Tangled!

The sun dipped lower, turning the sky into a canvas of pink and gold as Rapunzel and Flynn made their way through the last stretch of the meadow. The warmth of the afternoon still clung to the air, but a cool breeze whispered through the trees, hinting at the coming night.

Rapunzel walked beside Flynn, her fingers brushing against the wildflowers at her sides. She had never felt so light, so full. The world wasn't just something she had seen through her tower window, it was alive, and now, she was a part of it.

Flynn, however, was a little less enchanted.

His stomach growled loudly.

Rapunzel turned to him with a smirk. "Hungry?"

Flynn groaned. "Starving."

She reached into the small satchel she had made from her hair earlier in the day and pulled out a handful of berries she had collected. "Here."

Flynn stared at them. "You're seriously offering me berries?"

Rapunzel tilted her head. "They're delicious."

"Yeah, but they're tiny. And they're berries."

She giggled. "Well, unless you'd rather eat tree bark…"

Flynn sighed, dramatically plopping a berry into his mouth. "Fantastic. My great meal of the evening."

Rapunzel laughed, popping one into her mouth as well.

They walked in comfortable silence for a while, the only sounds being the rustling of the trees and the distant calls of birds settling in for the night.

Then, Rapunzel broke the quiet.

"Flynn… do you think we'll make it in time?"

Flynn glanced at her. "In time for what?"

She hesitated, clutching the strap of her satchel. "The floating lights. They only appear once a year, on my birthday. If I don't see them this time, I'll have to wait another whole year."

Flynn considered this. "Well, lucky for you, I'm an expert in not waiting for things I want." He gave her a confident grin. "We'll get there."

Rapunzel's expression softened. "You really think so?"

"Absolutely."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Flynn."

Something about the way she said his name made him pause.

No "Rider." No teasing. Just… Flynn.

And strangely, he didn't mind.

The sky deepened into twilight, and soon, the first stars blinked into existence. Rapunzel stopped, gazing up at them with wide, wondering eyes.

"They're beautiful," she whispered.

Flynn followed her gaze. He had seen stars a thousand times, but somehow, standing beside her, they seemed… brighter.

Then, Rapunzel did something unexpected.

She turned to him, eyes shining.

"Do you think I'll find what I'm looking for?"

Flynn studied her. "The lights?"

She hesitated. "Not just the lights. Why they call to me. What they mean."

He had no idea how to answer that.

He had spent his life chasing things, stealing treasures that never really made him feel full. But Rapunzel, she was chasing something real.

Something that mattered.

And for the first time, Flynn realized…

He wanted her to find it.

He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well… I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

Rapunzel smiled softly. "Yeah. I guess we will."

They stood there a moment longer, the stars watching over them.

And in that quiet, beneath the vast sky, a silent promise passed between them.

They would make it.

And when they did—

Everything would change.