. So can he.

Flynn noticed the change in her too—the way she smiled without that flicker of guardedness, the way she no longer tried to hide her laughter behind her hand.

By the time their three-month wedding anniversary arrived, they were staying at a cozy inn perched above a vineyard-covered valley. The window was thrown open, letting in warm morning light and the sound of distant church bells.

Rapunzel woke first. She pressed soft kisses across his chest, his jaw, his lips until he stirred with a sleepy smile.

Waking up to her kissing me… if I’m dreaming, may I never wake.

“Happy three-month anniversary,” she whispered, brushing her nose against his. She reached behind her to pull out a folded parchment and held it to her heart for a moment before offering it to him.

Inside was a drawing—not just of the two of them, but of the way she saw them. His arms around her, his expression so tender it made his throat tighten. She’d drawn herself nuzzled against him, her brown hair tangled with his, and their hands resting together over the small swell of her stomach.

“Sunshine…” His voice almost broke. How does she always know exactly what will undo me?

She blushed as he traced the lines with reverence. “I wanted you to see us the way I feel us.”

Flynn swallowed, then reached beneath the pillow and pulled out a small sheet of folded paper. “My turn.”

She blinked in surprise. “You wrote something?”

He nodded, suddenly shy. “Don’t laugh. It’s not… professional.”

She unfolded it with care, eyes brightening as she recognized his handwriting. It was a love poem—simple, earnest, every word chosen like a vow. Lines about the way she made every place feel like home, how her laughter replaced every fear, how he’d live a thousand lives just to find her again in each one.

Her eyes shimmered. “Eugene… it’s beautiful.” She pressed the poem to her chest as if it were a jewel. He writes like he loves—with all of himself.

When she kissed him then, it was slow and grateful, full of everything words could never carry.

They curled into each other beneath the blankets, limbs twined, hearts steady and sure. The world outside their room could wait. Their love—this quiet, fierce, breathtaking thing—deserved to be celebrated in warmth and closeness and gentle laughter shared against each other’s skin.

Three months… and I love her more every day. How is that possible?

Three months… and he still makes me feel like the luckiest person alive.

They stayed wrapped in each other for hours, drifting between kisses, whispers, and drowsy contentment, as if time itself had chosen to pause in honor of them.

And when the sun began to set outside their window, they still hadn’t left the bed.

The night was peaceful outside, the soft hum of the French countryside lulling the inn into silence. But inside their small candlelit room, Flynn’s sleep had turned restless.

At first it was just a flicker in his mind—a shadow, a voice he thought he’d long outrun. But then the dream tightened around him like rope: Rapunzel, slipping from his arms. Rapunzel, looking at him with sorrow instead of love and leaving him. Rapunzel being dragged away by faceless hands, calling his name while he was too slow, too late, too powerless to reach her.

No, please—don’t take her. She's my life—Rapunzel!

He jolted awake with a harsh breath, heart pounding like a war drum. For a moment he didn’t know where he was—only that his chest hurt, his hands were shaking, and every awful word he’d ever heard whispered about him rattled around in his head.

Then he felt her.

Rapunzel was still tucked safely against him, one arm draped across his waist, her cheek resting over his heart as she slept. Her breathing was soft, even. Real.

She’s here. She’s with me. I didn’t lose her. Stars above, she’s still mine.

He closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing so she wouldn’t wake. But after a few moments, she stirred—the subtle shift of someone who senses before they see.

Her lashes fluttered. “...Eugene?” Her voice was drowsy, but instantly concerned. She lifted her head, her hand moving gently to his cheek. “Your heart is racing.”

He attempted a half-smile. “Just… couldn’t sleep, that’s all.”

She frowned softly. “You know I can feel it when something is wrong.”

He hesitated. He didn’t want to burden her—not after the peace she’d finally begun to reclaim—but her eyes were too honest, too loving to lie to.

With a low sigh, he looked at the ceiling. “I… dreamt you were gone. That you realized I wasn’t enough. Or that someone—something—took you again. And I couldn’t stop it.” His voice cracked before he could catch it. “I woke up thinking you were… gone forever.”

Rapunzel’s heart clenched. Oh, Eugene… all those cruel voices, all that guilt—he still carries it alone. She brought her hand to his jaw, turning his face gently toward her.

“Eugene Fitzherbert,” she whispered firmly, her voice thick with emotion, “I will never leave you. Not in this life or any other. There is nothing—nothing—that could make me stop loving you. You are my heart. My freedom. My home.” Her eyes glistened. “If I lost you… I wouldn’t survive it. You are everything to me.”

His chest tightened with both pain and relief. How does she love me so completely? How did someone like me earn this kind of devotion?

She kissed his cheek, his jaw, his lips—slow and warm and certain. “You didn’t steal me from a life I wanted,” she murmured between kisses. “You rescued me into the life I was meant for.”

He exhaled shakily, his hands coming up to cradle her face. The ache in his chest began to ease, replaced by that fierce, overwhelming love only she could stir.

She shifted closer, wrapping herself around him with gentle determination, her touch soft and sure—just as much comfort as it was devotion. Every kiss she gave him felt like a vow spoken through breath instead of words.

Let me show you again. Let me remind you there’s no world without us.

He clung to her as if she were the anchor that could keep him from drifting, and she guided him with kisses, with love, until they joined again—her way of reminding him in the most intimate, unshakable way that he was hers and always would be.

And when they finally settled again, limbs entangled, her head resting over his heart, Flynn felt the world go quiet inside him.

Rapunzel kissed his chest once more before drifting back to sleep, whispering, “I love you. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I love you too.”

He buried his hand gently in her hair, breathing her in. She’s here. And she chose me. And I’ll spend my whole life proving worthy of that.

This time, when sleep returned to him, it came softly—wrapped in her warmth, her scent, and the steady truth of her love.

And his dreams, at last, were peaceful.

The next morning, sunlight spilled softly across the inn’s small room, warming the tangled sheets and the two lovers nestled beneath them. Rapunzel woke first, still curled against Flynn’s chest, her hand resting over his heartbeat.

He’s here. Safe. Mine. The memory of his nightmare still lingered faintly in the back of her mind, stirring a protective ache in her heart. She tilted her face up and pressed a soft kiss to his collarbone, then another just below his jaw.

Flynn stirred, his arms tightening instinctively around her before his eyes even opened. He gave a sleepy, rough-edged groan. “Sunshine… it’s barely morning.”

She kissed his chin in answer, her fingers gliding along his shoulders. “I know,” she whispered against his skin, “but I need you.”

He cracked open one eye, attempting a halfhearted protest. “Didn’t I just barely survive you last night?” His voice was teasing, but laced with warmth.

She nudged his nose with hers, eyes sparkling. “Then you’ll recover faster if you let me love you again.” Her smile softened. “I want to remind you that there’s nothing in this world that could take me from you.”

Flynn’s heart melted at that. She always knows how to undo me. He let out a mock sigh, brushing his thumb along her cheek. “You’re relentless, Mrs. Fitzherbert.”

“And you love it,” she murmured.

More than anything in this world. He pulled her close, and she met his kiss with quiet, eager devotion. They moved with lingering tenderness and familiar warmth, more comfort than urgency—an intimate promise woven into every touch, every breath.

When at last they settled again beneath the covers, Rapunzel curled into his side, one hand resting over his heart. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and exhaled deeply, finally at peace.

She brushed her lips across his chest. He feels calmer now. Good. I want every shadow gone from him forever.

He rested his chin atop her head. How did I ever live before this? Before her? Before us? He kissed her crown and whispered, “Thank you.”

“For what?” she asked softly.

“For loving me like that,” he said. “For choosing me over and over.”

She smiled, eyes closing as she nestled in closer. “I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it.”

They lay there in the hush of morning, fingers intertwined.

After a while, Rapunzel lifted her head and smiled sleepily. “Tell me again what our cottage will look like.”

Flynn’s expression softened with quiet wonder. She really believes in this future—and that means I have to make it real.

“Well,” he began, stroking gentle circles on her back, “I was thinking—somewhere near the coast. Maybe a little house tucked against the cliffs. A garden outside where you can grow every flower you’ve ever drawn…”

“And a window facing the sea,” she added, eyes lighting. “So we can watch the sunrise from bed.”

He chuckled. “Exactly.” His gaze drifted to where her hand rested over her stomach. Our family. Our future. Real. “A cradle by the fire. Maybe a bookshelf for all the stories I’m going to write…”

She looked up at him with pride. “You’re going to be a wonderful writer.”

“If I manage to get any writing done with you constantly kissing me breathless,” he teased.

She grinned, unrepentant. “Then write faster.”

He laughed, the sound warm and free. Stars, she’s everything.

She rested her cheek over his heart again, content. “What’s the next story about?”

He hesitated for a moment—then confessed softly, “A girl with a lantern-heart and a thief who learned to be worthy of her… and all the places they’ll go.”

Rapunzel’s breath caught sweetly. He still wonders if he deserves me. I’ll remind him every day that he does.

She kissed his chest, slow and sure. “That sounds like a love story the world needs.”

Flynn closed his eyes, his hand drifting to rest over hers. As long as I get to write it while she’s in my arms, I’ll never run out of words.

Outside, the world waited—villages ahead, the coast somewhere in the distance, and a future stretched out like a sunrise. But for now, wrapped in sheets and each other, they stayed still a little longer, letting love be the only plan that mattered.

The farther they traveled toward the sea, the softer the air became—milder winds, salt on the breeze, and hills that rolled like sleepy waves. Rapunzel’s cloak had begun to lie differently over her body now, her pregnancy showing in gentle curves that made Flynn’s chest ache with wonder every time he looked at her.

They paused in a small French village at midday after traveling most of the morning on Maximus. Flynn helped her down with utmost care, his hands lingering at her waist. She’s glowing more every day. How is it possible to fall in love with her again each sunrise?

Rapunzel smoothed her dress over her stomach, smiling as she caught him staring. She rested a hand over the curve of their child. He looks at me like I’m made of starlight. Oh, my Eugene. I can’t wait to see him hold our baby.

They wandered into the village marketplace, both still hooded, but his arm was firmly around her. Rapunzel paused at a baker’s stall, eyes fixed on three different sweet pastries—tarts filled with cream, sugared buns, and something with berries she’d never seen before.

Almost sheepishly, she whispered, “I… want all of them.”

Flynn grinned, delighted. “Then you’ll have all of them, sunshine.”

He bought every kind she glanced at, plus an extra slice of something flaky she hadn’t yet asked for. Rapunzel clasped his hand, so full of joy she thought her heart might float right out of her chest. He never hesitates. He never counts the cost when it comes to me.

They carried everything to a quiet meadow just outside the village, where the grass was soft and dandelions bobbed in the breeze. Flynn spread out his cloak for her to sit, then dropped beside her, watching her arms cradle the pastries like precious treasure.

“I think the baby wants us to open a bakery,” he teased.

