Rubbing the spot that she’d accidentally hit, Rapunzel laughed. “Oh, I’m fine.” An embarrassed smile graced her features as she looked at the frying pan, “It happens more than I’d care to admit.”
A giggle escaped her as Jack saluted her, between that and the frost that coated the ground, she was practically giddy. It didn’t take much to excite the young girl, and the idea that someone else with magical powers was nearby provided plenty of excitement. “Really, you think so?” Rapunzel asked, delicately walking over the now crunchy grass and starting to head for Corona. As she walked, she began to gather her hair into her arms. “I mean, I know I can’t see him or anything, but it would be amazing if I could!” Pascal was giving Jack dubious looks, but Punz was completely oblivious. “There’s so many things I would ask him.” Like did his mother have him hide his powers? The question crossed her mind, followed by guilt. It was rude to think so bitterly of Mother. She was only trying to protect her from a dangerous world.
Rapunzel’s face fell momentarily before she grinned and looked back to Jack. “So, Jack, what brings you to Corona for New Year’s? Family? Friends?” There was a good amount of squeaking coming from her shoulder at the mention of Jack’s name. Looking down at Pascal, she shrugged and shushed him.
“Good thing no one was around to see, then,” he kid, a grin plastered to his face.
“Someone sounds happy,” he noted after another giggle from her. He wasn’t complaining, either. Not that he would admit it, but he found her laugh quite adorable. It was the type of laugh that was contagious. It didn’t make him laugh along, but it definitely spread the joy and the giddiness.
Returning to their discussion about Jack Frost, however, Jack had to bite his lip in order to prevent word vomit. “I know so,” he said, a smirk growing on the corner of his lips. “Amazing? Wh- why would it be amazing?” He tilted his head curiously. He had never met - nor seen - anyone as enthusiastic as her when it came to the winter spirit. It was only then he noticed that a chameleon - what he thought was one, at least - was staring at him suspiciously. “What?” he asked the reptile, his pepper colored brows creased to a frown.
When Rapunzel began asking about him, the smirk vanished slightly. Technically, they were still sort of talking about him - Jack Frost, but something felt different when she referred to him as a third person. In a way, it made the conversation more about her, if that made any sense.
“Hmm. You know what, let’s try something else. I’ll pretend I’m Jack Frost, and you go talk to me like you would if you met him.”
Rapunzel had only met Jack a few times, but when she had never noticed that he sported ears and a tail before. She was quite surprised, but also curious. Then again, she was a girl with 70 ft of hair, so she shouldn't really have been one to notice abnormal things. Still, she eyed the ears a tail with confusion. "Have you /always/ had those?"
Jack’s eyes widened. “What? No,” he said, crossing his arms. He’d been trying to avoid looking at them or touching them so that they wouldn’t attract attention, but it seemed to me failing. More and more people had been noticing. “No, no, uh, this is pretty recent, actually.” He rolled his eyes. “Anons cursing me and stuff.”
She noticed the tail wag, but didn’t mention it for fear that Jack might deny it. Rapunzel just assumed that meant he wouldn’t mind visiting. She did have to momentarily rack her brains to try and remember whether or not she’d cleaned up that morning though. It would be awkward for him to arrive to a messy place. Since she’d been visiting Corona more and more often, she’d taken up residence closer to the town. Rapunzel had used money that Mother said was for emergencies to purchase the place, and though she still frequently visited the tower in case Mother did return, it wasn’t really her home anymore.
Hesitant to say anything, the blonde looked down. She’d already admitted to being in a tower for eighteen years, but how could she possibly explain not having any friends? Other than Pascal, of course. “Well…” Sighing, Rapunzel looked up, “I don’t know many people. Mother didn’t want anyone to visit and even though I do go into Corona I guess I just haven’t made many friends. Everyone there is different.” Everyone there wears dresses that cover their ankles. No one is ditsy like I am. No one is immature, or clumsy. Her mother’s words echoed in her ears, making her want to pull the skirt of her dress down.
