Chapter Text
She sat quietly on the cold hard ground. The room empty, the lights were dim. Her mother wasn’t here tonight, says she needs to go out and do something important. She didn’t question it, her mother’s been doing it for a long time now she’s gotten used to her coming and going. And since that’s the case, there was some other reason Rapunzel looked and felt so down. She held in her hands a small blue cloth that seemed to have some frost over it. She stared at it quietly, her eyes heavy from what seems to be crying. Brushing her thumb over the piece of fabric, she leans her head back to rest on the window sill. Pascal crawled up to her shoulder, nudging her face with his tiny head. Rapunzel didn’t budge, and remained in her position. Her little companion looked at her, eyes filled with concern.
“I’m...” she was about to tell him she was fine, but that would be lying to him and herself. She was not fine at all. She was clearly upset and she was lonely.
Where is he? Why doesn’t he come see me again? She thought, staring up at the night sky with an upside down view. A million stars twinkle overhead, and it’s beautiful, but she doesn’t seem to have the energy to enjoy the sight she’s seeing. With a loud sigh, she decides that he’s not coming today either.
But before she gets up, a familiar face hovers over her own.
“Hey there.”
“Jack!!” she sits up immediately, her face almost touching his but he floats back a bit so nothing accidental happens. Rapunzel doesn’t mind it, she doesn’t even notice it. She just stands there, grinning as all that pain and sorrow from moments ago, washes away.
Jack gently smiles at her happiness, clutching his staff in his arms, head leaning on it. “You seem really happy to see me. You missed me that much, Punzie?”
But then the action Rapunzel performed next was not what the Winter Spirit had expected. She reached out to him from inside and grabbed his ear, pulling him roughly. “OW, OW, OW, HEY!”
“Jack Frost I have half a mind not to hit you with my frying pan for leaving me alone, right now!” Then when he was already inside the tower, she let him go, arms crossing and eyes now filled with anger. Jack steadied himself, already standing on the ground. He rubbed the ear she had pulled, but he gave her his signature smirk instead. The one that would always leave her flustered.
“And what does the other half want you to do to me?”
Then she raised the frying pan up.
“Okay, whoa. Just kidding there.” Jack raised his hands in a protective manner then lowered them when she placed the potential weapon down as well. She stared at him, looking angry still.
“Where were you.” the three words struck him like arrows to the head. He felt uneasy under her stare and he wasn’t sure how to respond to his question.
“I was... uhm.”
“Do you know how long I’ve waited for you out that window? How long I’ve watched the stars, hoping one of them would be you?” she asked again, anger slowly fading and sadness retaking its place. She clutched the blue cloth in her fist then turned around, unable to look at his face. That gosh darned beautiful face.
Jack watched as she turned to not look at him, which made him sigh and feel bad. “Hey... listen. I just had to... you got to understand that—” but he stopped before he could ever tell her why. Should he? He wasn’t sure about that yet. But then he noticed the blue fabric Rapunzel was holding. There was something about it that looked familiar. Bringing in the wind, it takes him above the ground and floats him over to where Rapunzel was facing at, he saw her holding the fabric, and he saw her fight back tears. Jack stopped his flying and stood properly in front of her, alerted at the sight.
“Whoa, whoa, hey... come on...” he neared his face to hers from below to look at her in a lower perspective. With his cold hand, he touched her chin lightly. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you were lonely. I’m sorry for making you wait for me. I’m sorry for even leaving you in the first place. I’m sorry for being a complete jerk that made such a pretty lady wait.” despite the small tears that escaped her eyes, she gave him a miniscule smile that would’ve gone unnoticeable. But Jack noticed. And he was glad she felt just a teensy bit better. Placing his hands on her face he brushed away the tears with his thumb. Giving her a cold kiss on the forehead, he pulled her in for a hug, letting her rest her small head on his chest.
“Sorry.” he said again. Rapunzel remained silent, but she wrapped her arms around him nonetheless, pulling him closer to her as she takes a deep and shuddering breath. Despite the fact that a hug would help you feel warmer, the hug they shared was as cold as you can imagine.
“It’s okay.” she whispered, not above a breath. “Just don’t ever scare me like that again. Please.” she warns him, causing Jack to chuckle. A cool wind breezed around the tower, circling the embracing pair before leaving out the window. They both turned to the window, and saw the moon full and bright, its light raining down through the sole window of the tower, leaning over them as if it were a spotlight.
“Wow, it’s another full moon.”
And then Jack remembered that one day when he asked the Man in the Moon if he could give him at least one more chance to make things right with Rapunzel. He smiled involuntarily, of all the things he’s asked Manny to do for him; Rapunzel was the one thing he chose to help with.
“Well, you know what they say.” he slowly grabbed her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. “It only happens once in a blue moon.”