Flynn had a dangerous ability to attract attention from the opposite sex, whether that was a result of his debonair charm or rugged good looks. Ironically, though, he wouldn't count his courting life as a success, due his rocky relationship with Stalyan and the fact that such charm was more of a hindrance considering the fact that the Baron's daughter was not shy about her jealousy. Despite this, Flynn had been with more women than men twice his age could dream about, though none really lasted for more than a week and surprisingly he never had the urge to continue after home base even given the opportunities to do so.

So it should've been no surprise that the course of his actions led him, again, to another female's dwelling place, except for the fact that he didn't plan this nor did he know her name until they reached the door of her apartment.

It was a three story apartment complex that was located a healthy distance from much of the city. In a neighborhood hidden behind obscure corners and alleys, and with the lack of cars and pedestrians on the, albeit narrow, streets that surrounded the complex, Flynn was inclined to think that the majority of the building was vacant as well. It didn't help that the place was practically surrounded by overgrown vegetation that made it difficult to see much of even the sky. This would've surprised him until he entered into the complex and was greeted with overgrowth and crumbling infrastructure. With the main lobby of the apartment complex looking like a botanical garden gone wrong, it became clear that the building was in fact no longer operational in spite of the fact that it was the home to no other than Blondie, who up to this point was hardly an acquaintance yet also the girl who saved his life in that alleyway with nothing more than a frying pan. He felt an uneasy chill creep down his arm and a flutter seize his heart.

"My name is Rapunzel," she said with a sigh of relief, as if it was difficult for her to reveal her name. Though, it was hard for Flynn to gauge much of the emotions shrouded under her hood. It was a strange name, almost befitting the unique atmosphere of the scene, from the eroded statue of a nude woman to the water-less fountain that was in the middle of the complex, enclosed by two floors of abandoned residential areas. It was eerily tranquil viewed from the second floor walkway.

"Gesundheit," he quipped, hoping to elicit a chuckle or at least a smile from the girl. Instead, she stared back at him with clueless wide eyes, perhaps because the comment flew over her head or the fact that he must've looked strange chuckling at his own joke. Not my best day.

The door opened with a creak, honestly in better condition than the rest of the building. Flynn could hardly believe his eyes when he stepped foot into the apartment, greeted by vibrant walls that contrasted the dark green vegetation and dull gray concrete of the exterior. It wasn't until his eyes adjusted to the darkness that he noticed that plastered on the walls were not wallpaper, but paintings. He quickly recollected himself, not daring to show too much awe in front of the strange girl lest she interpret that as fondness, which would mean as much trouble for her as it did for him.

"This art. It's beautiful," the words mumbled under his breath inaudible to her. His eyes scanned over the light pastels that balanced perfectly with the muted shades, like the emotions that swirled in his heart. He couldn't seem to put his finger on it but the paintings seemed to dance.

He stood close to Rapunzel amid the dim room, lit by a single window offset just enough so that her facial features were illuminated under her hood. "I never had anyone in here before…" Her fingers danced nervously hidden underneath the long sleeves.

A breath of air escaped his nostrils, still somewhat in disbelief that he was here, in the middle of a decrepit building his heart still heavy from the thought of losing Lance. "You live here alone?"

Her green eyes darted up to his, as vibrant as the colors that surrounded them. "This building has been my world for most of my life." a hint of malaise in her voice.

"You didn't answer my question," the words escaped his mouth as he pondered the almost absurd notion that a young girl like her could exist in the confines of this dreary atmosphere. But the painted walls and eclectic objects (was that a ventriloquy set?) around the room seemed to fit the bill.

"I'll tell you more about myself, if you can help me with something," she said, standing a little taller with her light pink lips pursed into a forced scowl. Her whole body was tense, a painfully obvious, and admittedly cute, attempt at feigning toughness.

He would've laughed except he didn't think that demoralizing the girl would help either of them. So, in classic Flynn Rider fashion, he played his part and let her feel in control as to diffuse the situation as smoothly as possible. "What makes you think that I am eager for your life story Blondie? Look, I would love to help you but I have things I need to do," he answered stoically, knowing full well that he had enough money to travel far away from Corona, and subsequently far away from the chaos that had engulfed him recently.

