A/N: Shout out to me for having some of the most champion reviewers and readers on this site. Can't believe the positive reviews some times, you guys are understanding angels and I want to give you all kisses and Game of Thrones box sets or something equally lovely tht you all deserve.
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Flynn was slumped down in a courtesy chair just outside the change rooms, the girls purses dumped down by his feet as they browsed, while he sipped on his nearly gone smoothie. He hated shopping but at least the chair was comfy. Fancy place like this probably had it filled with goose feathers or kitten fur or something. He leant back a bit to get comfortable and a drop of bananarama smoothie spilt down on the plush velvet of the chair. He discreetly moved Rapunzels bag to cover it.
Rapunzel herself was over looking at the racks of dresses with Ariel. As they'd gone through the store, they'd figured out pretty quickly that the least you'd pay for one of these things was around three hundred.
"Rapunzel, put this one on, it's your colour" Ariel held the floor length prom dress up by the hangar as she pulled it off the rack.
Rapunzel gave a wry laugh "Little bit out of my price range"
"I'm not telling you to buy it, just try it on" Ariel said under her breath "They don't know we're not millionaires too"
A smile crept onto Rapunzel's face "...I'll do it if you do it "
The girls giggled with each other as they picked out the priciest and flashiest dresses they could find.
"Come on Belle, grab one" Ariel encouraged.
Belle browsed the racks a little more warily. Did 'you break it, you bought it' apply with over-priced gowns? She didn't want to accidentally leave a smudge on some silk and pay some kind of fashion property damage ticket.
"I dunno...maybe not" she said.
Ariel handed her a strapless silver gown encrusted all over with diamontes "Come on, it's fun. We'll take pictures"
Belle took the dress with apprehension. It looked like a seventies disco ball re-incarnated into a dress. If she was going to put on anything, this would be the last thing on her list. Ariel and Rapunzel wasted no time as they headed to the change rooms, egging each other on as they giggled.
She instead wandered over to a display case of jewellery, looking down at the diamond earrings and gold necklaces. They probably weren't real diamonds, and it was probably plated gold. It was still a mall boutique, not Rodeo Drive, after all.
Belle ended up putting the disco ball dress back on the racks, shooting a discreet look over at Flynn as he browsed his phone.
I mean she knew who Flynn was, in a kind of generally school social knowledge kind of way, everyone did.
Popularity is a weird thing. You can't define it, what exactly it is that makes someone 'cool'? Because no one who's truly cool ever calls themselves cool. They just are, and everyone else just knows it when they see it.
And Flynn was cool.
And these girls were cool.
And frankly, Belle wasn't. What was she doing hanging out with them in a mall? They invited her but she was sure it was courtesy, she shouldn't have even said yes. They probably hadn't even wanted her to say yes. She should just make an excuse to leave while they were busy changing.
She could hear the stifled laughs coming from the change rooms as Ariel staggered out in a flame red, bedazzled dress, Flynn and herself looking up.
"How Jessica Rabbit is this!" she announced as she posed sexily, or tried too anyway, as she had all the curves of a mop. As she raised an arm behind her head to pose some more, the front of the dress sagged, due to the lack of boobs holding up the strapless front, and Rapunzel dragged her back in.
"Get back in here, you're going to flash everyone!" Rapunzel struggled to speak,the two girls in fits of laughter as Ariel clung to the fabric to keep it up.
"Why don't you doOOoooo riiIIiiiggt!" Ariel tried singing in a mock sultry voice and Rapunzel was practically on the floor in tears.
Belle didn't want to laugh, but it did make her crack a smile. Then there was a kind of pang of jealousy. Was it jealousy? Or just a kind of sadness. She hadn't ever had friends to mess around with like that. It was always a painful thing to think about, so she never really thought about it.
More painfully, Belle knew it was because she kept it that way.
It was like she'd been on her own for so long it was easier to convince herself she didn't want or need friends to do inane things like try on dresses and talk about boys with. It was easier to tell herself that these popular people, the ones who had people flock to them so easily, were stupid and vain and shallow, and that she didn't even want them to like her.
It was easier than trying to make friends and failing.
But here she was, with a perfect chance to try and get what she knew deep down she wanted, and what she she doing? Ignoring it. Her hesitance and denial getting the best of her again.
It was a snap decision. She would do it. She would just try on a dress.
It wouldn't make them love her like she was instantly their best friend, it probably wouldn't mean much of anything to them at all, but it was a step. A very small step into Belle opening herself up, just a tiny bit.
But...maybe a different dress. She would find one she liked, not this Dancing with the Stars reject. Scanning the store, she wondered what one to try on. Purple? Red?
"Need some assistance there, miss?"
Belle turned around like she'd been caught. The man with the skinny moustache gave her a curt smile.
"I, uh..Im just browsing. Thanks"
She needed to shake him off. It was always so painful when shop assistants latched on to you. It was so easy to be guilted into buying something.
"Are you going to the same event as your friends? Looking for something pretty to wear?"
Belle glanced over at the change rooms. It was a half truth.
"Yeah"
"Might I make some suggestions?" he offered.
"Oh, no, you really don't have to-"
He went ahead and grabbed the shiny disco ball dress back off the rack.
Urgh, you really don't have too, she thought.
"I'm...not too big on silver" she smiled politely.
"Ok, then how about.." the assistant tutted as he strode across the store, grabbing a dress from its hanger "Something more gold?"
Belle's smile was still stiff.
The dress he held up had sleeves that fell off the shoulders, with a corseted bodice and had a huge boofy skirt, with a bunch of ruffles and detailing down the bottom.
It was too much. She couldn't believe dresses like this were still being made in this century.
Then Belle glanced over to where he'd grabbed it from. The gap in the rack gave her a view to a dress she hadn't noticed before.
"Wait, what's this one?" she said, walking past the assistant.
She fanned out the material with her hand to get a better look at it. The fabric was a warm beige, but had the slightest shimmer too it, and a layer of clear chiffon over the top. There was ribboned sash just under the bust, black with a rose,with scattered rose petals trailing down the material, with more sewed closer together down the bottom near the hem with an addition of full roses, like they'd fallen their after floating down.
"This ones beautiful" she said, staring at it.
The assistant grabbed it for her "Brilliant! I'll bring it to the change rooms for you"
Belle followed after him meekly. She wasn't looking forward to telling him she wouldn't be buying it , but was she still excited to try such a beautiful dress on. She wasn't someone who got caught up in fashion or glamor easily, but even she couldn't go past it.
As they entered the change rooms, Ariel and Rapunzel were in matching dresses, both of them a horrible shade of lime green taffeta silk, posing as Ariel had her phone up to the mirror taking selfies.