She nibbled one tart and immediately leaned over to share a bite with him. He let her press it to his lips, then kissed her fingers afterward. Sweet cream and her skin. I’ll never need anything else in my life.

When she’d had her fill (which meant finishing nearly everything and sighing blissfully afterward), she curled into his lap as naturally as breathing. He held her carefully, one hand resting over the growing curve of their child.

“Tell me more about your story,” she murmured against his chest.

Flynn pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Well… the girl with afternoon sunlight in her voice and flowers in her heart has now traveled across three kingdoms.”

“And the boy who loves her?” she asked softly, tracing patterns on his shirt.

“He’s terrified and devoted in equal measure,” Flynn said quietly. “Every step he takes, he thinks someone might take her from him. But every time she smiles at him… he remembers he’s the luckiest man alive.”

Rapunzel closed her eyes, cheeks warm with affection. Is he talking about us again? He always pretends it’s just a story… but he’s telling me how he feels.

She lifted her face to kiss his neck. “I hope your story ends happy.”

“Oh, it does,” he said, his voice going low as he tucked her closer. “They build a life by the sea and raise a child who laughs before they can walk.”

Her heart melted into him. “And the world never finds them?”

Flynn’s hand gently stroked her bump as if making a vow. “The world can scream all it wants. They don’t listen to it anymore.”

He still worries the ghosts might follow us. She pressed a hand to his cheek and made him look at her. “We’re already free, Eugene. You gave that to me. You gave me everything.”

His chest tightened at the truth in her eyes. How did I ever believe I didn’t deserve her? She’s the only thing I ever truly got right.

He kissed her slowly, reverently, and rested his forehead against hers. “And you gave me a life I didn’t think existed.”

They stayed like that as the wind swept soft over the fields—her tucked against him, both of them wrapped in peace. His thumb traced her stomach in absent patterns. Her fingers curled around his collar like she was anchoring her entire soul to him.

Soon the sea, he thought. Soon I’ll give her the home she dreams of.

Soon our baby, our cottage, our forever, she thought. And all of it with him.

They didn’t rush to move. There was no need. They had the whole world ahead—and each other to carry through it.

A few months later, the first scent of the sea came with the wind—salt and warmth and something boundless. Rapunzel straightened on Maximus’s back, her cloak fluttering, eyes widening with wonder.

“There it is,” Flynn whispered against her ear, his arms around her as he guided the reins. “Your ocean.”

Her breath caught. It’s real. We made it. He brought me all the way here, to freedom and forever.

They followed the winding road down the coastline, the waves glinting like jewels. Villages grew smaller and sparser until the world felt like it belonged to only the three of them—Rapunzel, Flynn, and the quiet life growing inside her.

A few hours later, they stopped before a small stone cottage with pale blue shutters, nestled near dunes and overlooking the sea. A line of trees shielded it from the road, and the path was lined with wildflowers.

Rapunzel’s hand flew to her mouth. “Eugene… this can’t be—”

He dismounted, then carefully lifted her down from Maximus, keeping an arm around her. His heart hammered. Please let her love it. Please let this be everything.

She turned to him, her eyes shining like sunrise. “Is this… ours?”

He nodded once, smiling softly. “Paid for with what we saved—from the crown, and the first stories I sold. The deed is in your name too. It’s ours, Rapunzel. Our home.”

Her heart burst with so much love she thought she might cry. He really did it. He gave us a safe place. A dream. A life.

She threw her arms around him, kissing him again and again. “Eugene, it’s perfect. It’s everything. I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

His hands tangled in her hair as he kissed her back. Her joy makes every step worth it. Every mile. Every fear. She’s home now. And so am I.

They spent the afternoon exploring every room—small, cozy, sunlit. Rapunzel traced the stone walls with her fingertips, already imagining flowers in the windows and a cradle by their bed.

By evening, they lay together on a blanket near the fireplace, still half in their travel clothes, the world outside hushed by the sound of the sea.

Rapunzel nestled into his lap, fingertips brushing his jaw. “We have to celebrate.”

Flynn chuckled. “I thought we did. You’ve already kissed me breathless in six different rooms.”

She nipped gently at his lip, eyes dark with affection. “That was just the beginning.”

How does she still undo me with one look? I’m hers. Always hers.

He brushed his hand over the curve of her stomach. “Are you sure you’re not too tired, sweetheart?”

She gave him that soft, stubborn smile. “I’m never too tired to make love to my husband. Not when my heart feels this full.”

She wants me. Even after all these miles, all my fears, all my past. She still wants me.

“I love you, my Rapunzel,” he murmured, his voice already growing husky.

“And I love you, more every day,” she whispered, capturing his mouth with hers.

They undressed slowly between kisses, hands memorizing familiar skin in a place that finally felt safe. He laid her back on the blanket, the firelight painting gold across her brown hair. His touch was patient, reverent—hers urgent and adoring.

This is our beginning, she thought as his lips traced her neck. Our home, our baby, our forever.

I’ll give her everything, he vowed silently as he held her close. She’ll never know fear again, not while I breathe.

Their lovemaking was unhurried but intense, full of whispered names and soft laughter and sighs only they would ever hear. When it was over, they stayed wrapped around each other, limbs tangled, breathing steady and content.

Rapunzel laid her head on his chest, his heartbeat drumming beneath her ear. The fire crackled, and the sea murmured outside their windows.

“Eugene?” she whispered sleepily.

“Yes, sunshine?”

“I’ve never been this happy in my whole life.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Then I’ll spend the rest of it making sure it only gets better.”

He means it, she thought as her eyes fluttered shut. He’s my home.

She’s my life, he thought, holding her and their child protectively against him. My heart. My future.

And in their first night in the cottage by the sea, they fell asleep still entwined, safe and warm and wrapped entirely in each other.

The next morning, light spilled gently through the cottage windows, golden and soft, warmed by the reflection of the sea. Rapunzel stirred first, still tucked securely in Flynn’s arms, her cheek over his heart. The world outside was quiet except for the hush of distant waves and the faint creak of the old wood settling with the dawn.

I never want to wake anywhere else, she thought, smiling as she breathed in the familiar warmth of his skin.

Flynn was awake too, though he hadn’t moved—he didn’t dare. If I stay perfectly still, she’ll sleep longer. She deserves it. My beautiful wife… my whole world.

But Rapunzel shifted, sliding one leg over his hip and hugging him tighter with a sleepy sigh. “Don’t get up,” she murmured, still half in dreams, pressing a lazy kiss to his bare shoulder. “Let’s stay here all day.”

He chuckled quietly, brushing his fingers through her hair. “Tempting. Very, very tempting. But I do have at least two things I need to work on today.”

She pouted against his chest. “No…”

She’s too sweet when she’s stubborn like this. How am I supposed to resist her? he thought, already weakening.

“Yes,” he said gently, kissing her temple. “I need to finish the draft of my new story so we’ll have more income coming in. And…” His hand slid over the curve of her stomach. “We’ve only got three months left before our little one arrives. I need to start on the nursery while I still have time.”

She lifted her head. Her eyes were soft, still hazy from sleep. “Can’t the nursery wait a little longer?” She trailed a finger across his lips, her heart glowing at how he always thought of her and the baby first. He’s already such a good father. So responsible. So loving. But I just want him close for a while longer.

Flynn cupped her cheek, smiling with that familiar mix of devotion and mischief. “It can wait… for a few more kisses. But not all day, angel. I need to take care of you both.”

She huffed and then melted against him again, pressing a trail of soft kisses along his neck and jaw. “Fine… but I’m not letting you leave this bed until I’ve had at least a dozen more.”

He smirked. “A dozen? You’re being generous this morning.”

“We can start with fifteen to be safe,” she murmured against his lips.

She’ll be the end of my productivity but the beginning of everything good in my life, he thought, kissing her back, slow and deep.

If loving him is all I do today, it will still be a perfect day, she sighed inwardly, clinging to him like warmth itself.

They kissed again. And again. And again. He lost count somewhere around nine—or maybe ten—because her hands were in his hair and her lips were impossibly soft. She sighed into his mouth and pressed even closer, her heart full of joy and need and belonging.

Finally, after they had made love again, breathless and flushed, she rested her forehead to his. “Alright… you may work,” she whispered, voice reluctant but tender. “But only if you promise to stay close. And let me interrupt you whenever I miss you.”

He laughed quietly, brushing their noses together. “Interruptions from you are the only kind I like.”

How did I ever live without her? How was there a world before this?

She curled back into him for one last lingering moment, his hand tracing the gentle rise of her belly.

Three months until we meet the little life we made. Three months of mornings like this. Three months until everything becomes even more perfect.

She sighed contentedly.

Our baby will grow up surrounded by love. And Eugene will always make sure we’re safe. I trust him with everything.

Flynn pressed a kiss to her hairline and whispered softly, “I’ll work in the sitting room so you can stay warm here a bit longer. I’ll come back after every page and collect another kiss. Deal?”

She smiled against his chest. “Deal. But don’t take too long… fifteen kisses only last so much time.”

He chuckled, heart light as he reluctantly rose from the bed. My wife. My home. My forever. I’ll build everything for her.

And as Rapunzel stretched out in the blankets, watching him move through strands of morning light, she thought with a happy flutter, My Eugene. My heart. My family. I’ll love him every moment of this life.

Rapunzel hummed as she moved through the cottage, barefoot on the wooden floor, placing little treasures in their new home—shells Flynn had gathered from the shore that morning, the pressed flowers he'd bought her in a village weeks ago, sketches she’d made of the two of them tucked into small frames he’d carved himself. Every corner seemed to glow with pieces of their story.

It’s ours. All of this is ours. No one can take it away from us again.

From the other room, she could hear the faint scratch of his quill—the sound of Flynn keeping his promise to provide for her and the baby with his words. She smiled at the thought of him writing something beautiful, brow furrowed adorably, lips parted in concentration.

I love that he works so hard for us. But… I miss him. How am I supposed to be in another room when he’s right there?

She placed the last of the flowers in a jar on the windowsill and lasted—maybe—ten more seconds before she padded down the hall.

Flynn sat at the little writing desk, shirt half-buttoned, hair still mussed from earlier, his fingers moving steadily across the page. He didn’t hear her at first—until she slipped quietly behind him and slid her arms around his shoulders, pressing a kiss just below his ear.

He froze, quill pausing mid-sentence. Oh no. Oh no. She’s going to kill my productivity again. And I’m going to let her.

Another kiss. Then another, slower, lingering. He tilted his head back to look at her, and the sight of her—smiling, flushed, eyes sparkling with mischief and love—burned the rest of the sentence right out of his mind.

“Sunshine…” he warned softly, though he was already turning to face her.

“Yes?” she asked sweetly, climbing right into his lap without hesitation.

How am I supposed to think when she’s like this? How was I ever expected to write a single word in this lifetime?

“You’re supposed to be decorating,” he teased, hands already at her waist, sliding under the fabric of his loose shirt she wore.

