Hey everyone. Yes, I am stealing my wife's title for today's post - I couldn't think of anything else :P
Last night I had the most awful migraine ever, and so we both stayed up till really late. I was surprised to awake at 6 in the morning, when Rapunzel woke me up by pulling her arm out from under my back.
I looked at her groggily and told her good morning. I heard how gravelly my voice sounded, so I cleared my throat. She took a deep breath and pulled her pretty face up to smile at me.
"Morning - feel any better?" she asked, turning her head to look at me with a creased brow.
To attempt to lighten the mood, although I still had a tiny bit of a headache, I said, "Right now, I feel pretty great," referring to the fact that my wife was at my side. I gave her a squeeze with my arm, which was around her. She rolled her eyes, which was at least halfways the response I wanted, and I added, "No, really, I feel a lot better than I did last night, that's for sure!"
She leaned over me and gave me a kiss. I could see the relief in her eyes. "I'm sooo glad."
Which was what was nagging at me in the back of my mind. If these migraines turned into a chronic event, I didn't want her to be worried all the time about me. She deserved much better than that. I bit my lip.
Rapunzel sat up, and so I did too. She turned her face towards me and smiled, put an arm around my waist, and asked, "What? I know you're thinking about something."
I looked at her, too, and watched her blink her big, emerald-green eyes at me, waiting. I put an arm around her and held her tight to me for a few seconds. Then I stood up, and headed for the 'deck' in hopes of clearing the thought about chronic migraines out of my head before she hounded at me too much. But it was too late for that..she followed me out and waited.
Finally, I spoke my concern, and told her that if she didn't want to deal with that chronic possibility, we could call it quits and I would understand.
Her eyes teared up, and she grabbed at one of my arms, smoothing my sleeve with her hand. "Oh, Flynn...no way, never, ever in a gazillion trillion years, am I leaving you just because you might have a bad headache once in awhile! Now I know it's not as bad as I thought it was originally. In case I've never told you, I love you so much. And if you ever end up in the Dumpster, I hope I go at the same time, cause I could never live without you. And if you think I don't want to be your wife anymore because of some piddly headaches, you've got another thing coming, mister! Regardless, she [Tangled Fan], said it was from sleep deprivation, not just because."
My taut, knotted-up stomach immediately relaxed, and I felt relieved. I found her hand and loosely held it, until she grabbed me up into a hug, sniffing and wiping her eyes.
I kissed her hair and wrapped her in my arms, and we just stood there. Eventually, she pulled away from me enough to see my face. "You get some idea like that in your head again, and I'll swat you one," she joked, winking.
I smiled at her, and she pulled away to braid her hair.
I went off towards the other end of the 'deck', to go peer out the window, wondering if it was going to be another crummy-weather day. It didn't seem like it!
When I heard Rapunzel grumbling, "Stupid ribbon anyhow...can't get it unknotted to save my life...why won't this loosen up? Rrrgh!" through her teeth, I turned to look at her. As soon as I did, I saw she was trying to hold her braid in place in one hand and unknot her ribbon..using her teeth. I started laughing and strode over to her. "Spit it out and let me get that for ya." I picked the knot loose, tied her hair up for her, and finally stopped chuckling at the situation. We'll not elaborate on the fact that the ribbon was kinda damp from her spit.
"Thanks," she laughed. I nodded. I would've kissed her cheek, but we both turned when we heard the babies waking up.
We both sat down and picked them up and hushed them before they started to even whimper.
"We're getting to be old pros at this." Rapunzel giggled, and I was amused, because I'd been thinking the exact same thing. I slung my free arm around her and nodded in agreement.
She leaned over to talk to Allie. "Tell Daddy he's silly, huh!" I felt a warmth envelope me to hear her call me 'daddy' when she was talking to Allie. I don't know why though, but I just did. I plopped a kiss down on Rapunzel's head, and Allie grinned. I could tell Rapunzel was wrapped around the babies' little fingers.
And then Jase came tearing over. Rapunzel scooped her up, too, and then Janet came out as well. She talked with both of them for a few seconds, and then turned to me, and asked if she could take the girls out for a girl's day out.
I agreed to care for the babies and that I would be fine. She handed Hallie over to me and leaned over to kiss me goodbye. "See you later." She said, smiling.
I shifted the babies to one arm and brushed some hair away from her face, pausing to cup my hand over her cheek. She gave me a loving look and put her hand over mine, squeezing it. She seemed to stand a bit reluctantly when Jase came back over.
Pretty soon, Merida was working her way down the shelf, and they all left.
I blinked at the deafening silence...for a few seconds. Hallie started huffing, so I took them out on the 'deck'. I walked back and forth for awhile, and then went back onto the shelf when they had both fallen soundly asleep in my arms. Smiling to myself at how serene they looked, I set them down to nap and yawned. I was still tired, and I could feel my twinge of a headache start to worsen, so I retreated to go nap myself, in hopes of making the headache go away before my wife came back home.
I got up a few times with the babies, but they were pretty good. After awhile, my headache finally went away - thank goodness! It was afternoon before the girls finally all came back home. Jase and Janet left to play in the corner, and Merida and Rapunzel came over towards me. Linking her arm in Rapunzel's, Merida cocked her head and said, "And here's yer lovely wife." She giggled.
Rapunzel laughed at Merida, but then randomly ran and scrambled up to Rayne's shelf.
Merida looked at me with a brow quirked, nodding her head towards where Rapunzel had stood seconds ago. I shrugged, frowning in confusion, and she shrugged too.
When Rapunzel came back a couple minutes later, Merida turned towards her. "Don't need to worry about coming back quick - I can watch these gals for any amount of time. It's boring up on that shelf!" When Rapunzel gave her a thankful smile, she added, with a grin that spelled 'trouble', "Now, go enjoy your hubby and smooch while you're not interrupted by the kiddos."