The assistant watched them with a forced smile as he drew back one of the curtains for Belle, hanging up the rose dress and ushering her in.
"Call out if you need anything" he said "And are you girls alright?"
Ariel and Rapunzel looked up from choosing a flattering filter "Yeah, we're cool, thanks!"
He went over to call to Jasmine through one of the velvet curtains "And how about you, dear? Is it fitting well?"
"I think so" Jasmine said, pulling back the curtain "Does it look alright?"
Rapunzel gave a little gasp "Oh my gosh, you look beautiful!"
And Belle had to agree that she did.
It was a two piece, fashionable right now, if the store window displays were anything to go by, with a red crop top that had a lace flower overlay on it, and a short high wasted tulle skirt that flared out. Jasmine couldn't stop smiling as she did a little twirl for extra effect.
Ariel wolf whistled "sold!"
"Really, if you don't walk out of here with that, it's a crime" the assistant pandered.
Jasmine knew he was payed to flatter, but she also knew the red really did look great on her.
"Ok, I'm definitely taking it"
Ariel held up her phone "Pose" she commanded, as Jasmine smiled for the photo.
"That was a good one. This is gonna get like eighty likes on instagram" Ariel said as she posted it.
"By the way, what the hell have you got on?" Jasmine smiled at Ariel and Rapunzel as she went to change back into her normal clothes.
The two laughed in their dresses "Only the most gorgeous dresses in the shop. This is totally what I planned on wearing" Ariel said sarcastically.
Rapunzel looked up at Belle "Your going to try something?" she asked, noticing the dress.
"Yeah" Belle smiled "I thought...why not"
"Come out and show us when you have it on" Ariel called out as Belle pulled the curtain shut behind her.
Belle could hear the girls continue talking, but she wasn't listening. Right now it was just her and the dress. She slipped off her old, plain clothes until she stood in her underwear, being gentle with the dress as she slipped it off the hangar.
The fabric was so soft in her hands, and she was careful as she stepped into it, pulling it up. It was strapless, and she held it against her as she glided the zip at the side up.
Belle stared at herself in the mirror. She felt like a different person. The sash was tied just under her bust, before the material fell down, gentle and flowing, with the roses just dusting below her knees. She looked at it from every angle of the mirror. It felt too beautiful to be on her.
She pulled back the curtain and stepped out to show the girls, not half as confidently as Jasmine had done. Belle took a few shy steps before they noticed her.
"Oh!" Rapunzel said first "You look lovely!"
"Damn, girl" Ariel agreed.
"Those roses are so gorgeous" Said Jasmine, coming over to inspect them "These petals look totally real"
Belle smiled, unsurely. She wasn't used to compliments if they weren't from her Dad, or laced with backhanded deprication from Gaston. For a brief second she wondered what Adam would say if he saw her.
"Urgh, why have all my friends gotta' be hot and I'm here looking like a kiwi" Ariel joked at her own expense.
"Hey, I'm a kiwi too"
Ariel took Rapunzels arm in hers "Yeah, we'll be the hottest kiwi's at the dance"
"If you two actually wear those things, I'm disowning you as friends"
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Flynn glanced around the store. His smoothie cup was empty and there was no trash can in sight.
He waited until the shop assistants back was turned to slip it under a the bottom of a nearby mannequins long dress. Then he felt his pocket vibrate.
'Did you know Quasi liked Esmeralda?' The text from Phoebus read.
Flynn replied quickly.
'I thought everyone knew that?'
'wth? I didn't? Did he tell you that?'
'didn't have to man. it was so obvious'
'he just told me he's asking her to the dance'
Flynn wasn't surprised before but he was now 'shiiiiiet I didn't think he'd ever actually do anything about it'
There was a brief pause between Phoebus's next reply.
'You think Esmeralda knows?'
'Nah she's covinced he just wants to be friends'
'That's what I thought. You think she'll say no then?'
'Dunno' Flynn replied, truthfully.
"Hey, Ryder"
Flynn's head snapped up from his phone just as he sent off the text.
Two more than familiar faces smiled back at him, and not in a nice way. The Stabbington brothers.
In that brief few seconds there were a flash of emotions that hit Flynn. Surprise, where the hell had they come from? Confusion, why the hell were they in a dress shop? Fear? The only reason must be to come for him, and then finally, anger. So much anger, since Flynn realised Rapunzel was here too, and if they even so much as looked at her, he didn't know what he'd do.
Flynn stood up and leapt to his feet, a scowl on his face "What the hell are you-" he started, but his tone made the shop assistants pause and glance up at the three boys squaring off. He remembered where he was. It wouldn't do anyone any favours to throw down in the middle of a mall boutique, and Flynn hoped the Stabbington brothers thought so as well, as they didn't look like they were going to punch him any second. Flynn tried to clam himself down, his body rigid as he kept himself in check.
"What are you doing?" he hissed, voice low.
"Shopping" the boys answered, smug grins on their faces, one of them liftting the hem of his shirt to reveal a couple of DVD's tucked into the waistband of his jeans, and the other grabbed a pair of earrings off a jewellery stand, holding them up "You think this would look good on me?"
Flynn just stared coldly at him.
"Nice purse" he nodded at Rapunzel's pink bag that sat on the chair, thinking he was funny.
"You came here to compliment me, or is there something else you assholes have to say?"
The two boys faces darkened a little "Hey, no need for attitude, we just wanted to say hi"
"Yeah, to you and...shit, what was her name again?"
"Do you even care?" his brother went along with his mocking tone, and Flynn seethed, hoping that Rapunzel wouldn't hear them out here as he heard her laugh back in the change rooms.
"Yeah, you're right. I don't care that much. She wasn't even that hot anyway, tits are too small"
"And I hate short hair on girls, makes 'em look like dykes" the other laughed, tossing the earrings up in the air and catching them, rolling them over in his hands.
Flynn didn't rise to the bait. He knew they held the cards here, especially as Rapunzel was only a room away. His desire to keep her out of this was stronger than his desire to punch them in the face. Barely. He just wanted them gone, quickly.
The brothers watched him, waiting for him to reply.
"...you done?"
They didn't seem to like this answer.
"Am I done?" One asked "No...no, I'm not" he said, darkly "Not after what you did to us"
Flynn's face didn't flinch but he felt his palms grow sweaty.
"You do remember all that don't you? How you left us? How you lied-"
"I also remember how you were the ones with the gun" Flynn said, defiantly.
"Don't act like you weren't part of it-"
He was cut off by his brother as his voice rose, his emotions rising. All three boys looking to the change rooms to make sure they still hadn't been heard.
"...as you can see, we're still pretty pissed off about...that night. We were friends, we were a team...but that didn't seem to mean much to you in the end, did it? You thought you'd just leave us once you got away and we didn't? Never thought karma would come back to bite you on the ass?"