“I did. Now I want you.”

“That’s not fair,” he breathed, just before she kissed him—slow, deep, enough to wipe clean any thought of ink and parchment.

Within minutes, the desk—and the story—were abandoned.

They made it back to the bed with laughter, tangled limbs, breathless kisses, and whispered I love yous that only grew more desperate with every touch. Again and again, they lost themselves, until Flynn collapsed beside her, chest heaving, his forehead resting against her shoulder.

“I need…” he gasped, barely able to lift an arm, “to get up. I need to… work…”

She only tightened her arms around him, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “No.”

He groaned. “Rapunzel…”

“Yes, Eugene?”

“At this rate,” he muttered into her neck, “I’ll never finish that story. Or start the nursery. Or do anything except—”

“Kiss me and make love to me,” she supplied, completely unapologetic.

He huffed a half-laugh, half-surrendered sigh. She’s going to be the end of me. And I’ll die happy. “I love you more than my sanity.”

“And I love you more than logic,” she whispered, kissing the corner of his mouth.

They stayed like that for a long while, until he finally—finally—mustered the will to sit up. She clung to him with a stubborn pout.

“I have to work,” he said gently, brushing her hair from her face. “I have to take care of you and the baby.”

Her eyes dropped to his hand resting over the gentle curve of her stomach. Her heart swelled. He always thinks of us. Always.

“Fine,” she relented at last, “but only if you promise to come back soon.”

“I promise,” he said, kissing her once, twice, three times more than necessary. “But you have to let me walk out that door.”

She sighed dramatically but released him, only to gasp when he returned moments later—with a tray.

Three plates. Two cups. A basket of fruit. Sweet pastries. Cheese. Bread. Even honey.

Her eyes lit up instantly. “Oh! Thank you!”

Watching her eat with that glowing joy did things to his chest he couldn’t put into words. This. This is worth every word I’ll ever write.

Only once she’d finished every bite—pausing between spoonfuls to kiss his cheek or tell him how perfect he was—did he stand again.

“I’ll write in the next room,” he said softly. “And come back to you later.”

“You better,” she warned, though she was smiling. “I need you close.”

He cupped her face, memorizing the way she looked in their home, wrapped in blankets and morning light, carrying their future under her heart. “You have me. Always.”

And as he walked away—reluctantly, already missing the warmth of her—Rapunzel curled deeper into the sheets with a fluttering sigh, thinking only, Let him write for a little while. And then I’ll claim him again.

Flynn managed to write for two full hours—though “write” was generous, considering every paragraph was interrupted by a memory of her laugh, the warmth of her skin, or the way she’d looked at him that morning as if he were made of gold. His quill moved, but his mind stayed wrapped around his wife in their bed, glowing with love and carrying their child.

How am I supposed to focus when the love of my life is only one room away? When I know she’d melt into my arms the second I touched her? Saints, I miss her already. I’m ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.

He tried to ignore the ache in his chest, but after rereading the same sentence five times, he snapped the journal shut with a groan and stood.

Two hours. That’s practically heroic. She’d be proud—right before she steals my breath again.

When he slipped back into the bedroom, Rapunzel was lounging against the pillows, one of his shirts draped over her shoulders and her hair messy in the way that drove him mad. She turned at the sound of his footsteps, and the second her eyes met his, she grinned knowingly.

“You lasted longer than I thought,” she teased, already opening her arms in invitation.

Flynn climbed onto the bed and kissed her deeply, hungrily, like a man dying of thirst. She giggled against his lips, delighted and smug.

“So,” she murmured between kisses, “you missed me?”

“Missed you?” he muttered, already trailing kisses along her throat. “Sunshine, I’m obsessed with you. I got nothing done except thinking about you in this bed.”

She laughed again, breath catching as he pulled her closer. “You’re just as bad as I am.”

“We,” he corrected, pressing a kiss to her lips, “are hopeless. Completely, beautifully hopeless.”

They fell into each other all over again, bodies moving with instinctive harmony, sighs and murmurs filling the room like a prayer. When they finally collapsed in a tangled heap of bliss and sweat and whispered adoration, Flynn rested his forehead against hers and laughed breathlessly.

“We’re as bad as on our honeymoon.”

Rapunzel smiled dreamily and stroked his cheek. “We can make a plan, you know. You work for two hours, then you come love me. Then work again. Then love me again.”

He groaned softly, half in amusement, half in surrender. She’s going to destroy me joyfully. And I’ll thank her for it.

“That’s not a plan,” he muttered, kissing the tip of her nose. “That’s a trap disguised as a schedule.”

“Then fall into it with me,” she giggled.

He kissed her once more, slow and reverent, before forcing himself—painfully—to rise from the bed again. Be strong for two hours, Fitzherbert. You can do it. Maybe.

She watched him dress with eyes like honey, and he knew without looking back that she'd be thinking about him the whole time, just as he’d be thinking about her.

The afternoon passed in that rhythm—two hours of writing, then surrendering back to her arms. Each reunion was as passionate as the first, each kiss its own promise, each sigh a vow.

By evening, the sky outside glowed rose-gold, and Flynn returned to bed once more, finding her curled under the blankets, waiting as though she knew the exact second his resolve would break.

This time the lovemaking was slower, softer, steeped in the serenity of their shared home and the child they had created. When they finally lay still, his arm around her, her cheek resting over his heart, he brushed her hair back tenderly.

“I almost finished the new story,” he murmured, still breathless, still in awe of her.

Her eyes sparkled as she lifted her head to look at him. “I’m so proud of you, Eugene. You’ll be the best father in the world. And our baby will love you as much as I do.”

The words struck something deep in him. He kissed her gently, reverently, full of gratitude and longing and quiet disbelief.

How did I ever survive before her? How is it possible to be this loved?

She nestled close again, fingers tracing lazy hearts on his chest. He gives me everything. His strength, his dreams, his heart. And soon our child will know how lucky we are to be his.

They drifted into peaceful sleep wrapped around each other, their breaths in harmony, their hearts content—utterly certain that love, not distance or duty or gossip, would shape the rest of their lives.

Chapter Text

After weeks of balancing his work and their insatiable passion, Flynn finally completed and sold his next story. The money would be enough to fully take care of Rapunzel and finish the nursery for their little family. The relief settled over him like a warm embrace, though it didn’t stop them from falling into bed every two hours, losing themselves in each other with kisses, soft touches, and whispered promises of forever. Every reunion left them breathless, hearts pounding, yet brimming with happiness and the knowledge that their love could withstand anything. 

She is mine, Flynn thought as he watched her laughing against him. And every word I wrote, every moment I worked, was for her. For this—us. 

Rapunzel smiled against his chest, eyes half-closed in bliss. He’s mine, my heart, my home. And I will always be his. Nothing can ever change that. 

The nursery was completed in time. Soft walls painted in warm pastels, little wooden toys scattered gently, and cozy cribs waiting for the new life that would soon fill their home. They decorated it together, laughing and stealing kisses between the work, dreaming of the children they would raise surrounded by love rather than cruelty. 

Then, two months later, the moment came. The first cries of their twins filled the room, mingling with Flynn’s awed, hushed exclamations. 

A boy, brown-haired and mischievous-eyed, looked up at Flynn with his father’s grin but Rapunzel’s soft, thoughtful eyes. A girl, with Rapunzel’s warm smile and Flynn’s eyes cooed in his arms. 

They are ours. Both of them. How did I get this lucky? Flynn thought, holding the boy close, brushing tiny fingers against his cheek. He shifted gently, lifting the girl to Rapunzel’s chest so she could rest and nurse. 

Rapunzel leaned into him, her heart swelling as she watched him cradle them, careful, tender, completely in awe. He is everything. Our children are so lucky to have him. So am I. 

He whispered to her, brushing hair from her face, “You rest, sunshine. I’ve got them. I’ve got you. Everything.” 

And he meant it. Every diaper changed, every bottle warmed, every lullaby sung, every tiny cough soothed—Flynn did it all with a soft devotion that made Rapunzel melt. Even when exhaustion threatened him, seeing her smile, seeing their children safe and loved, he found strength beyond measure. 

Rapunzel watched him, her pulse full of awe and gratitude. He loves us. He will always protect us. I could never survive without him. My heart has finally found its home. 

As the evening drew close, they gathered together in the nursery: Flynn holding the boy, Rapunzel the girl, and both parents leaning close, touching foreheads, hearts beating in perfect rhythm. 

This is forever. This is everything, Flynn thought. I will never let anything touch them. I will give them the world because they are mine. 

And I will always love him, Rapunzel thought, smiling against his chest. He is my home. My freedom. My heart. Everything I am. 

The twins—names chosen with love—were Leo for the boy, bright and daring, and Lila for the girl, gentle and radiant. Both reflected the perfect balance of their parents’ souls, a daily reminder of the life they had fought for and the love that had brought them here. 

Wrapped in each other’s arms, with tiny children softly breathing beside them, Flynn and Rapunzel drifted into sleep, hearts full, souls entwined, certain that nothing could ever undo the paradise they had created together. 

The days after Leo and Lila’s birth passed in a soft, golden haze. Flynn refused to let Rapunzel lift a single finger, taking over every task with a mixture of determination and tenderness. He fed the babies, changed their diapers, rocked them to sleep, and whispered gentle stories in hushed tones that made their little eyes sparkle with recognition. 

I’ve got them. I’ve got her. I won’t let anything hurt them—not her, not the babies, Flynn thought as he held Lila close, brushing soft kisses across her tiny forehead. And I’ll do everything I can to make her life as easy and beautiful as possible. 

Rapunzel watched him from the bed, still weak from childbirth but wrapped in a blanket of peace and love. Her heart swelled as she saw him cradle Leo with a grin, humming softly as the boy’s tiny hands curled around his father’s fingers. She reached out once, brushing her palm against Flynn’s hand as he shifted Lila to his shoulder, and he glanced at her with a warm, soft smile that made her pulse flutter. 

He’s incredible, Rapunzel thought, awe and gratitude mingling in her chest. Every moment he spends with them, with me, is a promise. A promise that he will always be here, that he will always love us. I could never ask for more. 

Flynn paused, brushing a stray strand of hair from her forehead. “You rest, my love,” he murmured. “I’ve got everything handled. You just focus on getting stronger, on being our beautiful mama.” 

Rapunzel smiled, a small tear of happiness brimming in her eye. “You… you do so much, Eugene. You’re amazing. I can’t believe I get to share my life with you. I… I feel so safe. So loved.” 

He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. “You deserve nothing less than all the love in the world,” he whispered. “And I’ll spend every day giving it to you.” 

For weeks, he never wavered. Even when the babies cried through the night, he rose without complaint, soothing them back to sleep while Rapunzel rested. He rocked Leo against his chest, whispering stories of adventure, and tickled Lila gently as she cooed, laughing softly at the sound of her tiny giggles. He always made sure to glance at Rapunzel as he worked, silently sharing the joy of watching their family thrive. 