"Because we're friends," she blurted out, her posture dissolving back to her usual sheepishness.

His heart deflated. "I don't mean to burst your bubble Rapunzel, but friends are … you know… people you can trust and people you enjoy being with," he answered, his heart aching a little as thoughts of Lance flooded his mind.

"So that means we're friends then," her eyes lit up for a moment, even enough to make Flynn's cold heart cleave.

"I've already told you before, you and I are not exactly… simpatico, you understand?" Not his best delivery but he hoped that the message got through, because frankly he didn't want to get to know her anymore than he had to, because he had an odd feeling he was already too attached to her.

She stared blankly at him, with an innocent glaze over her eyes.

Flynn let out a sigh of defeat. He was going to regret this. "What kind of favor, your highness?"

As if the snide remark flew right over her head, a smile spread across her face as she made her way towards the solitary window in the room, pointing out to an empty patch of night sky that was unobscured by the trees. "I want to see the floating lights, and since you're super good at fighting I want you to be my bodyguard ."

Flynn had followed close to the girl, careful not to slip on the paintbrushes littered on the floor. But instead of looking out the window, he couldn't help but keep his gaze on Rapunzel, the strange girl that entered his life in the middle of the night, who lives in the middle of nowhere, and whose insistence that Flynn was her friend was a dead giveaway that she had none of her own. Yet she radiated an aura of purpose and awe that was magnetic. Hell, she saved him, and if not solely for preventing the twinkle in her eye from fading, Flynn would owe her a favor worth his life.

"So why did you ask me Rapunzel?"

"Because," she whispered from under her hood. "I can tell that you have a good heart."

He scoffed. "You don't know anything about me."

"You're an orphan. Kinda like me. And even though you feel trapped in Corona, you are willing to give everything you have for your dream," she responded matter-of-factly.

Flynn's felt a lump in his throat. "How did you?"

"I overheard you talking to your friend," her voice dropped after she realized she breached a touchy subject.

"You're a smart girl, I'll give you that," he chuckled, trying to bury the painful thoughts. "But why should I trust you?"

She pulled down her hood, and for a split second, he couldn't believe that she was the same person. Her face was no longer shrouded, and he could pick out subtle delicate features. Her lightly freckled round nose and small lips were accentuated by a natural blush in a way that he felt guilty for finding so captivating. But what slipped by his vision at first became clearer as he noticed a sizable scar on her neck. "Because I know what it is like to be stuck somewhere your whole life and to be hurt doing so," her long fingers traced the scar which seemed to make her slightly grimace in pain despite the fact that it was clearly healed.

"Your mother," he paused, knowing that it was probably not the best time to bring it up as it began to dawn on him.

Rapunzel's silence was the verification he needed. If he couldn't piece it together before, he could now. She was broken. Scared. He knew it all too well. Though it was long ago, he too stood in her position, a mess of turbid emotions the first day he arrived at the orphanage, the new environment like a septic shock to his child self. Ironically he couldn't remember why he cried or how he ended up in the orphanage, for the matrons never told him about his parents. But he recalled the pain of feeling unwanted by those who should have loved him the most. She needed someone now, even if it was just a stranger. "I'll help you, Rapunzel."

And for a moment he wondered if he was hallucinating when she threw her arms around him and hugged him for a brief few seconds before breaking it off, her cheeks flushed light pink.

When he considered his life, it seemed like a loose thread in a sweater that he kept pulling, hoping that someday it would end. But it wasn't until this moment that he realized he needed to cut that thread before it became worse. Rapunzel was a paradox, a determined and starry eyed appearance masking family drama that he frankly couldn't pretend to fully understand. But he wanted to understand her, if not for his own curiosity, then for her sake. Though subtle, he couldn't help but feel as though she had planted in him a creed that was bigger than his own grandstandings. A faith that his life and his dream could be more than it was.