Flynn stood rooted to the spot.
"That's not how I...I'm sorry. I am. We were fourteen, we were stupid-" but he was cut off.
"Cut the fucking crap, this is coming years to late, and words are cheap as shit"
"And we know your just saying it now because you're scared of what we'll do to you...and you should be. four years of our life we can't get back and you should have been in there with us, instead of prancing around, going to school, going to parties, having fun..." he nodded to the change rooms "-getting little girlfriends"
"I know your mad, but I can't take it back-"
"Yeah, you can't. That's the part that pisses us off the most as well. We can't change what happened to us, but you need to understand that I can't move on, we can't move on-' he gestured between his brother and himself "...until we feel like you've at least felt a little of the pain we did"
Flynn didn't know what he could say. He was a guy who could talk himself out of anything, but here he was, confronted by his past, and it was really the only thing he met with silence.
"Just...leave Rapunzel out of it"
"Who?" he said, his voice infuriating and mocking. Flynn just glared.
"Oh, you mean small tits" he smiled "Hm. Maybe if you asked nicer?"
"...please" Flynn let out through gritted teeth.
"What do you think, brother? Was that convincing?"
He nodded "Sounded it. So convincing I'd think he really did like her that much"
"True" he turned his cruel eyes to Flynn "Which only makes me more happy to not ignore her. She didn't like me much last time we met. Maybe the second time I'll try harder to convince her"
One of the brothers went to step behind Flynn, and for a second Flynn was terrified he was going to go find Rapunzel right this second, but he couldn't do anything as a hand clapped his shoulder, in what could have been a friendly gesture, but it was much too rough, and the contact made Flynn's skin crawl.
"Good catching up Flynn"
"Be seeing 'ya" the other said, following his brother, the step towards the change rooms apparently only a bluff to make Flynn's heart race faster.
Flynn let out a haggard sigh as he watched them stalk out, relief and dread washing over him all at once.
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Belle changed out of the dress reluctantly, after one long last look in the mirror. She knew the more time she spent in it, she'd only want it more, and after checking the price tag...that just wasn't going to happen. She could get return flights from here to Ohio with that kind of money. First class flights.
She was just un-doing the zip with a resigned sigh before Jasmines voice filtered from the curtain.
"Hey, you didn't say if you liked it or not, are you going to get it?"
"Maybe if I took out a small loan" Belle laughed, slipping the dress off.
There was a brief silence on the other side, before Jasmine replied, her voice lower than before.
"You know, if you wanted, I could pay for it for you?"
Belle looked up, genuinely surprised. She pulled back the curtain just enough to show her face.
"You can't do that. I can't let you do that"
"Why not? I'm...not to sound conceited or anything...it's just not a big deal for me"
"Hundreds and hundred of dollars aren't a big deal for you?"
Jasmine gave a little sheepish smile and shrug "Oil tycoon money, what can I say?"
"But you barely know me?"
Belle regretted saying that, it sounded so blunt and rude, even if it was true.
"We're in the same science class, you helped us with our projects. You'r out shopping with us now-"
"Yeah, but...still. This is too much"
"-And maybe I want to get to know you better anyway" Jasmine finished.
Belle didn't quite know what to say. She couldn't take it, she couldn't let herself. It was far too much to take from someone without feeling guilty, even if Jasmines Dad was on the Forbes rich list. But was this some kind of olive branch? An offering of friendship? Would it be damning to turn it away? Or was it a test? Some kind of judge of character, where she wanted to know if Belle wanted to be her friend for her money?
Belle realised she'd been quiet for too long, and that she was horribly over thinking this.
"Thanks, but...it's actually kind of scratchy...the material" she lied, grimacing "Theres some kind of under coat under here and its just a little too tight around the waist...it's pretty but...never mind"
"Oh, that's a shame" Jasmine said, not giving away any hints of wether she thought Belle was lying or not, but she smiled "Did you want to try and find something else?"
"No, it's fine...I'm actually kind of hungry" she said, boldly "Maybe we could go to the food court after this?"
"Did someone say food court?" they heard Ariel call out.
The girls agreed quickly that lunch was the next course of action, as they gave the dresses back to the shop assistant, and Jasmine headed to the counter.
"We're going to get food, what do you feel like getting?" Rapunzel asked, hopping over to Flynn where he was slumped down in the same chair she'd left him in.
"I, uh...I dunno. Whatever you want to get" he said, eyes betraying his smile, his voice a little off.
"You ok? Rapunzel glanced up at him.
He looked down at her worried expression, and he gave a more convincing smile to assure her "Yeah, I think I almost just fell asleep in that chair, is all. Got to wake myself"
Rapunzel giggled and took his hand "I'm sorry, thank you for hanging around with us. We'll do something you want to do next"
"Nuh uh, we still need to get my outfit" Ariel butted in "He just has to deal"
"You guys ready to go?" Jasmine said as she came over with Belle, a gold paper shopping bag over one arm.
Flynn gave one more cautionary glance outside the shop doors, but it looked like the Stabbington's had made themselves scarce.
He let himself relax a little, but it would be ridiculously short lived, as they group of them passed through the doors, and the security alarm sounded off.
They stopped in surprise as they passed through the beeping,
"What the hell?" Said Flynn, genuinely surprised. For once he had gone shopping and not stolen something.
"Sorry, could you just came back for a second" the shop assistant hurried over.
"We didn't take anything" Ariel said quickly.
"I just need to make sure. There might just be a security tag still attached to your dress, I'm so sorry" he said to Jasmine.
"Oh, no trouble" Jasmine said, stepping back through the doors.
But they didn't beep for her.
The shop assistant frowned slightly.
"Could you come back in one by one, please?" he asked, cordially, but his voice was a little harder.
The girls glanced at each other, but Flynn felt his worry creeping back in.
Ariel stepped through with no problems, and so did Belle, both going over to join Jasmine. They both look at Flynn and Rapunzel, and Flynn's mouth went dry as he stepped through, but it didn't beep for him either. Everyone look as surprised as he did as they turned to Rapunzel.
She looked a deer in the headlights, her eyes a little wider than normal.
"Step back in please, miss" the assistant said a little harshly.
Rapunzel looked up at Flynn and her friends, before gingerly stepping back towards them.
The alarms sounded off with their shrill beeping.
"I'm going to need to check your bag, please"
"But I didn't-! I don't-" Rapunzel flustered, sliding her purse off her shoulder and reluctantly handing it over.
"Hey, she definitely didn't steal anything!" Ariel half laughed as the idea that Rapunzel was a shop lifter "You're alarm must be broken!" she said, sure of herself.