Taking a deep breath, Rapunzel forced a smile. “So, wolf boy, let’s go.” Hoping Jack would just drop the subject, she took his hand and tugged him in the direction of her home.
That seems awfully familiar, Jack thought to himself. Being invisible to those who didn’t believe in him - which was, well, almost everyone - he was forced into a life of having no friends. Only one person had ever made the least bit of connection to him and that was the Man in the Moon. And it wasn’t even an actual conversation.
“That must suck,” the boy said instead, his eyes down on the ground as they walked. “But hey, we’re friends, right?” He was smiling when he said it, but immediately he bit his lip, slightly regretting it. They haven’t known each other very long, after all, and Jack didn’t want to sound presumptuous or anything of the sort.
Although, if one would ask, he would have been delighted to call Rapunzel a friend.
“A- anyway,” he said, putting his fingers up to scratch his wolf ear when he realized that it was missing. Both of them. The tail had vanished, as well. “Hey, look! I’m not a wolf anymore!” His eyes were wide in surprise, but a small part of him was disappointed; it had been exciting being part-wolf..
Rapunzel had only met Jack a few times, but when she had never noticed that he sported ears and a tail before. She was quite surprised, but also curious. Then again, she was a girl with 70 ft of hair, so she shouldn't really have been one to notice abnormal things. Still, she eyed the ears a tail with confusion. "Have you /always/ had those?"
Jack’s eyes widened. “What? No,” he said, crossing his arms. He’d been trying to avoid looking at them or touching them so that they wouldn’t attract attention, but it seemed to me failing. More and more people had been noticing. “No, no, uh, this is pretty recent, actually.” He rolled his eyes. “Anons cursing me and stuff.”
Chuckling, Punz couldn’t help the blush that stained her cheeks a pretty pink, “Well you can be both. Although that was very puppy-like of you and I don’t see what’s wrong with being puppy cute. I mean, puppies are the cutest things! And little kittens, too.” As it was, Rapunzel didn’t really know the difference between ‘cute’ and ‘puppy cute’. She had a general grasp on the concept, but if anyone really told her that it was like saying ‘attractive’ and ‘cute’ she probably would have been surprised. Cuteness to her was based on whether or not someone was friendly, or she thought they were adorable—like a puppy.
“Hmm…” She pondered the request momentarily before nodding excitedly. “Ohhh! I know! You could come to my house.” She offered with a smile. “Nobody ever visits,” Rapunzel added on, somewhat sadly.
He pulled off a small pout. Rapunzel had missed the point, but whatever, he wasn’t about to burst her bubble. “Touche then, blondie,” he said, waving a hand up in surrender. Upon her suggestion to hide out at her house, the boy couldn’t help but wag his tail in excitement; he had a feeling that her residence would be as interesting as she was. (And she probably had a lot of brushes. But that was only his theory.)
“Sounds great!” he exclaimed, his eyes lit up. But with her change of tone, his expression turned to concern. “Ever? Why?” he asked, but somehow he had a feeling of what the answer was going to be.
“Yeah, you do,” Punz readily agreed. Her eyes shone brightly as she smiled, the guilt she’d been feeling had lessened somewhat at his words. Maybe it really wasn’t her fault that Mother had vanished into thin air. “Of course I can.” Proudly, Rapunzel puffed out her chest and as she went to rest the frying pan on her shoulder, she managed to clock herself on the forehead. Wincing, she rubbed the spot and laughed awkwardly as she looked up again.
Ecstatic, but trying to reign herself in, Rapunzel grinned. “Great!” It would be nice to experience New Year’s Eve with someone that had already lived through several outside a tower. “Bodyguard..” She trailed off, glancing at her hair. Maybe it would be good to have a bodyguard now that she couldn’t find Mother. There would be someone to stand between her and the ruffians. “Alright, bodyguard,” Punz proclaimed, nodding firmly. As she started to head for Corona, her bare feet touched frozen ground. For a tropical place, it was entirely unusual. Stepping back she looked down, furrowing her brows. “Frost?” She’d read about it, but hadn’t ever really seen it. “Wow! Look, it’s frost! How funny, I didn’t think Jack Frost ever came around here.” Growing up, the only thing Rapunzel had to keep her company were stories. Thanks to her imprisonment and her own magic, she maintained a healthy belief in all the stories that most people had dismissed at her age.