She’s healing. She’s smiling again. That’s all I could ever want, he thought one evening as he settled beside Rapunzel, both babies tucked safely against them. And soon… soon we can be us again, just like before, just like every time we fall in love anew. 

And when Rapunzel finally felt strong enough, she smiled up at him, her hands brushing across his chest. “Eugene… I want you again. I want to feel you, to hold you, to make love with you.” 

Flynn feigned mock exhaustion, though his eyes betrayed the fire in his chest. “You’re relentless, sweetheart,” he said, a grin tugging at his lips. “Completely impossible to resist.” 

She laughed, a soft, breathless sound, leaning closer. “Good. Because I won’t take no for an answer.” 

She’s mine. Always mine. And every time she wants me, every time she needs me… I’ll be here, Flynn thought, letting his hands and lips explore her with gentle reverence. I’ll love her as if it’s the first time, every time. 

Their bodies moved together slowly, tenderly, rediscovering each other after weeks of careful healing and whispered dreams. Every kiss, every touch, every sigh was filled with gratitude, passion, and the quiet certainty that they were home—together, safe, and wrapped in love that would never fade. 

As they collapsed into each other’s arms afterward, Rapunzel’s head resting on his chest and the twins tucked nearby, Flynn held her close, brushing her hair back from her face. “I promise,” he whispered, “I’ll keep taking care of you. I’ll always be here, for you and for them. And… I’ll always make sure we have moments like this. Just us.” 

Rapunzel smiled, her fingers curling around his hand. “I know, Eugene. And I’ll always want you, always love you. Always.” 

The sun cast a gentle glow through the cottage windows as they drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep, hearts entwined, souls full, and the quiet hum of family life surrounding them. 

The weeks after Leo and Lila’s birth passed in a rhythm both new and familiar. Flynn balanced fatherhood with devotion so naturally that Rapunzel sometimes just watched him and silently melted. 

Every morning, before she even stirred fully awake, he was already up with the twins—rocking one in his arm while the other dozed wrapped against his chest. He whispered little stories to them, full of adventure and laughter, his voice soft so Rapunzel could rest. 

Look at them… my whole world in one room, he thought as Leo blinked up at him sleepily. And she needs her strength. I won’t let her be exhausted—not after everything. I can write later. The stories can wait. They come first. 

Rapunzel would lie listening, eyes closed, heart swelling. 

He loves them so much. And he loves me so deeply it feels like breathing. I don't think he even realizes how beautiful he is when he’s holding them, whispering to them, promising them the world. 

He’d carry the twins around the cottage to let her sleep longer, slipping outside when the weather was gentle to sit with them near the shore. When they finally napped, he'd lay them down carefully and take out his notebook to write another story—quietly, earnestly, glancing back at them every few minutes with a smile. 

Two months after the twins were born, Rapunzel woke to the smell of something sweet. Flynn stood at the bedside with a shy grin and a tray in hand—pastries, fruit, and tea. 

“Happy birthday, sunshine,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “And… one year since the lanterns.” 

Her breath caught. On the table nearby sat wrapped gifts, fresh flowers from the meadow, and two tiny paper lanterns he had made for the twins—one with a sun and one with stars. 

She deserves the world and more, Flynn thought as he set the tray down. Every day with her is a gift, but today I get to remind her. 

Rapunzel’s eyes shone as she held one of the little lanterns. “Eugene… I don’t need anything but you. Truly.” She leaned up and kissed him slowly, deeply. “All I want is you.” 

He chuckled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’ll get me, don’t worry,” he teased gently. “But if we keep celebrating that way, you’ll be pregnant again before the twins even walk.” 

Rapunzel smirked and tugged him closer by his shirt. “It doesn’t happen every time,” she said with a playful lilt. “And even if it did… I wouldn’t mind another.” Her fingers traced his jaw, her breath warm against his lips. “Our love only makes miracles.” 

How does she do this to me? Flynn thought as his resolve crumbled instantly. One smile and I’m hers all over again. 

He kissed her back, slow turning hungry, and eased her into his arms. “You’re impossible,” he murmured against her lips, “and I’m hopeless for you.” 

He’s mine. My husband. The father of our children. My home. My freedom. My everything, she thought as he laid her back against the pillows, his hands reverent and sure. Being loved by him is the most beautiful gift I could ever have. 

They made love with the same passion that had followed them across countries—slow and tender and aching with devotion. Every touch a reminder, every kiss a promise. 

Afterward, he held her close, tracing lazy circles on her skin, listening to the faint sounds of the twins sleeping in their cradle. 

“I love you,” he murmured into her hair. “More with every heartbeat.” 

“And I love you,” she whispered back, resting her hand over his heart. I’ll never stop. 

Wrapped around each other, the cottage full of warmth and tiny dreams, their love felt endless. 

A month later, the morning sun filtered through gauzy curtains, casting golden light over their seaside cottage. Rapunzel woke first, tucked against Flynn’s chest, his arm draped protectively around her. Leo and Lila were still sleeping in their cradle beside the bed, bundled together like they always were. 

One year married, she thought, brushing a kiss to Flynn’s collarbone. And somehow I love him even more than before. 

Flynn stirred at the kiss, smiling before his eyes even opened. If I wake up like this every day for the rest of my life, it still won't be enough. 

“Happy anniversary,” she whispered. 

“Happy anniversary, Mrs. Fitzherbert,” he murmured, kissing her gently. 

Before she could speak again, he slipped out of bed and returned moments later with a wrapped parcel and a bashful smile. He sat beside her, heart pounding. 

“It’s not much,” he said quietly, “but… I made it during the nights when you fell asleep with the twins on your chest.” 

He handed her a wooden box, hand-carved with vines, suns, and little lanterns. Inside were pages—hand-bound into a book. Illustrations and writing together. 

She gasped softly. “Eugene…” 

“I wrote our story,” he said, voice soft with emotion. “From the tower to the lanterns to our children. So one day they’ll know… every second I’ve loved you.” 

How does he still surprise me? Rapunzel thought, tears pricking her eyes. He gives me love in everything he does. 

She kissed him deeply, then shyly brought out her own gift—a folded bundle of fabric tied with ribbon. 

He raised an eyebrow playfully. “You didn’t have to—” 

“Open it,” she insisted. 

Inside was a cloak made from fine, soft wool—the color of the sea at sunrise. Along the inner lining were small, embroidered suns and stars. 

“I sewed it at night when you wrote,” she whispered. “So you’ll always be warm when you go outside with the twins—or when you deliver your stories.” 

Flynn swallowed hard, emotions thick in his chest. She always thinks of me. Always gives me more than I deserve. 

He swept her into his arms, kissing her deeply until Lila stirred with a soft noise. 

Just then, two sets of curious eyes blinked up at them from the cradle. The twins didn’t just look at them anymore—they recognized them. 

Flynn’s heart nearly burst. He scooped Leo up and then lifted Lila too, settling them both against his chest. 

They know me. They really know me. 

Rapunzel’s heart melted. Seeing him like this… I think I fall in love with him even more every time he says their names. 

The day passed in laughter, kisses, and soft moments. Flynn carried each twin around the cottage, pointing out things with exaggerated wonder—“Look, that’s your mama’s brush… and that’s the chair she paints in… and this is the spot I kissed her senseless on our first night here.” 

Rapunzel blushed and giggled, swatting at him. 

They had a simple but warm celebration meal. He fed her bites between tending the twins, and every time their hands brushed, desire moved quietly between them, warm and familiar. 

By evening, with the twins drowsy and full, Rapunzel took Flynn’s hand and pulled him toward the bedroom with a look that left no doubt. 

He mock-groaned, smiling. “Sunshine, if we keep up our tradition of celebrating every milestone like this, there’ll be another set of twins by winter.” 

She laughed softly, kissing him deeply. “Then we’ll love them too.” 

How can I deny her anything? he thought as he let her draw him down to the bed. 

They made love with slow, reverent tenderness—the kind born of a shared year, journey, fears, laughter, and dreams. Afterward, tangled in limbs and sheets, they drifted to sleep. 

Somewhere past midnight, Rapunzel stirred to a soft whimper. The bed beside her was empty. 

She blinked sleepily and saw Flynn sitting at the bedside, shirtless and barefoot, cradling both babies in his arms as they fussed. 

He rocked gently, whispering lullabies only they could hear. 

He looks like something holy, she thought, overwhelmed. My husband. The father of my children. The greatest gift I’ve ever been given. 

Flynn glanced at her and smiled softly, still swaying. Don’t wake, sunshine. I’ve got them. I’ve got all of you. 

When the twins settled, he tucked them back into their cradle with infinite care, brushing a kiss to each tiny forehead. 

Then he returned to bed and gathered Rapunzel close again, pressing her head to his chest. 

“Sleep, love,” he murmured. “I’m right here.” 

She curled into him, heart full. Always. In this life and the next. 

With his arms around her again, they drifted back to sleep, wrapped in love, warmth, and the soft breathing of the family they’d built together. 

Five months later, snow had begun to settle gently along the dunes outside their seaside cottage, turning the shoreline into a soft blur of white and pale blue. Inside, the fire crackled warmly, and Rapunzel sat curled up on the rug with Leo and Lila on either side of her, both trying to chew on the same wooden rattle. 

Flynn was at his writing desk nearby, quill in hand, finishing the last page of his newest manuscript—his third published story in less than a year. 

If someone had told me once that I’d earn my living writing fairy tales instead of stealing crowns, I would’ve laughed them out of the tavern, he thought, glancing over his shoulder at his family. But then… I wouldn’t trade a single word I write now for all the treasure in the world. 

Rapunzel leaned down and kissed each twin on the head, her heart swelling. Look how big they’re getting… my little miracles. And Eugene—he’s become the father I always dreamed my children would have. 

When Flynn finished his page, he set his quill down and came to join them on the floor, kissing her temple before lifting Lila into his lap. Rapunzel watched him with adoration. 

Every day he proves to me again—he’s my home. My freedom. My heart. 

She’d been quiet all morning, smiling to herself in that secret way she did when something wonderful was tucked behind her lips. When the twins were settled for their nap, she tugged Flynn gently toward their bedroom. 

He raised a brow. “Sweetheart, you’ve got that look. Either you’re about to kiss me breathless or you’ve painted the kitchen ceiling again while I wasn’t looking.” 

She giggled and pulled him down onto the bed beside her, her hands resting over his. Her voice was soft, glowing. “Eugene… I think I’m pregnant again.” 

He stilled. 

For a heartbeat, his breath caught—then emotion rushed through him like summer lightning. “Pregnant?” His voice was hushed, reverent, choked with disbelief and joy. “Another baby?” 

She nodded eagerly, cheeks flushed with happiness. “Yes. I’m almost sure. It feels just like before.” 

Flynn’s heart thundered in his chest as he pulled her close, laughter and wonder in his voice. “A third child. Sunshine… you’ve given me everything I never knew I could have.” 

