Tangled Autumn

Cosy sweater

     "Goodnight Captain."

     "Goodnight Pete. See you tomorrow." The Captain wiped his brow on his sleeve then rested his head in his hand. It had been a long day. He glanced at the clock to the left of his desk just as it chimed 7:30pm. At this time of night, he wouldn't have particularly liked to still be sat in his office but it was worth it for his home, his friends, his family...and his Sunshine.

     Speaking of who, Eugene smiled to himself and reached down to open the bottom draw of his desk, pulling out a box wrapped in purple paper and tied with a pink bow. It had been sat in there since his dinner break but he never managed to catch a free minute before the end of the day.

     Now he could finally give his wife the gift he hoped she would appreciate. But first stop - the kitchens for so far he had been deprived of dinner and he wanted a bite to eat. He would probably pick up something for Rapunzel as well.

*~*~*

     Pascal lay happily curled up on one of the soft cushions sat on Rapunzel's window seat, the moonlight shimmered on his emerald scales the same way it did Rapunzel's eyes, his friend sat beside him smiling down at him. Unbeknownst to the chameleon, Rapunzel had found the content sleeping picture of him too cute not to paint and - like always - picked up her paintbrush the second she got inspiration. 

     The Princess sat in her new mint green nightgown with her back against the wall and a blanket draped over her shoulders, to offer some warmth from the colder nights drawing in. Adding the final touch details to the light and shading, she smiled and set her sketchbook aside. A gust of wind blew through the slightly open window, ruffling the curtains and causing Rapunzel to shiver and pull the blanket tighter around herself. A stray piece of auburn hair fell in front  of her face which she pushed back. She leaned forwards as far as she could and reached out an arm to pull the window closed with a firm click.

     She settled back with a content sigh, resting her hands on her rounded belly, and started humming a lullaby-like tune as she gazed up at the night sky. The darkness of the evening had settled over Corona City down below, a curtain being pulled over the sun and the bright blue sky of day. The sky now resembled to the Princess a palette of paint with black, blue and purple swirling together, each star a twinkling jewel of the night.

     Rapunzel diverted her eyes from the view outside her window when she heard the door to the bedroom open,

     "Evening Sweetheart," her husband greeted as he walked through the door, looking tired and his jacket slightly lopsided,

     She smiled at him then rolled her eyes, "And here the four of us were thinking you weren't going to emerge from your office tonight."

     Eugene tilted his head, "The four of us?"

     "Yeah. Me, the babies and Pascal," she pointed to herself, her swollen tummy and the chameleon sleeping on the pillow beside her,

     Eugene chuckled, "Ah yes of course. We mustn't forget about the frog." Pascal opened his eye a smidge to glare at the Captain then settled right back to sleep.

     "Seriously, where have you been? I've haven't seen you at all today," Rapunzel asked,

     Eugene sighed, "Sorry Sunshine it was a busy day,"

     Rapunzel smiled up at him softly, "I understand that and don't worry about it. I'm more concerned about the fact you weren't there for lunch or dinner, have you eaten at all today?"

     "I visited the kitchens on my way up here. Cook actually scolded me when I said I'd be happy with a sandwich and insisted on whipping up a full meal," Eugene shrugged then said with a grin, "Not that I'm complaining." Rapunzel giggled. "And of course I didn't forget about my beautiful wife," he said, presenting a cupcake with pink icing and a cherry to her from behind his back.

     Rapunzel's eyes widened and sparkled with joy. "I love you Eugene," she said, happily taking the cupcake while he laughed. "You are officially forgiven for neglecting your pregnant wife all day,"

     "Rude, as if." Rapunzel only grinned in response. Eugene wrapped his left arm around his shoulders and kissed her cheek, wiping a smudge of icing from her lips and eating it himself.

     The Princess pulled her attention away from her cupcake to notice that her husband still held one arm behind his back. "What have you got there?" she asked, trying to peer around him but Eugene keep stepping to keep his back out of her sight,

     "What are you talking about Sunshine?" he asked with a mischievous grin on his face,

     "Come on Eugene! Show me!"

     "Alright, alright!" he held up his free hand in mock surrender. Carefully, he picked up the pillow where Pascal slept and moved it to the side so he could sit down in front of Rapunzel. He smiled at her and waited for her to balance her cupcake on top of her sketchbook. "Just a little something I picked up earlier."

     Rapunzel gasped as he brought out to hold in front of him a rectangular box wrapped in paper that was pastel purple, tied into a bow at the top with a pink ribbon. "Eugene..." she whispered as he pressed it into her hands, "What's this for?"

     "Is a husband not allowed to treat his wife every now and again?" he said. She smiled then shrugged and nodded before going to untie the ribbon. "I remembered what you said last night," Eugene began, "That none of the sweaters you tried on fit you right now and you had to make do with a blanket," he reached for the blanket she currently had wrapped around her shoulders, pulling it tighter around her, "Well not on my watch,"

     Rapunzel smiled as she lifted the lid off the box, "Oh Eugene, you didn't have to do this,"

     "I absolutely did. If the Princess so wishes for a sweater to satisfy her comfort needs then I, the humble Captain, shall be only too happy to provide," Eugene said in a mock-dramatic tone, holding his hand against his chest.

     Rapunzel giggled again and pulled a fluffy, cream sweater out of the box, holding it up against herself. "It's so soft," she whispered, stroking the fabric with her fingers,

     "Please don't be offended that it's a few sizes bigger than your other ones," Eugene said. Rapunzel smiled and shook her head. She shrugged off the blanket then pulled the sleeves over her arms and popped her head through. She sighed and snuggled into the sweater's warmth, the sleeves hung of her hands a little but she didn't care one bit - it just made the sweater even more comfy. "So did they miss me today?" Eugene placed a hand on Rapunzel's bump,

     "I'd say so since at least one of them is currently kicking against your hand," she replied.

     Eugene smiled, he knew, he could feel them. He kissed Rapunzel's tummy next to where his hand rested then straightened and opened his arm to her. She curled up into his side after planting a kiss on his cheek. "Cosy now?"

     "Much," she answered through a yawn.

     Eugene laughed softly. He hooked his other arm underneath Rapunzel's legs and gently carried her to the bed. She smiled up at him as he pulled up the sheets around her. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning down and kissing her on the forehead, "Goodnight Sweetheart," he murmured then went to dress for bed himself.

     She watched him with a smile on her face then wrapped an arm around her belly before falling asleep. "Goodnight Eugene." 

[~Author's notes~]
I. Love. Parent. New Dream. I have been waiting to do a fic with them for a while and then the inspiration came for this one-shot. To help with ideas and inspiration, I was wearing my own super-fluffy sweater while writing this 😂, it actually worked in a weird way and it's the same as the one I described Raps wearing. Hope you enjoyed!