Destined Couple

Buddy

"Right. Rapunzel, you ready?" Eugene turned to her.

"Mmhm." She nodded. "Let's go help those orphans!"

She waved to Varian as they walked off and Eugene moved to take her other hand in his. "So...Varian told me about the...uh...talk last night. Said he wanted a 'fair fight'."

"Oh. Well..." She looked at him, "did you know my mother had two suitors before she married my father?"
 
He sighed. "So, you accepted the arrangement?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Well..."

"I guess that means you're starting to actually like the kid, then." Eugene sighed heavily. "Like...as more than a friend."

"Iam." She nodded.

"Well..." he forced a smile, "I guess I'll have to really work to make sure you choose me in the end, huh?"

She gently squeezed his hand. "Even if I don't, we can still be friends, right?"

"Yeah..." He nodded. "Yeah. Well, let's go help those orphans!"

--

"Help support Corona's orphans!" Rapunzel called as she and Eugene stood next to a cart for accepting donations. "Because every donation brings a smile to the face of a child in need!" She smiled brightly at a woman that brought over a horse toy. "Right, Eugene?" She accepted the toy and looked at him.

"That's right, Blondie." Eugene said cheerfully. "This cause is dear to my heart." He put a bag of donations into the cart. "Many orphans go hungry, while others..." He looked up and his cheerful tone faltered. Standing in the crowd was a tall, hulking figure in a black cloak, staring at him. "...resort to a life of crime."

The figure turned and went to another part of the crowd with a swish of his cloak. Eugene picked up another bag, grabbing Shorty before he climbed into an open one as he did so, and put the bag on the cart and Shorty on the ground nearby. "Hmm..."

He was still there, still staring, with a barely visible grin on his face. Eugene was about to step forward when Rapunzel caught his attention. "Eugene? Is everything okay?"

"Huh?" He focused his attention on her. "Yeah." He looked back and the guy was gone. "Yeah. Sure."

Rapunzel looked like she doubted that, but didn't press the matter and they finished loading up to take the donations to the orphanage.

"Everyone was so generous." Rapunzel said as they reached it and got out, Eugene looking around warily as they did. "Look at all these clothes and toys and..." She noticed he seemed distracted and looked up at him. "Eugene?"

"Huh?" He looked at her.

"You okay?" She asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm..." He looked up and saw the cloaked figure again. "Uh-oh." He cringed. "Okay, Blondie, let's get you back to the castle."

Rapunzel let him lead her away from the cart, looking over her shoulder nervously. "Oh, wha—who is that?"

"You know," he said, suddenly wishing Varian were still around, "I don't know, and something tells me we shouldn't stop to ask."

He stopped short when he saw the guy had moved in front of them now – man, he was fast! He steered Rapunzel the other way, but the guy had somehow managed to get in front of them again when they fully turned.

Fast and quiet.

He took Rapunzel's hand and quickly led her along and the guy disappeared from view as he moved to intercept them. He pulled Rapunzel along, glancing up to see the stranger running on the rooftop, that grin still on his mostly-concealed face.