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Tangled | Oneshot: Homecoming
Title: Homecoming
Fandom: Tangled
Universe: Canon
Genre: Drama/Romance
Rating: T
Warnings: Language, innuendo
Word Count: 2,943
Summary: Canon/missing scene. She was a princess, and he was a common thief. She was his new dream, yes, but that’s all that she could be…right? Rapunzel’s homecoming is the hardest decision Eugene’s ever had to make.
Links: DW | FF.net | AO3
Written for![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
cottoncandy_bingo prompt "back."
I love it when a story comes on so overwhelmingly strong that I have to sit down and write it. It's a rush of pure euphoria that is all too often a rarity (for me, at least) these days.
This is a fic that I've had in my head ever since I saw Tangled for the first time. It's basically the missing scene between Eugene's resurrection and when Rapunzel meets her parents, the King and Queen, face to face for the first time. How did they get back to the city and into the castle grounds? What caused the look on that guard's face when he literally ran through the hallways, looking for the sovereigns? A look that conveyed everything without words, no less - something powerful, indeed.
It's one of my favorite parts of the movie, because so much is shown through the sheer emotion of all the characters. I *love* the King & Queen, because they are so very expressive - without nary a word the entire time. I've adopted so much random headcanon in my ventures through what's left of the fandom, so it was fun to contemplate the gap between the previous scene and this one.
It's written in a stream-of-consciousness sort of style, from Eugene's POV, as he "wakes up" into what he thinks is the afterlife, after being stabbed by Gothel. I've adopted a lot of headcanon for him, too, mostly from the enchanting What You Don't Know. I think his life flashed before his eyes, maybe before as well as after, and that he'd have these weirdly interconnected thoughts as he faces his mortality, and then the other side of it. The way he's lived contradicts the way he's died, and I don't think he'd have a lot of rosy hopes or dreams for whatever it is on the other side of death.
When he thinks that he *is* in heaven, because Rapunzel is there cradling him in her arms, his immediate instinct is greed, wrapped in giddiness. He doesn't deserve it, but he'll damn well take it, because it's what he wants. I don't think this is bad, and didn't want to portray it that way - but it helps explain why, when he realizes that he is, indeed, alive, he pushes her away.
If the selfless act of cutting her hair and releasing her from the bonds of Gothel was enough to let him die in peace, then the equally selfless act of setting her free to take her rightful place in the kingdom would surely earn him the same honor. He's still a wanted and condemned man, after all - he escaped from the guards on the way to the guillotine. He wants to live, and for a long moment there, he thinks the only way he can do that is to give her up.
She has other ideas, of course, and manages to convince him that she can save his life - again. She promises him, and I wanted to harken back to the very first promise she ever made to him, and how solemnly she offers her vow. It's the same here, even in the tumble of this emotional chaos, because she recognizes that he has been her anchor and can continue to be. Her outlook is quite simple, because her life has been simple, up to that point. Now that she's facing all of these complications, she wants to hold close the one person she knows cares about her, and will stick with her: Eugene.
I just adore these characters. I'm surprised at how much I love this film, actually, given my initial reluctance to see it. It's not really the traditional Rapunzel fairy tale, though - I think its more original story than classic Disney retelling - which helps. Disney has sort of turned their princess trope on its head, which was quite refreshing. Eugene is also the first "common" "prince", a nice change from the usual. He's such a fun character, with great wit, but its that glibness that makes his serious moments all the more poignant.
And, of course, I think Maximus absolutely steals the show, LOL. His expressions are the best, and again goes to show just how talented this animation team was. He's practically another character, though he doesn't speak a word - also refreshing, that the animal sidekicks were not anthropomorphized.
I was surprised but pleased that I was able to knock out another prompt from mycottoncandy_bingo table, and I feel comfortable enough with this universe that I might attempt to write more. I haven't read extensively in Tangled fandom, so chances are that I'm reinventing the wheel and/or treading extremely familiar ground, but for once, I kinda don't care :P
I have two other prompts planned out (one SVH, one Daria), so hopefully it won't be another six weeks before I'm posting fic again! *fingers crossed*
Fandom: Tangled
Universe: Canon
Genre: Drama/Romance
Rating: T
Warnings: Language, innuendo
Word Count: 2,943
Summary: Canon/missing scene. She was a princess, and he was a common thief. She was his new dream, yes, but that’s all that she could be…right? Rapunzel’s homecoming is the hardest decision Eugene’s ever had to make.