But the assistant only had to open the bag, and amongst the scarce contents of a wallet, a beeper, a pack of tissues and a lip gloss, was a pair of earrings still in the packaging. His face was cold as he pulled them out.
He kept the bag in his hand, gesturing a nod to his colleague as they picked up the phone "Stay where you are, please" he said to Rapunzel, as she looked fearfully at the earrings.
"What-I..I don't know how...I didn't put them in there!" she panicked.
Belle, Jasmine and Ariel looked like they couldn't believe at as they all stared at the earrings and back to Rapunzel.
"This has to be a mistake, she was in the change rooms practically the whole time, with us, she couldn't have-" Jasmine started in her friends defence, but she was cut off, coldly.
"She can take it up with security"
"Security?" Flynn snapped into action "No, come on, this is ridiculous, she didn't-"
"What were they doing in her bag then?" the assistant said.
"I don't know, I don't-" Rapunzel said, fear and confusion welling up in her.
And it was all too fast that a small, golf cart sized, buggy pulled up outside the store, two mall cops stepping quickly off it.
"We got a call for shop lifting?" One said, scanning the group.
"This one" the assistant pointed to Rapunzel and her mouth fell open.
"I'm sorry, you're going to need to come with us" the other said, taking her gently by the arm and guiding her out the store.
Then all manner of shouts broke lose.
"No, wait! You can't just do that!" Ariel said, angry.
"Don't touch her, this isn't what happened" Flynn said, quickly, trying to go after Rapunzel but he was held back.
"Check security tapes! You have to have those, just check them and you'll see!" Jasmine insisted.
"Can we go with her? Where are you going to take her?" Belle asked more rationally.
All of this glazed over Rapunzel as she barely understood what had just happened, as she was guided to sit at the back of the buggy with one of the guards, looking lost as she looked back at her friends.
"I didn't do anything!" she protested weakly, distraught "Flynn.."
"Let me come with her, please!" Flynn tried to reason.
"We can't do that, I'm sorry. We just have to find out what happened, and until then, she has to come with us"
"But why can't I come too, you have to let me come with her!" Flynn's voice rose.
"I'm sorry but we can't" the guard repeated, more forcefully as he shoved Flynn away and got into the drivers seat.
"But what's going to happen to her?" Jasmine followed out after them, clearly entering panic mode.
How were they going to hide this from her Mom.
"We'll talk to her, she'll sign some papers, petty theft could see her taken to court. It just depends" One of the guard explained, more kindly. Not that the tone comforted Flynn at all.
As an, ahem, former regular shoplifter, he knew a deal about how much trouble she could potentially be in.
"Rapunzel, don't sign anything!" he shouted after her as the buggy began driving away, Rapunzel looking fearfully over her shoulder.
"Yeah, you have a right to remain silent!" Ariel shouted as well.
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Across from the store, out of sight and un seen, stood Gothel, staring as her daughter was taken away by the mall cops. At first she didn't understand what was happening, she'd half watched and hoped it was that boy who they'd come after, but no, it was Rapunzel. Her mothers instinct told her to run over, to step in and demand to know what was going on, but before she knew what was what, they'd driven off with her, down and around the corner, away from her.
Her mind raced.
This was the boys fault, whatever had happened.
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Flynn, Jasmine, Ariel and Belle all raced through the mall as fast as they could power walk through the packed crowd.
Jasmine couldn't believe what was happening "This is ridiculous, they can't send her to court over a pair of earrings, right? They can't...this isn't something the police actually care about, they'll probably just...I thought you just had to sit in mall jail for a couple hours until your parents came and picked you up!"
Flynn shook his head "It depends on how much those things were worth, anything over fifty bucks is petty theft, and a petty theft charge can get you taken to the police if they press charges" he said.
He should know, he'd googled a lot about it in his days.
They were looking for an information desk, or an office, or...wherever the hub of behind the scenes mall action would be, where Rapunzel was being taken. Secret underground dungeons for all they knew. Flynn looked determined to burrow through ceramic tiles if need be.
"Maybe they just fell in her bag!" Ariel said, the one still trying to figure out just how this had happened "She doesn't look some kind of thieving scum bag, this is probably her first time getting in trouble for anything, they'll let her go with a warning! It's not like they'd take her to jail"
"They could" Flynn said, speeding up "Six months maximum for petty theft"
The girls looked at him in disbelief.
"No way!"
"That's why we need to find her, if she signs something that admits she committed a crime, she can be taken to the police" he continued.
They all picked up the pace.
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Phoebus and Quasi were walking through the mall, with Quasi swinging a bag containing a brand new dress shirt.
"I thought about waiting to ask what colour Esmeralda's dress was gonna' be, so I could match her, since I know that's what you're meant to do with your date to proms and dances and things, but I think this one will be ok" Quasi said.
"Mhm" Nodded Phoebus.
"I'll keep the receipt though, just in case. Couldn't hurt"
"Yeah"
"And you thought it looked good on me, right? You weren't just saying that"
"No, it's fine"
"Sorry, I should stop worrying. I mean, it's purple. A darkish maroon kind of purple, but still purple. I know that's Esmeralda's favourite colour so I'm sure it'll be-"
"She hasn't even said yes yet" Phoebus said sharply and suddenly.
He regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth.
He hadn't meant to say that. He didn't know where that came from.
Quasi stopped to stare at his friend, surprise and hurt on his face.
"I mean...not to be a downer or anything, I'm just...not to be presumptuous, and I don't want you getting your hopes up just to be...but no, no, yeah,I'm sure she's gonna' say yes, man. She will" Phoebus tried to backtrack..
Quasi regarded him for another second "...It's because I'm ugly, isn't it? You don't think she could like me like that?"
Phoebus struggled for words.
"I...no, no not at all, that's not-you're not"
"Yeah, it is, you don't need to lie to me, I know what I look like" Quasi said, his voice calm, not even a twinge of anger "But I also know that Esmeralda's not...she's a better person than most people. She doesn't care what I look like, and she's not going to turn me down because I don't look like that Naveen guy"
"Quasi...I didn't mean it like...I'm really sorry, that just came out so bad"
"Don't worry about it, I'm used to it" he smiled "Besides...I know she'll say yes"
Phoebus's smile was stretched thin at the sound of pure confidence in Quasi's voice.
"Really? Has she...said anything to you, or...?"
"No, not directly or anything but...someone told me, she'd told them, she liked me" Quasi smiled.
"Who? When?" Phoebus said with the unintentional tone of an interrogator.
"Rapunzel. At Flynn's party"
At that second, if you had asked Phoebus to explain how he felt at that moment of time, the boy couldn't have given you a straight answer.