Another little life… another piece of us. I don't deserve this kind of joy, and yet she keeps giving it to me. 

She kissed him, tears shining in her eyes. My Eugene. The father of my children. The love of my life. I can’t wait to see him hold this baby, too. 

He pressed his forehead to hers, smiling like a man reborn. “We’re really doing this again?” 

“We are,” she whispered. “And I want to celebrate.” 

He chuckled, brushing his thumb over her flushed cheek. “Rapunzel, you wanted to celebrate four times last week and we didn’t even know yet.” 

“And now we do,” she said, eyes sparkling. “So we should celebrate properly.” 

He sighed in mock defeat, kissing her deeply as he laid her back against the sheets. “You know, at this rate, we’ll have six by the time I turn gray.” 

She giggled against his lips. “Then I’ll love you six times more.” 

How am I supposed to resist her? I’m helpless. Completely hers. 

They tangled together once more, the winter light soft against their skin, the sound of the fire crackling beyond the door, and their love as warm and consuming as ever. 

When they finally paused, breathless and wrapped around each other, Rapunzel whispered against his chest, “I can’t wait to see you hold this baby.” 

Flynn kissed the top of her head. Another child. Another heartbeat in our home. And I’ll protect them all until my last breath. 

He smiled. “We’ll tell the twins they’re getting a little brother or sister. Though Leo might try to arm wrestle the baby before it’s born.” 

She laughed, curling even closer. This is my dream. My family. My forever. 

And as the snow continued to fall outside, they drifted together in bliss and quiet joy—hearts full, hopes bright, and their love stronger than ever. 

The wind murmured softly outside the cottage, brushing snowflakes against the windowpanes. Inside, the firelight painted the room in flickers of amber and gold. Flynn had just settled the twins in their cradle after rocking and humming to them until their little breaths evened out. He lingered a moment, brushing a gentle hand over Leo’s dark hair and Lila’s soft brown curls. 

My babies… and another on the way. How is my heart even big enough for this much love? 

When he returned to the sitting room, Rapunzel was curled up on the rug by the hearth, wrapped in one of his shirts and a woolen blanket. She looked up at him with that glowing smile that always melted him from the inside out. 

He knelt beside her, gathering her gently into his lap so she could rest against his chest. “Comfortable, sweetheart?” he murmured, brushing his lips over her forehead. 

“I am now,” she sighed contentedly, hands resting over his heart. Being in his arms… this is my peace. My home. My everything. 

Flynn reached over to the little wooden tray he’d set by the fire—fresh strawberries he’d gone into town to fetch earlier, dusted with sugar just the way she’d been craving. He lifted one to her lips with a mischievous smile. 

“Your royal dessert, angel.” 

She giggled and took a bite, fingers curling around his wrist before kissing the juice-stained tip of his thumb. He spoils me every day… I don’t know how his heart holds so much care. 

He fed her another, pausing to kiss her between bites, slow and lingering. Her laughter dissolved into soft sighs as his lips trailed along her cheek, her jaw, the curve of her shoulder. 

“Eugene…” she whispered, turning so she could face him fully. Her hands slid up into his hair. “Take me to bed.” 

He gave a low, fond groan. “I knew that look in your eyes meant trouble.” 

She smirked. “Then stop stalling.” 

With a laugh that was half surrender and half adoration, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to their bed, the firelight chasing them into the room with its soft glow. 

He laid her gently against the blankets, his body following hers instinctively. Their mouths found each other again and again, her fingers tangling at his nape, his hand splayed protectively over the small swell of her stomach. 

She’s carrying another piece of us, he thought, overwhelmed. Another little heartbeat. How did I get this life? How did I deserve her? 

He still looks at me like I’m the stars that saved him, Rapunzel breathed in her mind, her heart aching with fierce love. He doesn’t know he saved me too… 

Their lovemaking was slow and reverent, full of soft laughter and whispered promises. When they finally collapsed together in a tangle of limbs and blankets, Rapunzel nestled against his bare chest, tracing her fingers along his collarbone. 

After a quiet moment, she spoke softly. “Do you think… three will be it? Or do you want more?” 

Flynn chuckled tiredly, brushing his knuckles along her cheek. “Darling, with the way you attack me in every room of this house, I’m shocked we don’t already have six.” 

She laughed breathlessly and nuzzled closer. “Would that be too many?” 

He pretended to think, though his heart already knew the truth. “As long as they’re ours, and they’ve got your smile and my charm—or vice versa—I might survive five. Maybe six. Though you’ll be the death of me.” 

“And what a happy death that would be,” she teased, kissing him again. 

He kissed her back, deeper this time, his hand sliding through her hair. She wants a family with me. More children. More love. I never dreamed of this future—and now I can’t imagine anything else. 

She laid her hand over his heart, where it beat strong and steady beneath her palm. Another baby. Another miracle. And he still looks at me like I’m everything. I’ll never stop loving him. 

Flynn rested his chin atop her head, eyes drifting closed as the fire crackled softly in the other room. 

“Sleep, my sunshine,” he whispered. “Tomorrow, I’ll fetch you more strawberries—and kiss you even more than tonight.” 

She smiled against his skin. “And maybe,” she murmured sleepily, “we’ll start working on baby number four…” 

He groaned into her hair. “You’ll be the end of me.” 

“And the happiest end you could dream of,” she promised softly. 

Wrapped in each other, they drifted to sleep—hearts full, bodies warm, dreams tangled together like always. 

A few months later, the soft glow of late afternoon sunlight spilled into the cozy cottage. Rapunzel lay curled up on the divan beneath a pile of knitted blankets, her hands resting over the curve of her growing belly. The quiet crackle of the fire and the muffled laughter of their one–year–old twins drifted in from the next room. 

Flynn knelt on the rug by the hearth, Leo sitting proudly on his knee while Lila gnawed on the corner of her linen smock. 

Look at them… gods, they grow every day. And she needs rest. I’ll do everything—she’s already given me the world twice over, and another little one is on the way. 

He bounced Lila gently and wiped her drool with his sleeve, grinning. “All right, troublemakers, time for your afternoon snack.” 

He lifted them both into their highchairs and spooned mashed fruits into their eager mouths. Rapunzel watched from the doorway, heart swelling. 

He takes care of them so effortlessly. My Eugene—the way he holds them, speaks to them… I can rest because he loves us so completely. 

After their meal and an hour of crawling chaos and giggles, Flynn knelt between them and lifted Leo into his arms. Lila tugged at his sleeve until he scooped her up too. He kissed both their foreheads. 

“Storytime, little bandits.” 

He carried them into their nursery and settled onto the rocking chair, a child in each arm. His voice softened to that calm, magical tone he only used with them. 

“Once upon a time, there was a brave girl with hair like sunlight and a very handsome reformed thief…” 

Leo blinked up at him. Lila kicked her feet happily, grabbing his nose. 

Then, as if a candle had been lit inside him, Leo said softly, “Da-da.” 

Flynn froze. 

Leo tried again, poking his chest. “Dada!” 

Lila, not to be outdone, patted his cheek and chirped, “Ma-ma!” 

Flynn’s throat tightened. They said it. They said our names. Oh stars—my babies. 

He kissed both their heads, breath shaky with joy. “Yes. Dada. And Mama will be so happy.” 

After finishing the story and tucking them into their cradle side by side, he stroked their hair until they drifted into sleep. 

He slipped into their room quietly and found Rapunzel already waiting under the blankets, eyes soft with love. The firelight danced across her smile. 

“How were they?” she whispered. 

Flynn slid into bed beside her and wrapped his arms around her carefully, one hand instinctively over her belly. 

“They said their first words,” he murmured. 

She gasped softly. “What did they say?” 

“Leo said ‘Dada’… and Lila said ‘Mama.’” His voice broke with happiness. 

Tears glimmered in her eyes as she pressed her forehead to his. Our babies know us. They know their names for us. I didn’t think my heart could be more full. 

She cupped his face. “You make everything perfect. You take care of them, of me… you’re my home, Eugene. My freedom. My family.” 

His chest clenched with emotion. Home. Me. She’ll never know how she saved my life and made it into something beautiful. 

He kissed her slowly. “And you’re all of mine. And I’m going to keep showing you the world. Once the twins are a little sturdier and this little one here—” he caressed her stomach “—stops making you so tired, we’ll travel again. They’ll see everything with us.” 

She smiled, glowing, resting her hand over his. “You promise?” 

“I swear it. Even with three little gremlins on our heels, you and I will still wander.” 

She kissed him deeply. He still dreams with me. Still keeps his promises. I’ll love him until my last breath and beyond. 

He drew her closer, careful and gentle, and their kiss deepened into something tender and unhurried. They made love slowly, with shared laughter and whispered devotion, surrounded by the quiet of their sleeping children. 

Afterward, wrapped in his arms, Rapunzel sighed in absolute peace. 

I never thought I could feel so safe. So seen. So loved. 

Flynn nestled his face in her hair. She gave me a life I didn’t think I’d ever deserve. And I’ll spend every breath proving that I do. 

They drifted to sleep together, their hearts full and their future wide open. 

The summer wind was warm and golden as their small traveling wagon rolled south along the coast. Rapunzel sat nestled against Flynn on the cushioned bench he’d built, her belly round with their third child, while the twins—now toddling and curious—dozed curled up against blankets beside them. 

Maximus, steady as ever, pulled the wagon with pride. 

Flynn glanced sideways at her, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. 
She still glows more than the sun. Pregnant, tired, and still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. And she's trusting me again—trusting me to get us somewhere safe and warm before the baby comes. 

Rapunzel leaned into him, her hand over his. 
He holds the reins, the children, and my entire heart. Wherever we go, I’m home as long as I’m beside him. Spain… I never dreamed I could see all of this and still feel more loved than royalty. 

They crossed meadows, vineyards, and sunlit hills, stopping in small villages where Flynn read stories to their twins at night and made sure Rapunzel never walked more than a few steps without him lifting her into his arms. She would laugh and swat his shoulder, calling him overprotective—but the way she melted into him each time told the truth. 

By early autumn, just as the air began to cool and the sea winds softened, they settled in a quiet Spanish seaside town. The cottage they rented overlooked orange trees and a view of the water. Rapunzel painted flowers on the shutters while Flynn set up a crib near their bed. 

The night their baby came was soft and moonlit. Flynn held Rapunzel’s hands, whispering love against her forehead as she labored in the room lit with lanterns he’d hung earlier. 

Hours later, their second daughter arrived—tiny, pink-cheeked, and wide-eyed. 

Liora. 

Her cries were brief and strong before she nestled against Rapunzel’s chest, soothed by her heartbeat. 

Flynn brushed tears from his eyes as he kissed both their foreheads. 
Every time…I think I can’t feel more love, and then they prove me wrong. Three children. Three miracles. And she keeps choosing me again and again. 

