[voice]

[70ftandcounting]

Since...my hair is gone, Kloe mentioned teaching me some First Aid...I was wondering if there's more people out there that can help me with that, too.

Kloe...do you think maybe we could start tonight?

Comments

[70ftandcounting]

[Rapunzel thinks so.

Blushing, she gestures to her room, indicating he sit.]

...Tell me?

[She'd like to understand.]

[yolonceler]

[Tell her. Telling her means trusting her. Does he trust Rapunzel? Not entirely, but he doesn't trust anybody. He sits down on the edge of her bed, thinking. Just how much truth should he tell?]

Um, well... growing up, I didn't have a lot of friends, and my family was kind of... distant? I guess? So, heartfelt junk was pretty rare.

[70ftandcounting]

[She carefully sits next to him.]

Me, too. To -- all of it, really. [Friends? She had a chameleon. Family? A 'mother' who kidnapped her at birth and used her her whole life.

Yeah. It's safe to say she gets it.]

[yolonceler]

Yeah. And then even when I was ["Was".] all rich and famous and whatever, people didn't like me for me, they liked my money. So everything "heartfelt" I got was more likely than not completely fake.

[All of that? True.]

[70ftandcounting]

[Her head tilts.]

'Rich and famous'? [She acts like she's not quite sure what that means...though she has a clue.]

That's -- wrong. It's not...what's on the outside that counts. It's what's inside. [She presses her palm to her chest.]

In here. And I know that's -- naive. [Everyone is really happy with calling her a little girl, even if she's almost nineteen.]

But that's what should matter, and it's what matters to me.

[yolonceler]

Uh, it means I was a big deal.

[Let's leave it at that.

What's inside, huh. The Once-ler is pretty rotten through and through, but Rapunzel doesn't need to know that.]

Probably the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me.

[70ftandcounting]

Oh.

[Welp. So is she, actually -- but. The way he'd reacted to her hair? She's not really volunteering that info.

She does, however, look as though there's something she's not quite mentioning.]

It's the truth. You're very kind.

[yolonceler]

[Brief coughing fit.

The Once-ler? Kind? Haha! That's a - Wait, she isn't joking?]

Really?

WRONG ICON

[70ftandcounting]

[She stares at him curiously.]

Well, yes. [A pause.] A little rough around the edges sometimes, but --

You're nice. I like you.

DONT WORRY I DIDNT SEE

[yolonceler]

["You're nice." "I like you." Words the Once-ler has never heard before. He hopes he can hide the serious doubt he's feeling. He ends up blurting out,]

Okay.

[then pauses.]

... Thanks?

IT WAS PORN

[70ftandcounting]

[Blushing furiously what even was she saying.]

Um. You're welcome.

SHOULD HAVE KEPT IT YOU KNOW ITS GONNA HAPPEN SOME DAY~~~~~~

[yolonceler]

Right-o, cool.

[This is awkward. All this deep, personal talk really has him feeling uncomfortable and, um, vulnerable. Feeling vulnerable is a Bad Thing. The Once-ler is just going to stand up now.]

But yeah. The cover? Really amazing. I'm gonna go to great lengths to make sure I don't get any tobacco smell in it.

OHOHOHO

[70ftandcounting]

[She watches him stand, then gets up herself.]

I'm really glad that you like it. [And that makes her smile wider.]

Good.

[yolonceler]

[The Once-ler picks up the cover and folds it neatly. He'll have to stash it somewhere until he can get the tobacco smell out of his room, or at least make an airtight box.

He glances down at Rapunzel and sflgkjfdlg she's smiling. The smile he returns is very, very real. Rapunzel can get him to do all sorts of real things, can't she?]

I won't forget this. Ever.

[... Which is business slang for "I will repay you tenfold." And trust me, he will.]

[70ftandcounting]

I'm just glad that it made you smile.

[She doesn't have any idea that's what he's thinking. She doesn't ever expect to be 'paid back' for anything.

She just likes to make others as happy as possible, when she can.]

[yolonceler]

Trust me, this is more than I've smiled in, uh... a really long time.

[Sad, but true. The Once-ler backs out of her room, hugging the cover to his chest. He might never let it go. Is that pathetic? That's pathetic. Just a little.]

You're... [Adorable. Generous. Perfect?] ... You're a really good, um. Friend.

[Friend. Friend is such a weird word, isn't it?]

[70ftandcounting]

[She beams at that. Really, he's rather sweet.]

So are you, Once-ler. I'm glad I met you.

[yolonceler]

[She's glad she met him? What, really? Is that a joke? I don't know, that's not something you joke about. Out of all the crazy shit the Once-ler has seen here, above the gryphon and the giant robots and the guy with the shotgun, Rapunzel's affection is the most unbelievable. Frankly, it makes him very anxious. That cigar in his room had better still be there when he gets back.]

And I you. You're probably the best person I've ever met.

[What are these words coming out of his mouth.]

Just figured you should know that.

[70ftandcounting]

[She beams, and turns a little red.]

Well. Thank you. [What is this feeling so sudden and new]

[yolonceler]

[Wow, is she blushing? Wow. Oh no now Oncie is blushing too. Oh nooo. That's un-manly. Manly men don't blush. Nooo. Stop.]

Wow I just remembered I totally have something to do, on the other side of the Keep, away from everyone else. And it's important. So, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go now. Because of that important thing.

[70ftandcounting]

[....Oooookay.]

All right. I'll see you later, then?

[So hopeful here.]

[yolonceler]

Yes, right, of course! Hey, you, me, dinner in the Great Keep?

[The Once-ler quickly grabs his pocket watch and flicks it open.]

Gosh, look at the time. Time for that important thing. Later!

[And he takes off down the hall.]

[70ftandcounting]

[...She is sort of just...staring at him. Until he flees. That's when she stumbles out into the hall after, wide eyed.]

Wait-! Tonight?!

[WHAT IS GOING ON.]

[yolonceler]

[Nonono he has to get out of there before he says something stupid or incriminating because that was already super mushy but the Once-ler doesn't do mushy and he's still blushing and dslkfjdsl.

Nevertheless, he skids to a stop and spins on his heel.]

Yes, tonight, Great Keep, you know, the place where they serve dinner?

[70ftandcounting]

Yes! Yes, I know--! Alright, tonight!

[She has no idea why he's fleeing but it really must be important to rush off like that, so she doesn't chase after him. Instead she just sort of waves helplessly, smiling after him in confusion.]