If you truly had to put into words, he felt a bit like the TV screen when it was between channels. Black and white and fuzzy with that deafened humming noise while you scramble for the remote.
"Hi, would you two like to build a snow man?"
The two boys were saved from further conversation.
"I, uh, no thank you" Quasi said politely.
"Just letting you know our Winter Wonderland Christmas Junior Jamboree has live reindeer in our petting zoo area and 'real' snow you can play in, fun for all the family-"
"We're fine, thanks" Phoebus said.
"Entry is ten dollars and children must be accompanied by an adult" the girl continued, regardless.
"Oh, theres Flynn and the girls" Quasi said, noticing the oncoming power walkers.
They hurried after them, saving them selves from the winter wonderland girl with the plaits.
"Hey, Flynn, slow down" Quasi called, as Flynn didn't even notice them as he charged past at first, having to turn and do a double take.
"Oh, hey, guys" he said, in rush.
Quasi and Phoebus could tell something was up.
"What's going on, where are you heading?" Quasi asked.
"We can't really explain it right now" Jasmine butted in.
"There's no time" said Ariel.
The boys frowned.
"Wait, wheres Rapunze?l" Phoebus asked.
"That's kind of why we can't explain" Flynn snapped impatiently.
"Why, just tell us what happened" Phoebus tried again.
"She's being arrested!" Ariel said dramatically.
"Arrested?" Quasi's eyebrows shot up.
"What the hell?" Phoebus looked at Flynn to explain further, but Flynn looked like he was on another planet, silently wracking his brain as everyones voices competing over each other.
"Mall cops took her away, we're trying to find her now" said Ariel.
"Do you know where they could have gone?" Jasmine asked Phoebus and Quasi.
"Maybe we could ask the service information desk?" Belle suggested.
"Wait, wait, you still haven't mentioned how she got arrested?" Phoebus said.
"I don't think arrested is the right word"
"Is that what we really need to be thinking about right now, Jasmine?"
"There's no point getting worked up about this, Ariel!"
"Guy's, come on theirs no need to snap at each other" Quasi said.
Flynn grumbled under his breath "Can you all just please shut up for a second while I think-" he said, unheard.
"We should find a mall directory, find directions to the security office or something" Jasmine said.
"We don't even know if she's there" Ariel countered.
"Well, it's a start" Phoebus suggested.
"Ok, seriously, shut up-" Flynn tried again, the others not noticing the low warning in his voice.
"We could ask another mall cop where people get taken?" Said Belle.
"Like they'd tell us!" Said Ariel.
Flynn was a rage of emotions under a slowly cracking calm exterior. He was panicking, trying to think, wanting to couldn't do this, they didn't have time, he needed to get to Rapunzel.
He needed to get to the mall jail.
He needed to get the mall jail now.
The arguing went on and on and unbeknownst to them, Flynn was growing more and more stressed every second. He was a ticking time bomb.
"Hi there! Would you like to build a snow ma-"
And he detonated.
"NO!" Flynn yelled "No, I do not! Just. Go. Away!"
Plait girl looked a little stunned "S-sir, ok, that was very rude and not in the spirit of christmas-"
"IT'S SEPTEMBER! It's four months 'till christmas!" Flynn screamed, distressed.
"Sir, please-" the girl whimpered.
"Flynn, jesus, what the hell-" Phoebus stared wide eyed at his friends outburst, everyone else silent.
"You don't need to do this to us! Why are you doing this to us?! Why do you insist on shoving this white winter land crap on us every year! We live in california, it doesn't even snow!" Flynn pointed enraged at the snowman "Why is he here? he would melt! He would die a sloppy, puddled death out here in this climate!"
A child began crying in the background.
"What is he doing?" Jasmine whispered, turning to Quasi, astounded.
"I...I..." Quasi didn't even know what to say as Flynn ranted.
"You and your snow men can melt in hell!"
"Sir you need to calm down" the girl with the plaits tried to interrupt , but Flynn had been un-leashed. People had stopped to stare as he gathered a crowd.
"What's next! Is it gonna start being 'christmas' earlier and earlier every year? Will I hear carols by the end of july? Hmm? You gonna start this bullshit even earlier ?"
"...actually sometimes we do get hired to do christmas in july events, so-"
"God. Dammit!" Flynn kicked at a plastic candy cane " This is ridiculous!"
"Stop defacing mall property!"
"Anna, what's going on?" A blonde girl strode over, staring warily at Flynn as hew drew a circle of onlookers.
"Elsa, he kicked a candy cane!"
A big, burly, blonde guy made his way over as well "Woah, buddy, take it down a notch, your upsetting the reindeer"
"OH! OH, AM I-" Flynn peered at the guys name tag "Kristoff! Pfft, whatever kind of name is that? Did your parents just not now how to spell Christopher?"
"Do you think he's drunk?" Anna whispered to Elsa, concerned.
"What is that even doing here! How is that sanitary!?" Flynn pointed at the reindeer "Where did you even get this thing?!"
"Hey" Kristoff lowered his tone "Don't insult the reindeer, I will have you know that Sven is very sanitary!"
Flynn threw up his hands "I thought Reindeer weren't even real, like elves or santa or something!"
"Santa's not real?" a little kid cried out.
"Please, just leave sir, you're causing a scene-" Elsa tried to be rational.
"This entire operation is a sham! I want it shut down!" Flynn yelled loud enough to now have an entire crowd of spectators.
"Ok, that's it, I'm calling security!" Elsa strode over to the winter wonder land entrance desk.
The girls and Quasi looked on at the scene, as entranced as the rest of the shopper stopping to watch, but Phoebus...Phoebus knew his best friend. It had taken him a second, but he could see what Flynn was doing.
"Did you people forget that halloween is a thing?! Why is Christmas getting celebrated first! It's a glory hog! Give another holiday a turn!" And in a sudden move he uprooted a small plastic Christmas tree and began beating the prop Santa sleigh a few feet away.
Flynn was being smart.
"END THIS! END THE ETERNAL WINTER!"
….In a special kind of 'Flynn' way.
As he screamed and beat the slay with the artificial plastic plant,Sven the reindeer reared up in panic, making the kids near by scream. Mothers were darting forward to grab their children from the madness.
Flynn climbed atop the sleigh in the midst of the chaos, tearing into the burlap sacks full of empty decorated boxes "THESE ARENT EVEN REAL PRESENTS! THEY'RE LYING TO ALL OF YOU!"
He pulled himself up to stand over everyone and began throwing the fake styrofoam and cardboard presents at wonderland employees, brandishing his small plastic tree.
"SCEW CHRISTMAS, IT WAS ONLY INVENTED TO SELL HALLMARK CARDS ANYWAY"
A cry rang out across the mall, and three heavy set guys on segways came speeding towards Flynn "STOP! Mall cops!"