Rapunzel watched him cradle their newborn with impossible tenderness. 
He loves them so completely. I still remember the man who thought he wasn’t enough—now he’s my everything and theirs too. 

That evening, he insisted Rapunzel stay in bed while he rocked Liora in his arms, pacing softly across the room so the twins—sleeping nearby—wouldn’t wake. Her tiny hand clutched his shirt as he hummed an old lullaby, voice quiet and reverent. 

She’s so small. How does my heart keep growing to make more room? And my Sunshine—she needs rest. I’ll do everything until she’s strong again. 

When Liora slept, he laid her in the cradle and slipped into bed beside Rapunzel. She looked at him, tired but glowing, as he offered her a small tray with warm bread, cheese, and fruit. 

“You’re supposed to be resting,” Flynn murmured, brushing her lips with a kiss between bites he fed her. 

She stroked his cheek, eyes soft. 
He takes care of all of us without ever stopping. How could I have ever belonged to anyone else? He is my life. My light. My safe place. 

After she ate, she curled into his chest, his arm wrapped securely around her waist. Liora slept in her cradle beside the bed, the twins in their crib at the foot of it—three peaceful little heartbeats filling the quiet night. 

Flynn buried his face in Rapunzel’s hair as sleep crept in. 
She’s safe. The babies are safe. I’ll guard them forever, love them forever. This is everything I ever wanted, even before I knew to dream it. 

Rapunzel, already drifting off, smiled against his skin. 
I’ll never stop thanking the stars for him. For this life. For our freedom, our family… our forever. 

And wrapped in each other, they fell asleep, hearts full, while their children dreamed nearby. 

Night after night, Flynn was the first to rise when Liora stirred. He would slip quietly from their bed, lifting her with the gentlest hands so Rapunzel could sleep. 

He rocked her close to his chest, whispering in that soft, hushed tone meant only for his children. 

“There you go, little starlight… Daddy’s here. I’ve got you. Let your mama rest—she’s done so much for you already.” 

From the bed, Rapunzel would stir faintly, half-asleep, listening to the low rumble of his voice as he soothed their daughter. 
He never complains. He never hesitates. He just loves us and gives and protects. Watching him with her… with all of them… I fall deeper in love every second. 

Sometimes he’d pace slowly before the fire, his eyes tender and adoring as Liora’s fingers curled around the fabric of his shirt. 
Three little miracles. And I still can’t believe I get to hold them… or that the woman I love more than my life sleeps peacefully because I’ve got everything handled. 

When he would finally return to bed, he’d tuck Rapunzel closer, nuzzle into her hair, and fall back asleep with his arm around her waist. 

Within a few weeks Rapunzel healed fully, her strength returning along with that familiar, playful spark in her eyes. One evening, with the twins asleep and Liora in her cradle, she traced her fingers teasingly across Flynn’s chest. 

He groaned softly. “Sunshine… if you keep that up, we’re going to end up with a fourth child before the year ends.” 

She giggled, straddling his hips. “Maybe we will… or maybe we’ll get lucky like last time. Either way, I want you.” 

His heartbeat thundered. 
She could ask anything of me, and I’d give it. I'd swear I was tired, I'd tease and protest—but one look at her and I’m undone all over again. 

They made love slowly, hungrily, rediscovering each other with reverence and passion. Afterwards, tangled in sweat-damp sheets and each other’s arms, Rapunzel sighed into his skin. 
Nothing in the world—no kingdom, no crown, no palace—could ever compare to him. He is home. 

Flynn kissed her temple and held her close. 
She’ll be the death of me one day—in the best possible way. 

By spring, Liora was a few months old, the twins more curious and talkative, and the call of the road returned to them. With their savings from his sold manuscripts, they set out once more—this time toward Italy. 

Flynn loaded their cart with supplies, carried the twins to their seats, tucked Liora into her basket cradle, and then lifted Rapunzel up last—kissing her before taking the reins. 

Traveling with three children and a wife I can’t stop touching… and yet somehow, I’ve never been happier. 

Rapunzel watched him, heart fluttering as the countryside rolled by. 
He takes care of everything without ever making me feel like a burden. He carries the twins, cooks for me, writes for us, protects us all. I still can’t believe he’s mine. 

They traveled slowly, staying in cottages and inns along the way. Flynn continued writing his next stories at night, sometimes with a twin on his lap and Liora asleep in a sling against his chest. 

If someone had told me years ago that I’d be earning my living with words instead of stealing, with babies drooling on me and a wife sketching at my side… I would have laughed. And yet—this is everything I never dared wish for. 

They reached the Italian countryside by summer—vineyards, stone villages, sun-warmed hills, and sea air in the distance. Locals adored Rapunzel’s sweetness and her drawings, and Flynn easily sold several of his new manuscripts to a small press. 

Each night, after tending the children and sharing soft laughter over dinner, Rapunzel would crawl into his lap and whisper against his lips, “You’re still mine tonight.” 

And he always was. 

Every version of forever I imagined with her keeps getting better. 

He is my freedom, my forever, my heart’s home. 

A month later, the summer sun spilled through the shutters of their Italian cottage, catching on Rapunzel’s brown hair as she stood barefoot in the kitchen, humming while arranging wildflowers in a clay vase. Flynn watched her from the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed and his heart doing that familiar somersault. 

Three years, he thought. Three years, and I’m even more gone for her than the day she said “I do.” How is that possible? 

The twins—now toddling and curious—were playing quietly in the next room. Baby Liora, pudgy and bright-eyed, dozed in a woven basket by the window. 

Flynn moved behind Rapunzel and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the curve of her neck. 

“Happy anniversary, Mrs. Fitzherbert,” he murmured. 

She melted back into him with a smile. Every time he touches me, it feels like the first time. Three years and my heart is still racing. 

He presented her with his gift first—a delicate golden bracelet engraved with tiny lanterns and the names of their children, with space left for more. 

Her eyes shimmered. “Eugene… it’s perfect.” 

She gave him hers next: a leather-bound journal she had decorated by hand, filled with blank pages for his next stories—and tucked in the back, the newest drawing she’d made of their family. 

His chest tightened at the sight of it. She always finds a way to break me gently. 

They kissed, slow and lingering, but Rapunzel’s heart beat faster for another reason. She took his hand and placed it over her stomach. 

“Eugene,” she whispered, her voice trembling with joy, “I’m pregnant.” 

For a heartbeat, he just stared—then joy lit his entire face. He scooped her into his arms with a breathless laugh, spinning her once before crushing her to his chest. 

“You’re serious?” His voice was thick. 

She nodded, eyes shining with tears. “Another baby. Another piece of us.” 

Another chance to be the father I never had. Another life we made from love. How did I ever get this lucky? he thought, overwhelmed. 

He pressed kisses to her cheeks, her nose, her lips, her hairline. “Sunshine, this is—gods, this is everything.” 

He’s so happy. So pure. I don’t deserve a love this beautiful, Rapunzel thought, her heart bursting. 

He carried her to their bedroom, laying her gently on the sheets. Clothes fell away between laughter and kisses, and he loved her with slow reverence, his hands always cradling her like something sacred. 

I will love you for all my lives, in every world, she thought as she arched into him, fingers threading into his hair. 

I will protect you and every child you give me with everything I am, he vowed silently with every kiss. 

Afterwards, they lay tangled in each other, skin warm, breaths slow, the sounds of summer cicadas drifting through the window. 

Flynn pressed his palm over her belly again and whispered, “Another miracle. Another adventure.” 

“And so much love,” Rapunzel murmured, kissing his jaw. 

They drifted off like that—wrapped around each other, dreaming of the tiny heartbeat that would soon join their world. 

Chapter Text

The cottage was quiet except for the soft newborn sounds of their son nestled in Rapunzel’s arms. The Italian spring sunlight filtered through the curtains, warm and golden, casting gentle light across the bed.

Flynn moved around the room with that focused tenderness he’d perfected over the years—bringing her water, pillows, fresh linens, and anything he thought she might possibly desire before she even asked.

My Eugene… always taking care of me like I’m the most precious thing in the world, Rapunzel thought as she watched him adjust the blanket around her legs.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Comfortable? Too warm? Too cold? Do you need anything to eat? I can make soup or… or pasta or something sweet or—”

She giggled softly. “Just you next to me is enough.”

How does she still smile at me like that after all this time? I’d do anything just to keep that look on her face, Flynn thought, easing himself onto the bed beside her. He carefully gathered their newborn son into his arms, wonder and pride shining in his eyes.

William Fitzherbert—tiny, pink-cheeked, and peacefully sleeping against his father’s chest.

Flynn brushed a thumb lightly across the baby’s cheek. Another little miracle. My son. Our son. How is my heart not exploding?

Soon, the cottage echoed with the small eager voices of their other children. Leo and Lila—now energetic and curious toddlers—and Liora, chubby and bright-eyed at one and a half, came toddling in, guided by Flynn’s gentle voice.

He knelt on the rug with William in his arms, letting the children gather around. “This,” he said quietly, pride warming his tone, “is your baby brother. His name is William.”

Rapunzel watched from the bed, her heart swelling. Look at him. The way he holds them all together… The way he becomes even softer with every child. I love him more than I can breathe.

Lila reached out to gently touch William’s arm. Leo leaned close with curious eyes. Liora clapped at the sight of the new baby before yawning and hugging Flynn’s leg.

Flynn laughed quietly. I never imagined this… Me. A father of four. And somehow, all of them perfect. All because of her.

After soft introductions and giggles and kisses, Flynn ushered the little ones away for their afternoon rest. He rocked Liora first, then tucked Leo and Lila into their small beds, telling them a short story so Rapunzel wouldn’t tire herself speaking.

When the cottage finally quieted, Flynn returned to their bedroom. Rapunzel was still awake, William now cradled against her chest, his tiny fingers curled in her hair.

Flynn’s chest ached at the sight. I’ll never get used to how beautiful she is holding our children.

He slid into bed beside her and wrapped his arms around them both. Rapunzel rested her head against his shoulder.

“When do you want to travel again?” he asked softly, pressing a kiss to her temple.

She considered for a moment, her fingers tracing slow patterns on his arm. “I like it here in Italy. I want to see more of the country… the coast, maybe the mountains. But I also want to come back to this cottage. I like it.”

Flynn smiled. If she wants Italy, then she will have Italy. If she wants mountains and the sea, then I’ll carry her there myself.

“As you wish, Sunshine,” he murmured. “We’ll travel—and always come back here. This will be our place.”

Our place. Our children. Our life. Rapunzel breathed in the scent of his skin, warmth curling through her chest. I never want anything more.

He kissed her gently, his hand resting over her heart—and the three of them, wrapped together, drifted toward sleep in the golden hush of their quiet Italian home.

One night, the fire in the hearth crackled low, casting amber light across their room in the cozy Italian cottage. The children were finally asleep—Leo and Lila curled together in their little bed, Liora tucked into her cradle, and baby William slumbering peacefully in his basket beside them.