Jack let out a small laugh. “Seems like it,” he said with a smirk. From the way the frying pan banged against her forehead, Jack had expected Rapunzel to fall back onto the grass unconscious. But expecting is different from hoping. And for the record, he was glad she was still there. "Are you okay though?“
Now that Jack had a full glance at her extremely long golden hair, he knew being a bodyguard would mean more than protecting her; it would mean protecting her hair as well. He still didn’t know why it was that long, but it seemed out of place to ask, so he held that thought for a bit. "At your service, ma'am,” he answered, a salute to go along with it. As soon as the girl mentioned frost, however, the winter spirit’s complexion turned pale - if that were even possible, considering how pale Jack already was. The fact that he was Jack Frost wasn’t a secret, really, but the problem was that he hadn’t introduced himself as such. Maybe he just didn’t want to freak the girl out. “Jack Frost? Oh, he comes around here, alright,” he said, almost uncomfortable saying his own name. “Way more often than you think.”
“He’s just not, you know.” He bit his lip, unable to stop the words flowing out of his mouth. “Not that obvious. Or visible.”
I honestly feel like my eyelids are about to drop and close permanently. And for that, I’m off to bed. Good night (actually morning now but whatevs)! Thanks for the nice time :)
As for queen-elsa-frozen and liveyourxlives, your replies have been saved in my drafts.
Rapunzel had only met Jack a few times, but when she had never noticed that he sported ears and a tail before. She was quite surprised, but also curious. Then again, she was a girl with 70 ft of hair, so she shouldn't really have been one to notice abnormal things. Still, she eyed the ears a tail with confusion. "Have you /always/ had those?"
Jack’s eyes widened. “What? No,” he said, crossing his arms. He’d been trying to avoid looking at them or touching them so that they wouldn’t attract attention, but it seemed to me failing. More and more people had been noticing. “No, no, uh, this is pretty recent, actually.” He rolled his eyes. “Anons cursing me and stuff.”
If she had previously thought Jack looked like a puppy, Rapunzel thought the same thing now even more so. His tail wagged happily, and she was almost surprised that his tongue didn’t loll out of his mouth. At least her question was answered: yes, his tail did wag if he was scratched behind the ear. Quite adorably, she added mentally, holding back a fit of giggles.
But soon enough Jack moved away and hid behind his hand. “Well, you seemed to like it,” Rapunzel argued jokingly, moving her hair out of her way so that she could sit down. She felt bad for embarrassing him, but also just wanted to test out just how dog-like his mannerisms would be. “For the record, I think that was really cute.”
He peeked sheepishly from behind his fingers. “But you’re talking about, like, puppy cute. That is not what I was aiming for, believe me,” he said, turning away to hide his still red face. Why did the weirdest things have to happen to him? He was tempted once again to scratch on the area behind his ear, but a stronger part of him held him back from doing so (and from further embarrassment).
“Anyway. I still have another day with these things,” He looked up at his ears, which were curled downwards once again. “D'you know a place where I can hide from people who might attempt to make me their personal pet?”
Rapunzel had only met Jack a few times, but when she had never noticed that he sported ears and a tail before. She was quite surprised, but also curious. Then again, she was a girl with 70 ft of hair, so she shouldn't really have been one to notice abnormal things. Still, she eyed the ears a tail with confusion. "Have you /always/ had those?"
Jack’s eyes widened. “What? No,” he said, crossing his arms. He’d been trying to avoid looking at them or touching them so that they wouldn’t attract attention, but it seemed to me failing. More and more people had been noticing. “No, no, uh, this is pretty recent, actually.” He rolled his eyes. “Anons cursing me and stuff.”
