Shaya

Chapter 14 - 108 Mifflin Street

Rapunzel went in her chamber, closed the door and heavily sat on the bed. The sword jingled hitting the floor. She unbuckled the belt and set the sword against the wall. Her eyes fixed on the weapon, but her mind flew away, thing that she absolutely didn't want to happen. She shook her head, blushing. " Hell, stop it, stupid..." she whispered to herself. But she couldn't help but think about it, for how vulgar and inappropriate it could be. But when she was climbing that staircase... she had never seen her wearing trousers. Especially so tight ones. So she couldn't help but watch. And, oh, what a sight! She was disgusted by herself for thinking it but... It was just too physical. She hated it. She wanted her, obviously she did, but she rarely thought only about that. But, under those stairs, she did. And even in that weird bathroom, with that voice of hers, when she actioned that strange mechanism that made rain fall in that fogged glass-walled little room... Damn! She had tried, she had really tried to stop the sequence of images running through her head, but with her so close... And now she had that problem again. Because, damn, Regina was there, a few steps away from her, under the spray of water... No! She had to stop thinking! She grabbed the sword, unsheathed it and began cleaning it with her shirt, though it was already clean. After a few minutes it was so shiny that she could mirror on the blade, even though all of its scratches. She watched herself for the time of a breath before suddenly sheathing the sword and beginning to unleash her complex tress, unable to stay still. Someone knocked at her door while she was about to finish.
" It's open." she said, unraveling the last knot. She stood up when she saw Regina on the door. Habit.
Regina stayed silent for a few moments, then swallowed and said: " Your turn. Enjoy it, it's very better then our world's baths. Trust me." she smiled, then turned and walked away. Not even a second had passed when she came back. " Oh, I put some clean towels in the bathroom. Use them, they're the white ones." She disappeared again.
Fuck. She had a strange towel around her, like the one Henry had, but hers was all of a deep, intense red. And her hair... it was still wet and pulled back, and its weird but cute haircut let it touch lightly her neck and her shoulders. And she, damn, she saw her legs... shit! Stop thinking. Stop thinking, she repeated to herself while walking towards the bathroom. Stop. Thinking.

She'd never really seen her hair before. It was gorgeous! It shined like the sun itself, as if it was magic, and fell down in slight waves, caused by the tresses probably, to her ankles. It was absurdly long and silky. She had never seen hair like hers. It was like a river of light gold running through all of her figure. She had stopped breathing at that sight. She had never really thought about Rapunzel as a woman. She was a warrior to her. But, lately... with her hair unraveled, she showed herself for what she really was, although the clothes: a Queen. More than she'd ever been.

" You're not so bad with that on." Henry said looking Rapunzel up and down. She wore Archie's grey shirt, long to mid-thigh and really too large on her waist. Only thanks to her shoulders and breasts it fitted. She also wore her boots. Henry really thought she was cute, but she wasn't convinced.
" Henry, I don't wear any trousers..."
" Yes! Like the girls in the movies! They all dress that way when they go to a party."
" I think they wear dresses, not shirts."
" They do." Regina intervened, walking in the guest room where Rapunzel was trying to get dressed. The former Queen looked at her. " And, even if you look good this way, I think these will fit better." She threw some clothes on the bed.
Rapunzel took them, and a sigh of relief flew from her mouth. " Aye, thank you! Whose are these? " she asked. She looked like a puppy, Henry thought.
" August. From when he was an adult. Geppetto has just kindly brought them to us. " his mom answered with a smile. Rapunzel cocked an eyebrow, making her laugh. " I know, weird thing, he was a man before being a kid. Neither I had never seen something like that before."
She nodded at the woman, who, meanwhile, had turned, took off Archie's skirt and worn August's old clothes. They fitted." Perfect. Let's go now, or we'll be late." she added, addressing a last gaze to the blonde. She hesitated, picked up her hair and began to braid it.
" Gimme a second." she mumbled. Regina turned to watch her.
" No!" she exclaimed, a little too loud, surprising them both. Henry saw her blush a little. " Don't plait it."
" Plait?" Henry asked. He had never heard that term before.
" Braid. It's a synonym." his mother explained to him.
" Oh." he just said.
He eyed Rapunzel. She had stayed still, her hand behind her nape, holding her hair.
" Why?" she asked to Regina. The blonde was creepy motionless.
" Well, because it's a pity to not show such beautiful hair, Rapunzel! I didn't even noticed it before! Why do you hide it?"
Rapunzel dropped her hair and seemed to relax. " I don't. It's just uncomfortable for fighting to let it loose."
Regina smiled. " We're going to a party, not a battle."
Rapunzel smirked. " As long as I remember, it's almost the same thing. "
That made Regina laugh. Henry had no idea of the reason. " Those were our world's parties. Here it's better, trust me. Unless you're the Evil Queen." Her smile faded away, and she glanced down. Henry jumped standing from the bed and hugged her.
" But you're not evil anymore. You're a hero! Everybody knows." he said, and he could feel her smile, even if he wasn't looking at her face. One warm hand caressed his head, the other hugged him.
" The only one that I care whether he knows it it's you, sweetheart."
He looked at her now. Her eyes were wet. She surely wasn't evil anymore. " I know, mom. But it doesn't matter, because they all know. "
They smiled at each other.
" Let's go." she said after a while. He was reluctant to break the hug. He wanted to see Emma, but he wanted to stay with her too. He had loved that moment. He hadn't had many like it except for the ones in the last weeks. Not so sincere ones, at least.
They left the room and he turned to check that Rapunzel was following them. She was, but she was also drying her eyes. She smiled at him, and put her index on her lips. He nodded and turned, her secret safe, although he was confused. Why was she crying?