Rapunzel lay against Flynn’s chest under the warm blankets, her fingers tracing idle patterns over his skin. For weeks he had refused to let her lift anything heavier than a spoon, had taken every night feeding, every diaper, every chore. But tonight, the ache in her body was gone—replaced by a familiar longing.

She shifted closer, pressing soft, fluttering kisses along his jaw.

Flynn’s breath caught. Oh no. Oh yes. Stars above, I know that look.
He brushed her hair back, tenderness and desire mixing in his eyes. “Sweetheart,” he whispered, “are you sure you feel well enough?”

Her lips brushed his ear. “Yes. I want you again. I’ve missed you.”

She could ask me for anything and I’d give it without question. He searched her face, needing to be certain. “If I even think you're uncomfortable—”

“You won’t,” she murmured, already pulling him down into a slow, hungry kiss. “Please, Eugene…”

He gave in completely—he always did with her. Their movements were soft at first, careful and reverent. But soon the quiet passion deepened, years of love guiding them. The world outside—the sea, the distant villages, the memories of danger—fell away.

My Rapunzel. My heart. My miracle. How do I still feel dizzy when she touches me?
My Eugene. My freedom. My forever. He still loves me like the first day… but even deeper.

When it was over, they stayed wrapped around each other beneath the sheets, breaths slowing, foreheads touching. His hand remained over her heart; hers rested at the nape of his neck.

Rapunzel sighed with contentment. “It’s been almost four years… and we’ve never heard another word from that awful kingdom.”

Flynn kissed the top of her head. “Maybe they finally gave up. Maybe they finally left us alone.”

She was quiet for a moment, her green eyes thoughtful in the firelight.

He hesitated. “Would you ever want to go back?” If she wanted to, I’d go. I’d do anything for her. But if she didn’t want to, I’d never let them near her again.

“I don’t,” she said immediately, pressing closer to him. “They planned to kill you, Eugene. They called our love a crime. And they never did anything for me. They never found me—not with all their guards and maps and coin. But you did. You found me. You freed me. You loved me.”

His throat tightened. She doesn’t know what that does to me… knowing she chose me over a crown, over safety, over everything.

“I love you,” she whispered. “You are my home. My family. I never want to return to them.”

Flynn’s chest ached with devotion. How is it that even after children, after years, after everything… I still fall harder every time she speaks?

He cupped her face and kissed her slowly. “I love you more than anything in this world, Rapunzel. More than breath. More than life.”

She smiled against his lips and melted into him as his arms wrapped around her once more. Her thoughts softened as sleep crept in. As long as he is beside me, I’ll never fear anything again. He’s my forever.

Flynn brushed a kiss across her forehead and closed his eyes, his heart full. Wherever she sleeps beside me… that’s the only kingdom I need.

They drifted into slumber wrapped together, the quiet night holding them safe—two hearts long freed from the world that once tried to tear them apart.

Two years later, the soft flicker of the oil lamp brushed golden light over the quiet cottage bedroom as Rapunzel cradled the newborn bundle at her chest. Lucia’s tiny breaths fluttered against her, and the world outside seemed to fall away—no past, no running, no shadows. Just this warm silence and the man who had given her the life she never dreamed she could have.

Flynn sat on the edge of the bed, eyes shining with the same awe he’d had holding each of their children for the first time—but there was something even deeper now. A love that had only expanded with every year, every journey, every sleepless night spent rocking a child against his chest. He reached out and very gently gathered Lucia into his arms, his voice a soft murmur.

“Hey there, piccolina,” he whispered, brushing his thumb across her cheek. “You’re just as perfect as your mama.”

Rapunzel watched him, her heart full to the brim. Even after five children, he still held a baby as if made of spun glass, as if nothing in the world could ever be more precious. She could see the way his breath caught, the tenderness in his eyes, the quiet wonder that still lived in him for every new life they brought into the world.

He’s going to rock her for hours, Rapunzel thought with a sleepy smile, just like he did with Leo, and Lila, and Liora, and William. And I’ll never grow tired of watching him do it.

Lucia stirred, and Flynn rocked her gently, humming the soft lullaby he always sang when the others were this small. Rapunzel rested her head back against the pillows and simply watched him, the rhythm of his swaying and the love in his voice sinking right into her bones.

How did I ever live without this? she thought, warmth swelling through her chest. He is my forever. My safety. My laughter. My home.

When Lucia finally drifted into deeper sleep, Flynn tucked her into the cradle beside the bed with infinite care. Then he turned back to Rapunzel, his expression soft with devotion and just a hint of disbelief—because somehow his love for her still managed to grow with every year and every child.

He climbed into bed beside her, slipping an arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss to her temple. She melted into him instantly.

“You’re incredible,” he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. “Every time, I think my heart can’t possibly stretch any further—and then it does.”

Rapunzel smiled sleepily, resting a hand over his heart. “You’re the most wonderful father,” she murmured. “I love watching you with them. Every time I see you hold one of our babies... I fall in love with you all over again.”

His chest ached in the sweetest way. She has no idea what she does to me, he thought as he kissed her fingertips. How every breath I take is because she gave me this life.

He drew her closer, and they lay together in the hush of the night, Lucia sleeping softly beside them.

Rapunzel closed her eyes with a sigh of contentment. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For loving them. For loving me.”

Flynn held her tighter, his cheek resting against her hair. “Always,” he breathed. There is nothing in this world I’ll ever treasure more than you.

And wrapped in each other, with the sleepy sounds of their newborn nearby and the peace of the Italian countryside beyond their windows, they fell asleep—hearts full, dreams warm, and love deeper than ever.

Their life continued like a wild, golden ribbon stretching across countries and coastlines. After Lucia’s birth, they stayed in Italy for some months, then wandered again—sometimes through vineyards and stone towns along the Mediterranean, sometimes into soft green countryside, sometimes along rivers where their children danced among flowers and Flynn read his stories aloud in the shade of trees.

Flynn's books always sold well wherever they traveled—France, Italy, Spain, the little towns between—and every coin he earned went to Rapunzel and the children. He carried the babies, cooked their meals, washed their clothes, and snuck gifts into Rapunzel’s satchel when she wasn’t looking. He took pride in doing absolutely everything he could for her. Every day, even after all these years, he still looked at her like he’d just fallen in love that morning.

And every night—even with little ones asleep in cradles and beds nearby—Rapunzel and Flynn still reached for each other with that same hopeless, breathless hunger they’d always had. They kissed in every inn, every cottage, every rented room, every meadow where they laid out blankets under the sun. They whispered to each other between sighs and laughter and soft moans, always finding time to hold each other, always desperate to be close again, as though no amount of love could ever be quite enough.

Flynn often thought, I keep waiting for this passion to calm—just a little—and yet every kiss still destroys me.

Rapunzel would catch his face between her hands and think, Every time he looks at me like that, I feel eighteen again on that boat with the lanterns above us.

And so, one warm autumn afternoon in Tuscany, with vineyards sprawling under the sun and their children playing not far from the cottage they rented, Rapunzel gave birth to their sixth child: a baby boy they named Rowan.

He had a tuft of Flynn’s dark hair and Rapunzel’s warm eyes, and the moment Flynn held him, he felt that familiar, devastating rush in his chest.

Another miracle, he thought, brushing a kiss to the baby’s forehead. How does my heart keep making space for more?

Rapunzel, exhausted but glowing, watched him cradle Rowan and felt tears sting her eyes.

He’s still the only home I need, she thought. Every child we have is another piece of his love made real.

Flynn refused to let her lift a finger. He spoon-fed her broth and berries, brushed her hair back with tender hands, rocked Rowan through the night so she could rest, and brought the older children to her one at a time so they could meet their new brother.

That evening, when the children were finally asleep and Rowan dozed peacefully against her chest, Flynn slid into bed beside her and wrapped his arms around them both.

She turned her head and kissed him softly, sleep still weighing down her eyes.

“I love you,” she whispered. “I didn’t think I could ever be happier than I was before—but now I am.”

Flynn’s heart swelled with an ache so pure it almost hurt. He stroked her cheek gently.

“I love you too. And you give me everything,” he murmured. I’d give you the world twice over if it meant I could see you smile like this every day.

She pressed her forehead to his and closed her eyes. “We’re still so hopeless,” she breathed. “I still want you all the time.”

He let out a soft laugh. “I don’t think that’s ever going to change.”

And I don’t want it to, he thought. Not in ten years, not in fifty.

He kissed her slowly, careful not to wake the baby between them, and she melted into him with the same warmth she always had—still the girl who’d looked at him like he hung the stars, still the woman who loved him with every heartbeat.

They lay there, tangled together with Rowan sleeping at her breast, and both thought the same quiet truth, wrapped in contentment and desire and peace:

This is the life we chose.
And I would choose it a thousand times again.

The twins, Leo and Lila, were eighteen when word finally reached them:
Rapunzel’s father—the king who once condemned their love, who schemed to have Flynn killed for daring to touch a crown—was dead.

They were sitting outside their cottage in the Italian countryside when the messenger arrived. Flynn was repairing a wooden toy Rowan had carved, while Rapunzel was trimming Lucia’s hair under the olive tree.

The news sat strangely in the air.

Rapunzel was quiet for a long time. She didn’t cry. She didn’t look relieved. She simply went still.

He was never truly my father, she thought. Not in any way that mattered. He never protected me. He never loved me. And he tried to take Eugene from me.

Flynn watched her carefully, heart tight.
Please don’t let this reopen old wounds, sunshine. You’re free of them. You’ve been free for so long.

That night, after the younger children were asleep, she curled into him by the fire, her face pressed against his chest.

“I still don’t want to go back,” she murmured. “I don’t want that palace. I don’t want that life. Not after what they did to you. To us.”

Flynn kissed her forehead and breathed her in. “You’ll never have to,” he whispered. I’d burn the whole kingdom down myself before I let them touch you again.

But there was still the question of succession.

Leo and Lila—beloved firstborns of their impossible love—were heirs whether they wanted to be or not.

It was Leo who finally volunteered.

“I’ll go,” he said. “Not because of him or that kingdom—but because someone kind should rule it one day. Someone who won’t do what they did to you.”

Lila stood beside him, proud. “I’ll help him rebuild it. But I’ll never let them forget what they almost destroyed.”

Flynn’s heart swelled and ached all at once.

They’re everything we wished we could have been in that place—and more.

Rapunzel hugged them both tight, eyes wet but strong. “If you go, you go as yourselves. Not as their heirs—but as our children. From love, not duty.”

They traveled only for the ceremony. Flynn held Rapunzel’s hand the entire time, their other children gathered close, Lucia and Rowan whispering in awe at the golden halls they’d only heard of in stories.

Lila sat at Leo’s side as he was crowned, the people cheering the return of their long-lost princess’s children. Many cried at the sight of Rapunzel, grown and radiant, with the man she’d chosen over a crown. Others whispered. Some bowed their heads in shame.

