Moment for a Change | Drabble 1

Title: When Will My Life Begin? - Part I

Genre: Romance

Rating: General Audience, K

Category: Movie crossover » Rise of the Guardians (2012) | Tangled (2010)

Characters: Jack Frost, Rapunzel

Pairings: Jackunzel

Summary: Sometimes you just need a reminder of what you want with your life to take action and do something different.

§•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•§

Moment for a Change

by Blooming Snowflake

§•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•¤°°¤•..•§

"So, let me get this straight?"

Jack Frost was sitting casually on the windowsill to her tower, watching with a grin at the girl with golden hair sweep the floor, focused on every movement as if she didn't even listen. Though her small precious smile, that send butterflies through the Winter Spirit's stomach and made him want to flip in the air and just make that smile stay put all day, told differently. She was beautiful, indeed. Her long golden locks that streamed from her head like a waterfall made from dreamsand, those innocent, naïve emerald orbs never leaving one moment of kindness, and her round face with those squeaky cheeks he loved to pinch, just to tease her on how adorable she looked; like a newborn baby.

Rapunzel was paying full attention to her only friend. Said only friend wasn't completely true. She had Pascal, but Pascal was just a chameleon. Okay, that was a bit rude to think. Pascal wasn't just a chameleon. The green lizard had been her companion for as long as the girl had known. He had been a small light in the dark of the tower, sending a smile to her glowing face whenever she needed it. But Jack, Jack was different. It wasn't because she did not enjoy Pascal's company - not at all – but talking to an actual human being was different. It felt more real and the days of complete darkness of solitary and isolation just vanished the moment he had stepped into her sanctuary. Funny really, Rapunzel still remembered the day he entered and how breathless he was with the confrontation that Rapunzel could actually see him. She had freaked out, obviously, whacking him with a frying pan the moment the boy came too close. And now, the event that seemed to have occurred a few months ago was as if it never even had happened. It was as if they had known each other their entire lives, and something within Rapunzel sparkled whenever the impish grin of the Winter Spirit appeared on his face.

"You've never be on an Easter Egg hunt before?"

As much as Jack was no big fan of Bunnymund's annual holiday, hearing Rapunzel had never experienced the joy of Easter and its endless rains of Hope filling the air whenever a child would find one of Aster's precious goggies bruised his soul. True, it brought him to soft laughter, but the crushing feeling in his heart was a thousand times more pitiful and much more despairing than the feeling of being walked through like a none-existent fog.

Something had to be done. But what? Rapunzel refused to leave the tower and its "safety" as she put it.

The blond girl chuckled awkwardly and held the broom in her hands, leaning her head against the stock. "Well, no, I… I really haven't. But I've read all about it!" She quickly added as soon as she saw Jack's curious expression.

He shook his head, stroking his hand through the messy silver locks that he called his hair. "Punz, reading won't make things any better. Admitted, they give you knowledge about stuff, but actual experience is a whole other thing. You'll only experience Easter if you take action."

"Jack, we've talked about this. Mother will never agree for me to leave. And I've promised her to stay. And when I promise something—"

"—you never beak your word. Yeah, yeah, I get it," he interrupted, leaping off the sill, kicking his staff up for his hand to catch and let it rest on his shoulder afterwards, frustration peeking off his demeanour. "But why complain then if you have no intention in leaving? Which is quite a shame. I am sure you'll love to know what's it like outside."

Rapunzel gave a sad smile and her attention turned to the frost that formed under her friend's feet. What beautiful creations he could make just by a simple walk. She wished she could do something like that instead of having magical healing hair. Then perhaps it wouldn't be so difficult to be outside. Let alone, it might not even have been necessary to stay hidden from the world in a tower deeply in the woods of Corona.

But alas, that wasn't the case with the dear girl blessed by the sun.

She fiddled with the tree in her hand, exhaling in defeat. "I know you're only trying to help me for fill my dreams, Jack, but I want my first time out to be special and with my mother. To see the floating lights with her would be, I don't know. It would be the best thing ever."

She trailed off, her gaze resting on her mural of the night sky with the lights igniting said sky. She bit her lip. Yeah, but when was she going to actually ask her? Her birthday was around the corner, so she had to take the initiative now. But mother would be furious. Well, disappointed more like it, in her daughter for bringing up the topic of going outside.

Again.

About the floating lights.

Yet again.

She was so firm in her beliefs that the world was too cruel for her fragile flower, that she never even dared to consider the thought of letting her magical girl outside the four walls of their tower. Always did she avoid the question, always did she talk down on Rapunzel, always did she manage to make her daughter think rationally and logically for what was best for her. So, what was the point in asking if all she ever got was refusal?

"Why not ask her today?"

Suddenly snapped out of her thoughts, Rapunzel blinked and looked in confused bemusement at the winter sprite.

"I mean, no harm can be made if you ask her. She has to let you go sooner or later, and if I were you, I would definitely choose sooner. The world outside is incredible, Punz. I know you'll love it, and I would gladly be your tour guide if we reach that point."

Rapunzel was left stunned at Jack's words. But even more stunning was the bashful smile he send her, a shy light blush creeping to his cheeks, which he dismissed by adding a layer of frost over his pale skin. She opened her mouth to respond, quickly closing it again when she found no words to say. Instead, she turned her emerald eyes up to meet cerulean liquid, smiling gently at the Boy of Winter.

Without much spoken, Jack bounced back onto the windowsill, sending a smirk at the girl that told her to not disappoint him, before he raised his staff.

Rapunzel raced forward, grasping the boy by his sleeve and pulling him into a hug. She sighed, inhaling the sweet scent of winter and peppermint that radiated from her friend. "You'll come back, right?"

The Prince of Winter gave a gentle smile at the girl's worried eyes, ruffling her blond locks as he let a chuckle escape from the back of his throat. "Always," he replied, sending a cool frost pattern over her nose from a mere touch, grinning widely as Rapunzel crunched her nose before giving in to laughter. Reluctantly, he slipped out of her grasp, standing on the each of the balcony. And when he stared back at her, it was with his usual impish grin and mischievous eyes across his face "After all, what kind of spirit would I be if I didn't at least bring some joy to the one person who actually can see me?"

And with that, he leapt off, calling the wind to carry him off to God knows where, waving at the beautiful girl staring after him.

Rapunzel waved back, a skip of her heart reminding her of how important Jack actually meant to her. He was right. She couldn't stay up here forever, and one way or another, mother had to let go of her flower, the sooner the better, had he implied.

"Rapunzel!~"

Speak of the devil. Her mother's sing-song voice echoed from the bottom of her tower, sending a tingling sensation through Rapunzel's body. Well, it was now or never. So with her mind set, Rapunzel tossed her hair out for her mother to catch before pulling her up. A glimpse back to her mural made her bit her lip, slowing down her pulls.

Maybe, if this didn't work out, she would have to stay here. But even if it ended that way, Rapunzel wasn't sure anymore that leaving with her mother to see the Lantern Festival was her biggest dream. After all, another person just as important had offered, free willingly, to take her there. And that person began to mean more for her each and every time she saw him.

Finally, Mother Gothel appeared, and Rapunzel beamed.

"Welcome home, mother."

Well, no matter. Time would tell what would happen to her. For now, she just kept smiling and enjoying the moment she had with her mother.