Nodding, Rapunzel watched the ears for a moment. When Jack asked what she thought about him, she blushed and looked down. She hadn’t met many guys, but it seemed like he was the good kind—without pointy teeth. Rapunzel peeked up at him through her lashes, tugging at a strand of her hair nervously. “Uhm… Yes, y-you’re cute,” she mumbled just as he dropped to all fours and began to chase his tail. “Oh my gosh!” She cooed, kneeling down and watching as he ran in circles. “Jack,” Punz said, finally deciding to interrupt him once he’d spun around for the fifth time. Placing a hand his head, she scratched behind his ear despite his earlier protest. If he was chasing his tail, it couldn’t be that bad.
For a moment, nothing seemed important but to catch that tail. He’d barely noticed Rapunzel watching him, he was too fixated on his goal to do that. But soon, the running had to stop. She had begun scratching his ear, and this made him sit down straight, his tail wagging uncontrollably. “Oh, man, that feels good.”
When he realized what was going on, his cheeks turned tomato red from embarrassment. “No, no don’t do that!” he cried, stepping back to force her to stop. He planted his palm on his face, not wanting to look at her.
Rapunzel had only met Jack a few times, but when she had never noticed that he sported ears and a tail before. She was quite surprised, but also curious. Then again, she was a girl with 70 ft of hair, so she shouldn't really have been one to notice abnormal things. Still, she eyed the ears a tail with confusion. "Have you /always/ had those?"
Jack’s eyes widened. “What? No,” he said, crossing his arms. He’d been trying to avoid looking at them or touching them so that they wouldn’t attract attention, but it seemed to me failing. More and more people had been noticing. “No, no, uh, this is pretty recent, actually.” He rolled his eyes. “Anons cursing me and stuff.”
The blonde watched, fascinated, as Jack’s ears curled downwards. “They’re so cute!” Rapunzel giggled, retracting the hand she’d been reaching out with at his request. “Okay, okay.” Taking a moment to think, she then resumed her earlier eagerness. “Ohhh! Do you have any urges to chase your tail? What do you even do with the tail? I mean, what’s the purpose behind having a tail?” Her eyes shone with curiosity as she bit back the rest of her questions. Pascal gave an indignant squeak at the tail question, but Rapunzel shushed him.
He raised a brow at her remark regarding cuteness. “You think so?” he said, a small smirk beginning to grow on the corner of his mouth. He knew he was referring to his ears, but just couldn’t help himself. “What about me, then? Am I cute?” He crossed his arms, awaiting a response, but when she pressed questions about tail-chasing, an urge grew up on him, which, of course, he tried his best to suppress. “To be honest, I don’t even know what tails are for. But now that you mentioned it,” he paused, going on all fours and looking back at his tail. Soon he started going in circles, chasing it. It almost seemed impossible to stop.
Rapunzel smiled hesitantly, almost afraid to be hopeful. “You… You think so?” At the mention of her frying pan, she laughed and held it out, brushing it off. “Well, Mother always thought the world was too dangerous. So I brought my frying pan. I only used it once, but it’s actually very useful in protecting myself.”
“I’d love that!” She giggled, overjoyed at the prospect of having someone to hang out with. Realizing that might have come off a bit crazy though, she cleared her throat, “I mean, no, sure, you can come. You know, if you want.”
“Well, yeah. I mean, you gotta learn how to make your own decisions sometimes,” he said matter-of-factly. “Nothing is too dangerous if you know how to defend yourself. And from the looks of it, it seems like you can handle yourself.” He glanced down on her frying pan, and let out a chuckle.
Seeing as she approved of him tagging along, he couldn’t help but wonder why she was so happy to spend time with a stranger. But although he wouldn’t directly admit it, he was happy, too. After all, he’d been alone for almost three hundred years. “Great, then!” he exclaimed, not realizing the frost forming on the ground below him. “Don’t worry, I won’t be a burden. Think of me as a bodyguard or something.”