"TRY IT, PAUL BLART, YOU CAN'T TAKE ME!"
It wasn't the mall cops he had to worry about.
Kristoff launched himself at Flynn's legs and tackled him. The guy was built like a rugby player and Flynn let out a strangled cry as they both went tumbling down off the sleigh into the mounds of fake snow.
Anna screamed, now brandishing a candy cane for protection.
"Kristoff, be careful!"
Flynn was pinned down on the ground, a mouthful of fake snow. He rolled his body out of kristoff's grip only for the boy to land a hit right in the side of his stomach. Flynn let out a wheeze before scrambling to stand up. He hurried to pick up the small plastic tree again, brandishing it like a weapon.
"What the hell is he doing, is he insane!?" Jasmine stared at the madness.
She looked like she was going to intervene herself, but Phoebus gripped her arm, holding her back.
"Do something!" Elsa screamed at the mall cops, as Kristoff again went for a tackle, this time getting him more effectively around the middle. The boys struggled in the snow again, with Kristoff attempting to pin Flynn down as he flailed, both of them landing a few badly aimed punches.
Then the mall cops actually stepped in, and both boys let out screams as a sudden intense burning overcame them.
Kristoff and Flynn let go of each other simultaneously as they were blinded by the mall cops pepper spray, tears streaming down their faces as they writhed in agony, coughing as it filled their lungs.
They were both hauled up by the mall cops, unable to see, as they were placed in the back of two buggies, the same way Rapunzel had been.
As the crowds muttered and parted ways for the buggy's to drive through, the girls and Quasi watched on with the same dawning realisation Phoebus had had,
"He's...they're taking him to mall jail" Jasmine said, in subdued awe.
Phoebus nodded "And he figured out the fastest way to get there"
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Rapunzel was kicking her feet as she sat alone in the sparse white room, staring at her shoes.
She was scared when they'd first brought her in here. The only furniture was a saggy couch by the wall and a couple of chairs around a small table. It had been explained to her that this was a kind of waiting room while they figured out what happened, since she obviously told them she didn't do it.
She remembered Flynn's words. Don't sign anything.
But they hadn't even brought her anything to sign, not when they'd gotten their hands on the security footage.
She hadn't seen it herself, but they'd told her they saw she didn't do it, which un-knotted her stomach in relief, only to confuse her with some casual comment about catching the other boys in the store, the ones who looked like they'd dropped the earrings in her bag.
Before Rapunzel could ask more about that, however, they mentioned they'd have to get her details to call her Mother to come and pick her up.
That was an entirely new feeling of dread. Rapunzel wondered if their was a possible way to spin this story to her Mother that didn't bring up the fact she was with Flynn at the time?
When the door suddenly opened , Rapunzel looked up expecting the manager, along with her Mother, here to take her home.
But that hope was crushed faster than she could blink and realise who really just walked through that door, marched in by a couple of officers.
"Caught them just outside Target. They also had DVD's stuffed down their pants" Rapunzel overheard an officer outside mention.
She only sat in frozen fear as the Stabbington brothers were led into the same room as her.
They caught eyes with her, and a twin pair of slow smiles spread on their faces.
"Now you two sit here, I'm gonna get the forms" the mall cop said, and Rapunzel looked up at the man in desperation, wanting to tell him that they couldn't leave these boys in here with her, but nothing came out before the door was slammed as quickly as it was opened.
She stared at it as it shut, scared to turn and face the boys directly, even though she could feel their eyes on her. She felt vaguely sick.
It was an almost unbearable silence until one of them spoke.
"So...small world" he said.
Rapunzel didn't say anything as the two wandered past her, slowly...deliberately stepping close. It took all her effort not to flinch visibly.
They dropped down on the couch, and Rapunzel told herself she just wouldn't speak. She wouldn't say a word to them.
She knew if she tried her voice would probably tremble.
They continued on like they were simply trying to have a pleasant conversations.
"You know, we never even introduced our selves to you before"
"Rude of us, eh?"
"Did Flynn tell you our names?"
She felt like telling them that, no, she'd never asked and never cared, but she didn't.
"...Not talking to us? Well...I'm John, and this is Ron. Yeah, rhyming twin names. Cute, isn't it?"
If they were annoyed by her silence, they didn't show it.
"How's Flynn?"
Still no response.
"...you happy with him?" Ron asked.
Silence.
"...you let him hit that yet?"
They both laughed, and Rapunzel burned red, but her mouth was set in a determined line.
"You know...I remember our little talk back at that party. Do you remember our little talk?" Said John.
Rapunzel didn't even look at him, her face fixed to the wall.
"Yeah...I know you do. Where I told you how Flynn wasn't the guy you thought he was. How I was nice, and I warned you...but of course you didn't believe me"
He paused to watch her, but she still didn't respond, so he pushed on.
"But then I realised that of course you wouldn't. I gave you a few reasons, but I didn't give you the biggest reason. Of course, I would have told you the whole story if I'd had more time alone with you, before all that...well, you know what went down, you were there...and I'm sorry about that, I really am. Sometimes I lose my temper. People at Juvie told us we might have some issues, but I won't get into that right now"
"You want to tell it, or can I?" Ron asked.
"We both can. It gets a little long if we start from the beginning" he smiled at Rapunzel "So you want to hear it then? The story of how Flynn helped us rob a convenience store?"
Rapunzel's head snapped up, unable to stop herself in her surprise as she stared, open mouthed.
"Yeah, I thought you might"
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:4 years ago:
"And where are you going?"
Flynn inwardly groaned as his hand gripped the front door handle. He'd almost managed to slip out unnoticed. He thought his Mom was passed out, like she usually was this time of night.
"Out" he said.
"No shit. Why?"
"Sleeping over a friends house"
"What friend?"
"Why's it your business? Flynn said, fourteen year old rebellion fuelling him on as he opened the door and slammed it on his way out.
His Mom didn't chase after himt, she never did, but he knew he was going to face hell when he got back. It didn't matter. Tonight, all that mattered was that he was on time.
He rode his bike half way across town,running into no one, but that wasn't surprising at eleven pm. The destination was a small local park, one he used to play in when he was younger, but now he spent his nights with his friends, paying older guys to buy them alcohol, scratching their names into the cheap plastic playground equipment. It was also the meeting point.
The street lights stopped at the road but he could still make out the bulky figures of the Stabbington brothers, his friends, sitting on top of the monkey bars, waiting for him.
"Hey" they said, as Flynn dropped his bike in some thick bushes, where it would stay hidden until he needed it again.
"Hey" Flynn noticed the beat up old duffle bag on the ground "Been here long?"