Flynn kept his back straight, chin high, his fingers laced with hers.

Let them see. Let them remember she chose love and still won.

And Rapunzel glanced at him during the ceremony, thinking, I’d walk away with you all over again.

They stayed only one night.

The moment Leo and Lila were settled in the palace—with promises to meet again soon—Rapunzel and Flynn gathered the rest of their children and left before the sun rose.

Back on the road, riding away from the kingdom's walls, Rapunzel breathed easier, the tension leaving her bones.

The moment their cottage came back into sight—stone walls, the old fig tree, the sea not far off—Flynn lifted her off the horse and kissed her breathless in the yard.

She laughed and melted against him, their younger children running ahead inside.

Home, she thought, heart full. Not marble halls. Not thrones. Him. Always him.

That night, with their children asleep and the fire low, they curled together in their bed, limbs tangled and lips brushing between whispered memories of the day.

Flynn nuzzled her neck and traced circles along her skin.

“I’m proud of them,” he murmured. “And I’m glad we’re here. Away from all that.”

She lifted his face and kissed him slowly, deeply.

“There is nothing in that kingdom I would trade for this life with you.”

Not crowns. Not titles. Not forgiveness.

He looked at her like he had for decades—with desperate, reverent love—and slid his hands through her hair.

“And I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you never miss a single thing you left behind.”

She smiled, pulling him down with her, heart pounding as his lips met hers again.

I never lost anything, she thought as passion rose between them. I only ever gained.

And Flynn, holding her as if every breath depended on her warmth, could only think:

I will love her every night until the world ends.

And he did.

Always.

Chapter Text

A year later, the morning sun spilled through the shutters of their Italian cottage, warm and golden, the sea breeze drifting in through the window. Flynn woke first—as he often did—only to find Rapunzel already curled against his chest, one leg draped over him, her hand fisted on his chest as if she might lose him if she let go.

Twenty years, he thought, his heart swelling. And she still sleeps as though I’m her entire world. I’ll never be worthy of that—but I’ll spend every day trying to be.

She stirred, eyelids fluttering. The moment her eyes met his, she smiled that same soft, glowing smile she’d worn on the day they married.

“Happy anniversary, Eugene,” she whispered, voice still warm from sleep.

He kissed her forehead. “Happy anniversary, sunshine.”

Before he could say more, she climbed over him and captured his mouth in a slow, aching kiss—the kind filled with a hunger that hadn’t dimmed once in two decades. He groaned softly as she pressed closer, warmth and memory and adoration flooding through him.

She still wants me, he thought in wonder. After all these years, after all we’ve lived—she still wants me like we’re newlyweds.

Rapunzel’s thoughts fluttered just as fiercely. Twenty years and I still can’t go a morning without his kiss. How could anyone think I would have wanted a palace over this man? Over this life? He is my home. He always has been.

When they finally came up for air, she whispered against his lips, “I want to spend all day with you. Kissing you. Loving you. Snuggling you. Like always.”

He chuckled, brushing his thumb along her cheek. “I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

Flynn insisted she stayed in bed while he snuck out, leaving only a kiss on her shoulder. He returned a short while later with a tray—fresh berries, warm pastries, sweet cream, and her favorite tea. He set it beside them in bed.

“For my wife. The love of my life for twenty years.”

“And for the next hundred,” she said, kissing his hand.

When she finished eating—with him feeding her half the bites and kissing her between them—he pulled out a small velvet box. Inside was a delicate bracelet of gold and tiny stones the color of green fields and violet sunsets.

“It reminded me of all the places we’ve been together. And all the ones I still want to show you.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. He always remembers. Every color. Every memory. Every dream.

Then she gave him her gift: a leather-bound book, carefully hand-stitched, filled with drawings of their life over the twenty years—each child’s birth, the cottages they’d lived in, the lantern moment that started it all, portraits she’d drawn of him sleeping, smiling, holding their babies.

Flynn’s breath caught. She made our life into art. She gave me our story with her hands.

He cupped her face and kissed her deeply. “You always give me more than I could ever deserve.”

They lay tangled in sheets, the morning stretching into lazy afternoon. His fingers combed through her hair as she rested atop him, cheek pressed to his bare chest.

She spoke first, softly but fiercely: “If I had to choose all over again—between you and that kingdom—I’d choose you every time. A thousand times. Even if it meant giving up everything.”

He closed his eyes, emotion thick in his throat. “You did give up a kingdom,” he murmured. “And I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret it—making sure you have the best life possible. Because I love you, Rapunzel. More than anything that’s ever existed. You’re not just the best part of my life—you’re my dream. Always.”

Her heart melted into him. Twenty years and he still says things that make me fall in love all over again.

She kissed him again—and the kiss turned slow and heated, and soon they were lost in each other. Passionate, familiar, desperate, sweet—like every year of their love layered into one moment.

Afterwards, they lay breathless and smiling, limbs intertwined, sunlight painting them gold.

Twenty years, he thought, brushing his fingers along her shoulder. And I still can’t stop touching her.

Twenty years, she thought, tracing his jaw. And I still can’t believe I get to love him like this.

They spent the rest of the day exactly as she asked—snuggling, kissing, loving each other again when the desire returned (as it always did), whispering memories and future dreams.

Later that evening, the cottage was quiet at last, their children asleep in the rooms down the hall, the fire casting a warm glow across the wood floors. Rapunzel sat curled in Flynn’s lap on the rug, wearing one of his shirts—soft, oversized, and falling off one shoulder. Her brown hair spilled over his arm like warm silk.

Flynn’s heart ached with love.
Twenty years, and she still looks at me like I hung the stars. How did I ever deserve this life? This woman? He brushed his thumb along her cheek and pressed a kiss to her temple, breathing her in.

Rapunzel sighed contentedly and snuggled deeper against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Her thoughts were a gentle rush of devotion.
He still holds me as if I’m the most precious thing in the world. I would choose this man a thousand times. I would run away with him again in a heartbeat.

The flames crackled softly. Flynn kissed the top of her head, then her brow, then her lips—slow, reverent.

“Marry me again,” he whispered against her mouth, his voice low and husky with emotion.

Rapunzel’s breath caught as her eyes widened. Then she smiled, radiant and sure, her fingers threading in his hair. “Always. Every day. Yes.”

Flynn’s chest tightened.
Gods, she still says yes to me. After everything. She still wants me.

He stood and helped her up gently, keeping her hands in his. From his pocket he pulled a simple braided bracelet of soft brown and gold threads, adorned with a small silver charm shaped like a sun.

“Another gift. I made it myself,” he said softly, a little sheepish. “Figured after twenty years you deserved something made by these hands… the same ones that held you through everything.”

Her eyes shone with tears. “I love it… I love you.”

She kissed his knuckles before slipping the bracelet onto her wrist. Then she stepped away for a moment and returned with something carefully tucked in a cloth—her other gift.

“I’ve been working on it for weeks,” she said shyly, handing it to him.

Flynn unfolded the fabric and found a drawing—ink and soft pastels—of the two of them curled up together, his arms around her, lantern light dancing in the background. It was them now and them then all at once.

Flynn swallowed hard.
She draws our life like a prayer. Like I’m something worthy of being remembered.

He cupped her face and kissed her deeply. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect.”

Slow music hummed from his memory as he pulled her into his arms, swaying with her by the fire. Bare feet on worn floorboards, her head against his chest, his chin resting on her hair. They moved slowly, as if time itself could pause for them.

Rapunzel melted into him.
This is my home. Not any crown. Not any kingdom. Him. Only him.

When the dance slipped into stillness, Flynn smirked softly and swept her into his arms, lifting her effortlessly.

She laughed quietly against his neck. “Carrying me off again, Mr. Fitzherbert?”

“Every night until I can’t walk anymore,” he murmured, kissing along her jaw as he carried her to their bedroom.

He laid her gently on the bed and lowered himself over her, brushing her hair back as she pulled him down for a kiss. Their lips met—soft at first, then deeper, hunger wrapped in devotion.

Clothes slipped away easily—his hands trembling slightly as though undressing her for the first time. She arched to meet him, fingers sliding over his back, pulling him closer.

Flynn’s thoughts tangled with wonder.
Twenty years married and I still can’t breathe when she touches me. I’ll never stop wanting her.

Rapunzel’s heart throbbed with joy.
He still loves me like this, still looks at me like I’m a miracle. He’s my breath, my dream, my everything.

They moved together slowly, reverently, sealing their vows not with witnesses or crowns but with whispered devotion between kisses and trembling breaths. When they finally collapsed, tangled in sheets and each other, Flynn cupped her face in both hands.

“I love you more than anything in this world, sunshine,” he said softly, forehead resting on hers. “I would choose you over every kingdom, every crown, everything. You’re my dream come true—always.”

“And you are my home,” Rapunzel whispered, tears in her smile as she kissed him again and again. “I would run away with you again, always. I love you more with every year, every breath.”

He held her close as they drifted to sleep, her head on his chest, his arm wrapped securely around her. The bracelet glinted on her wrist in the firelight. The drawing rested on the bedside table.

As long as I live, I will keep earning her yes.

And I will keep giving it.

Flynn and Rapunzel grew older side by side, and their love never dimmed—only deepened. They kept their little cottage in the countryside, surrounded by flowers, warm sunlight, and the echoes of children’s laughter. Their sons and daughters grew strong, kind, and full of wonder, traveling often between their own homes and the place where they had been so endlessly loved.

Flynn still wrote his stories, often with one of the little ones curled against his side or Rapunzel sketching nearby. He never stopped spoiling her—cooking for her, brushing her hair, wrapping his arms around her from behind while she hummed and painted. And every night, no matter how many decades passed, they fell asleep entwined, still craving one another’s closeness like the first days of their love.

Rapunzel never once returned to the cold halls of the former kingdom. She chose her freedom, her heart, and her family instead—and she never regretted it. The twins who had gone back to rule visited often, always returning to share laughter, stories, and quiet meals with their parents and siblings, without politics or pretense.

They still traveled whenever they wished—sometimes just the two of them, sometimes with a trail of children and grandchildren behind them, lanterns in hand or flowers in their hair. They wandered through vineyards, coastlines, forests, and festivals, always finding their way back to each other’s arms.

There were still nights by the fire where Rapunzel curled up in one of Flynn’s shirts, his hands warm at her waist. There were still mornings where he woke to find her tracing his jaw with soft fingers, whispering that she loved him. There were countless kisses, endless laughter, and love that only grew more tender, more certain.

They lived quietly, joyfully, passionately—and they belonged to no crown, no expectation, no rule but their own. Their children and grandchildren adored them, and everyone who met them could feel it: the kind of devotion that doesn’t fade with time but blazes brighter with every year.

And in every season, in every place, their hearts said the same truth:

She was his light, and he was her home.

They loved each other—hopelessly, joyfully, completely—for all the years of their lives.

They truly lived happily ever after.