Links: DW | FF.net | AO3
Written for
cottoncandy_bingo prompt "back."I love it when a story comes on so overwhelmingly strong that I have to sit down and write it. It's a rush of pure euphoria that is all too often a rarity (for me, at least) these days.
This is a fic that I've had in my head ever since I saw Tangled for the first time. It's basically the missing scene between Eugene's resurrection and when Rapunzel meets her parents, the King and Queen, face to face for the first time. How did they get back to the city and into the castle grounds? What caused the look on that guard's face when he literally ran through the hallways, looking for the sovereigns? A look that conveyed everything without words, no less - something powerful, indeed.
It's one of my favorite parts of the movie, because so much is shown through the sheer emotion of all the characters. I *love* the King & Queen, because they are so very expressive - without nary a word the entire time. I've adopted so much random headcanon in my ventures through what's left of the fandom, so it was fun to contemplate the gap between the previous scene and this one.
It's written in a stream-of-consciousness sort of style, from Eugene's POV, as he "wakes up" into what he thinks is the afterlife, after being stabbed by Gothel. I've adopted a lot of headcanon for him, too, mostly from the enchanting What You Don't Know. I think his life flashed before his eyes, maybe before as well as after, and that he'd have these weirdly interconnected thoughts as he faces his mortality, and then the other side of it. The way he's lived contradicts the way he's died, and I don't think he'd have a lot of rosy hopes or dreams for whatever it is on the other side of death.
When he thinks that he *is* in heaven, because Rapunzel is there cradling him in her arms, his immediate instinct is greed, wrapped in giddiness. He doesn't deserve it, but he'll damn well take it, because it's what he wants. I don't think this is bad, and didn't want to portray it that way - but it helps explain why, when he realizes that he is, indeed, alive, he pushes her away.
If the selfless act of cutting her hair and releasing her from the bonds of Gothel was enough to let him die in peace, then the equally selfless act of setting her free to take her rightful place in the kingdom would surely earn him the same honor. He's still a wanted and condemned man, after all - he escaped from the guards on the way to the guillotine. He wants to live, and for a long moment there, he thinks the only way he can do that is to give her up.
She has other ideas, of course, and manages to convince him that she can save his life - again. She promises him, and I wanted to harken back to the very first promise she ever made to him, and how solemnly she offers her vow. It's the same here, even in the tumble of this emotional chaos, because she recognizes that he has been her anchor and can continue to be. Her outlook is quite simple, because her life has been simple, up to that point. Now that she's facing all of these complications, she wants to hold close the one person she knows cares about her, and will stick with her: Eugene.
I just adore these characters. I'm surprised at how much I love this film, actually, given my initial reluctance to see it. It's not really the traditional Rapunzel fairy tale, though - I think its more original story than classic Disney retelling - which helps. Disney has sort of turned their princess trope on its head, which was quite refreshing. Eugene is also the first "common" "prince", a nice change from the usual. He's such a fun character, with great wit, but its that glibness that makes his serious moments all the more poignant.
And, of course, I think Maximus absolutely steals the show, LOL. His expressions are the best, and again goes to show just how talented this animation team was. He's practically another character, though he doesn't speak a word - also refreshing, that the animal sidekicks were not anthropomorphized.
I was surprised but pleased that I was able to knock out another prompt from my
cottoncandy_bingo table, and I feel comfortable enough with this universe that I might attempt to write more. I haven't read extensively in Tangled fandom, so chances are that I'm reinventing the wheel and/or treading extremely familiar ground, but for once, I kinda don't care :PI have two other prompts planned out (one SVH, one Daria), so hopefully it won't be another six weeks before I'm posting fic again! *fingers crossed*