"Yeah, been watching the place"
All three of them turned to stare across the park. Across the road and a barren car park was a small 24 hour corner store. It was practically a relic, an independent store that had managed to keep from being taken over by seven elevens or a gas station. The same old man had run it for about thirty years, back when this had been a nice neighbourhood, with a florist next door, and a deli on the other side. Now the deli had been converted into a chinese takeaway restaurant, and the florist had been empty and boarded up for five years. The corner stores pale yellow paint was chipped and faded, and bars had been added to the windows.
"No one's been in for the past twenty minutes"
"I don't know why the old man doesn't just close the place down"
"And your sure there aren't any cameras?" Flynn asked.
"Yeah, our cousin worked there for a couple weeks. She said the old man told her the camera's had been broken for a month now, he just couldn't afford to fix it. He just has them there for show" said Ron.
Flynn tried to swallow down any reservations he had "Cool. You ready then?"
"'Course, you ready?"
"Fuck yeah" he swore. He laughed as well. He hoped his voice hadn't given away how scared he was.
The brothers smirked, as John picked up the duffel bag "Hey, you wanna see it first?"
Flynn watched as he reached into the bag.
No, he thought.
"Yes" he said.
Flynn watched as he pulled out the small hand gun. He didn't know what type, he'd never seen one before, except in movies. It looked a little like the ones in the movies.
In an instant, John jolted his hand and pointed it at Flynn, making him flinch hard, a scared noise jumping from his throat.
The boys laughed, cruelly.
"Relax, I'm messing with you"
"Yeah, we told you we didn't load it, retard"
"You guys are assholes" Flynn tried laughing along, even if the laughter was hollow.
The boys crossed the street and entered the small store, the electronic bell sound ringing as they came through the door.
The old man looked up, sat behind his usual spot at the counter, in front of the cigarette display, his paper open in front of him.
"Evening" he said, smiling.
"Hey" Flynn was the only one who replied, the two brothers just nodding.
Flynn grabbed at a candy bar on the first shelf he reached. He hadn't noticed how sweaty his palms were.
The Stabbingtons wandered around, their hats drawn low, their hoodies up. Flynn had the same on as he lingered by the door. That was his job. He had to watch if anyone was coming.
He glanced over at the old man, and his blood ran cold when he saw that, in an instant, the mans face had changed. His friendly smile was gone. He was giving Flynn a cold, hard look. A look that knew.
The old man had been in this business too long not to recognise trouble when it walked in.
"You boys know theirs cameras in here, right?" The old man said, calmly, a strength to his frail voice.
All three of them froze, looking between each other.
"I want you to think about that before you take anything"
He probably thought they were the usual teenage thieves. Took chocolate bars. Stuffed dirty magazines into their bags. Pulled bottles of coke from the fridge as fast as they could before running away.
He was wrong.
"Give us the money"
Flynn stared as the gun was pulled. John held it up high, with Ron behind him, ready to take what they wanted. The mans face changed once again, his eyes widened a little bit as they gun was pulled on him.
"...you boys sure about this? You don't have to do this"
The old mans quiet tone must have struck a nerve.
"I said give us the fucking money!" John yelled.
"I only keep a little bit in here, son, at most you're going to get about ninety dollars. I don't make that much here"
What? Flynn thought. He stared at Ron and John. They looked as surprised as he did.
John shifted nervously, still holding the gun up, but he looked more un-sure than before.
This was meant to be some kind of big score. Enough for a few hundred each. Ninety dollars between them wasn't even enough for a new video game ,the old man was supposed to be scared. He didn't sound too scared.
"Bullshit, you've got to have a safe!"
"Safes out the back, I'd have to go get the key and unlock it-"
"No, you don't move!" John said, aiming the gun. He nodded over to his brother "You...you go get the key" he turned back to the old man "You're gonna tell us the combination!"
"I'll do whatever you say" the old man watched the gun, barely blinking.
"Just.. open the register!"
Flynn heard the tremor in Johns voice. It made him realise he might have been as scared as he was.
The old man did as he was told.
Flynn watched as Ron went around the counter, trying to look for the safe, as John leant across and grabbed the money, shovelled quickly into the duffle bag. The old man had been right. There was only a small amount of notes, and a lot of coins.
Flynn wrenched his head away and glanced outside. The streets was still deserted.
Then he heard a sick, cracking sound and a yell.
Flynn twisted back around, his eyes wide as he saw what he'd missed in that brief few seconds.
The old man had an aluminium base ball bat in hand, Ron was beneath him, clutching the side of his face.
Flynn didn't have time to register what was happening. The old man must have kept it under the counter. Then the aluminium bat was swinging towards John too.
Flynn didn't know a gun shot would be that loud.
The first shot broke the glass of the cigarette case behind the counter with a shatter, then there was a second shot, and a yell of pain.
The old man dropped the bat, a hand clutching his leg.
Flynn could see the crimson stain spreading quickly over the top of his leg. He watched this all from his spot from the door.
He could only take it all in. It's as if his voice couldn't work. His body wouldn't react.
He said it wasn't loaded. The gun wasn't meant to be loaded.
That was the only thought running through his mind as Flynn watched the old man throw himself at John.
It wasn't like in the movies. A single shot rarely put a man down. Especially not if it was in the leg, not if you had that much adrenaline running through you.
John was rammed into, but he didn't fall. The old man was trying to wrestle the gun from his hand, taking a hold if his arm.
"Fucking help me!" John yelled as he struggled.
Flynn barely registered that he was talking to him.
"Flynn!"
This wasn't meant to happen.
This wasn't what the plan had been.
As strong as the old mans will was, John was a burly teenager, and he was an old man already sporting a gun shot wound. It only took a few seconds for John to over power him.
He knocked him down, wrestling free of his hold, and the old man fell back.
There was a horrible thunk as his head collided with the edge of the counter.
Then he was still, and quiet. A crumpled mess on the floor.
"Jesus..fuck.." Ron muttered weakly from the ground, clutching his face "I think he broke my fucking jaw"
Then there were police sirens.
"Get up" John said, fear running through his voice "Get the fuck up, we need to go, we need to-" he turned to the exit.
His eyes widened as he saw the door way empty.
Flynn was panting, his heart beating rapidly in his chest, as his feet pounded on the ground. He'd never moved so fast in his life. As soon as John had called his name, he ran.
He ran across the road, across the park, straight for his bike.
As he wrenched it up from the bushes, under the cover of the trees and darkness, he could make out the flashing police car as it pulled up in the distance outside the store.
He rode home.
He'd never been more scared.
He thought this was going to be easy.
How the hell had he been that stupid to think this would be easy.
The police were at his house by 4am.
There rapping on the door had woken his hungover mother. Flynn himself hadn't been sleeping. He'd been pacing in his room. He'd thrown up earlier. The enormity of what had happened overwhelming him.
"Mom" he said, hurrying down the hallway, appearing as she had her hand on the door to open it.
She looked surprised to see him. She looked more surprised to hear a yell of "Its the Police, please open the door"
She turned to Flynn, a million questions needing answering, but she saw his fear. His face pale, wide eyed. Lost. A scared fourteen year old.
She opened the door.
"Hello, mam, does a Flynn Ryder live here?"
"...No, just me and my son. Why?" She said, coldly.
"How old is your son, mam?"
"Fourteen"
"We've been dispatched to investigate a robbery that happened downtown that left a man in critical condition. We have two boys in custody who claim they were aided by a boy named Flynn Ryder, and they gave this address"
Flynn could see the officers had spotted him as he lurked silently in the background.
"My sons been home all night, and we don't know anyone named Flynn Ryder, so I'm sorry, but you have the wrong house"
"We were specifically given this address-"
"Well, I don't know what to tell you, no one named Flynn Ryder lives here, you have your information wrong" she said, adamantly.
"What's your sons name?
"Eugene"
"Can you prove that, mam?"
There was a bit of fussing about. Fetching Flynns birth certificate, that did indeed have the name 'Eugene Fitherbert' on it. His real name. The police took brief statements, and apologised, before heading off.
Flynn never forgot the slap his mother gave him as soon as their car was out of the driveway.
The next few months were tense.
Flynn was so convinced he'd lie would be found out, but it never was.
There was no evidence of him being there. No one named 'Flynn Ryder' technically existed. John and Ron had never known his real name, he'd never told them, just to avoid them making fun of his name. True enough, there wasn't any security footage. No witnesses. Only the twin's hand print on the gun.
The old man lived. He was in hospital with a bad concussion, but he lived. Flynn read about it in the local paper, apparently the old man didn't remember the night though. Memory loss from the blow to the head. He said the last thing he remembered was the day of his grand daughters birthday, which was apparently a full three days before the robbery.
Flynn didn't see the twins again. It was so easy to convict them, and easier to ignore the cries that there was at least one other person there. They were teenage thugs that the system wanted to process and get rid of. Quickly.
Flynn waited and waited for some kind of karma, to be caught in his lie, but he never was. He couldn't believe the luck of it all. He knew he'd never be that lucky again.
So he started high school.
He moved on.
He got new friends. Real friends.
Eventually It all just...drifted into nothing.
It was hard to imagine he'd ever been that person.
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"When the hell did mall cops start carrying pepper spray! I never knew they had pepper spray!?" Flynn was still blinking furiously as he and Kristoff were led into mall...office...headquarters. He didn't know what to call it. It was definitely a lot more boring looking than a dungeon though.
"Will you just shut up" Kristoff gave him a withering look.
Both of them looked like wrecks. Their eyes bloodshot, with a red puffyness surrounding them.
"Can you charge that man? Is he going to jail?" Else cried out from behind the managers desk.
"We're going to fine him for the damage to mall property, there's no need to-"
"He destroyed winter wonderland!" Anna cried out.
"He yelled a bit and threw around some card board boxes, and he seems to have calmed down now, so-"
"This is bullshit!" Elsa threw up her hands.
Flynn rolled his eyes "Just let it go, woman!"
Then Flynn spotted a police officer walking towards them, emerging from a hallway with the Stabbington brothers in tow, being frog marched to the exit.
"Regret taking those earrings and a copy of 'Marley and me' now boys?" Flynn heard the mall cop quip as the boys walked past.
Flynn stared at them. His mind hurried to put it all together.
Earrings.
They were getting charged for taking the earrings. The expensive, worth a petty theft charge, earrings. They could be going away for six months, this time in a proper prison. Better yet, this meant Rapunzel was proven innocent.
He watched them being taken out. They hadn't even noticed him. He didn't even get the satisfaction of flashing them one last smile. It had all worked out. Flynn could barely believe it. He'd gotten lucky again.
Then came the footfalls of more people headed down the same hallway.
"-and again, we're very sorry for all the mix up, you understand that we had her here just to get to the bottom of what happened"
"Oh, no, no, no, it's fine. I understand completely. We're just glad it all got sorted out" Gothel said, as she and Rapunzel walked down with the head manager.
Flynn craned his neck over his chair to catch sight of Rapunzel. He wanted to smile at her, show her he came to get her. He didn't call out, obviously thinking better of it since Gothel was with her.
Rapunzel turned her head, glancing around the room idly while her mother and the manager talked.
She spotted Flynn.
Flynn beamed. He could see the surprise in her eyes. She was going to be so shocked when she'd heard what he'd done. She'd cover her mouth, she'd laugh, she'd slap his arm and say he was crazy, but then they'd laugh together. This day had been crazy and upsetting, but it had all worked out. They would meet up at the school steps on monday and it would be nothing more than a great story to tell everyone.
But as he kept beaming, she didn't beam back. Her mouth didn't even twitch upwards.
Flynn's smile dropped.
Then she turned away, ushered out the door by her Mother.
And then there was just the hum drum noise of the usual sounds of an office. A photo copier, chatter, the continued rants from the blonde girl.
Flynn sat back in his chair, not knowing what to make of it.
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A/N: As I was writing the Stabbington brothers I realised how hard it was to include them without giving them names. I half got away with it in the earlier party chapters since Rapunzel didn't know their names either. With a chapter that included Flynn flashbacking on the time he spent with them as a middleschooler, It just got more and more difficult to keep calling them 'that brother' and 'the other one'. So I googled all around and found out that two different voice actors had voiced them in the movie, and their names were Ron and John, and it sounded so much like REAL twin names, that I thought they suited enough to use. So I made them up, but technically, they're not that far off being canon.
Also, during writing, I thought 'God, I hope I'm not making these Stabbington brothers sound too much like disney villains or something' but then I was like...wait a second.
So yeah. This is a disney fic set in the real world. I like to think I have a right to be equal parts somewhat realistic, along with being equal parts silly. Kind of like Desperate Housewives. If any show has had an impact on my writing, it's probably Desperate Housewives. Lots of characters, soap opera plots and sitcom humour. Also guns.
On that note, Ive been so excited to write Flynn's backstory scene for a long time! I hoped it didn't seem too out of left field, but I felt that way about the party scene with the Stabbington's, and you all seemed to respond pretty well about that (Or as well as one can about an almost rape scene)
Anyway, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter.
How do you think Rapunzel's going to react to learning Flynn's secret?
Is Phoebus's strange behaviour over Quasi's crush on Esmeralda going to go unnoticed?
Will Elsa ever let it go?