It worked. Rapunzel put a hand over her eyes and turned a lovely shade of crimson. "We don't...well...we talk, aaand walk, and-" I came up behind her, gave her a peck on the forehead, and felt the need to tease as well.
"And smooch." I grinned, and she gave me a shove.
Merida was laughing at our antics. She snorted when Rapunzel shoved me, and that made her laugh even harder.
"Shush," Rapunzel told me. "It's not all we do. I take it you're feeling fine now, 'cause you're back to your usual self!"
"Just go!" Merida was fighting laughter now, but her eyes were tearing from her effort.
Rapunzel laughed a thanks, and I led her down to the floor.
When we were down there, Rapunzel took my hand and we walked. She had a carefree spring in her step, swinging her arm back and forth, [and my arm too], and chattering about her day.
"We had a lot of fun today. Thank you so much for watching the babies! How were they?"
"I'm glad you had fun. They were really good, actually! So what all did you do?" I enjoyed watching her talk with a sparkle in her eye and such an innocent smile on her face.
"We went over to visit the 18 inchers. Merida visited with Angus, and Jase got to sit on Angus with her. She really enjoyed it - we'll probably end up having to ask Tangled Fan to find a horse for Jase, based off of the huge smile on her face! Janet visited with the mini dolls, and I visited with Julie, Elizabeth, and Christy. They're so nice! Kailey's still a bit off-putting, but I just don't talk to her, cause I know she doesn't like to be friendly, or whatever her problem is. Thank you so much, again, for watching the babies!"
While she talked, I started to think about what I wanted to tell her. You already know I'm not the best with words, so I was pretty nervous. Finally, I stopped walking. Rapunzel turned around and asked me what.
I pulled on her arm carefully, and it sent her right into me. "What?" she repeated, putting her arms loosely around my waist.
I wanted to tell her, I really did. And there was something else I wanted to say, too. So instead, I made a joke. "Just...I dunno. Just cause you're my wife, and I love you to plastic bits and pieces."
She giggled, and I got that funny feeling in my stomach again (the good kind, not the migraine kind :p).
"Oh, you. You're bad! But I love you, too. And I'm glad you're back to yourself!"
I put an arm around her, used my other hand to remove one of her arms from my waist, so I could hold her hand.
Rapunzel leaned her head on my shoulder for a few minutes, but then she looked up at me with questioning eyes, slipping her hand away from me.
"Why're you so, like, affectionate with me? I mean, it's not like I don't like or appreciate it; but I was just curious why."
I took a deep breath, and told her my fear that our marriage would fall apart because I rushed her.
And then I decided I wanted to tell her the other thing, too. I opened my mouth, but she stopped me. "Before you go on, I want to say this - Don't you ever, EVER, think our marriage will be wrecked 'cause we moved quickly. Or because of injuries or headaches. It was just as much my fault as it was yours that we moved fast. And mine that you got that headache. And truth is? I'm glad we got married so soon - I can enjoy you as my hubby for longer, now!"
I was going to contradict her, that she wasn't at fault for anything, but I just smiled hugely at her, relieved. She smiled back, and my heart sped up as I considered what I wanted to say next.
I led her up onto the chair, but then I decided not to say anything.
"Whatever it is you wanted to say, I won't laugh or anything. Just say it," she smiled still. Obviously, she hadn't forgotten, and wouldn't drop it, either.
I fidgeted around plenty, and then I just spilled my guts to her, with all I wanted to say to her about how much I really did care about her.
When I opened my eyes, which I'd squeezed shut while speaking, to keep focus, Rapunzel was crying openly.
I panicked. "I told you I wasn't good with words. I'm so sorr-"
She broke me off. "No! You..you were perfect!"
I smiled at her and reached to wipe her wet cheeks.
"You gave such a gorgeous speech. For a guy who supposedly is awful with words..I don't think you give yourself enough credit. I feel the same way about you. I still get the butterflies and a tingle up my spine when I see you, and I feel like a little schoolgirl with a gigantic crush, every time I see that cute little grin of yours - yeah, that's the one" - she said when I grinned at her - "and you're so handsome, and soo impossibly sweet. It never fails to amaze me how gentle you can be. I mean, in the movie, you were some ruffian...but I guess after you met me in the movie, you turned into a sweetheart. But anyway. You do have a way with words, by the way. You make my knees go to Jell-o...either that, or it's just this heat - but I don't think so. And I just love you!" She finally finished, and I was fighting tears myself - one tear had already escaped. It takes a lot to make ME cry! She gently wiped the tear from my cheek, and my heart nearly faltered.
I leaned into her until our foreheads touched. She and I stared at each other, but she quickly shut her eyes when they started to cross [I kid you not]. Abruptly, she pulled away.
"What?" I asked, wondering why she was so jumpy about displaying her affections.
"They can probably see us from here," she said, casting a guilty glance up towards the shelves. "And I dunno. I just feel a bit awkward being so open in our affection - but you know what?"
"There's no other place around here that we CAN be at that dolls aren't gonna see us." I finished for her.
"Exactly."
"So why feel awkward?" I asked, confused. "If it makes you feel weird, I'll.." I started to withdraw my arm from her shoulders, but she snagged my arm and held it.
"No. You know what? I'm gonna stop holding back and feeling awkward about it. If some doll has an issue with me loving you, they can keep it to themselves!"
I felt like teasing her after that. "So you won't mind if I do this?" I tried to ask with an innocent expression on my face.
"Do what?" she asked. I grabbed her and started to tickle her. [even though we're plastic, we can still be ticklish, mind!] She yelped in surprise and elbowed me. I made an exaggerated fall backwards, as if she'd knocked me down, and she flopped down as well, dissolving into giggles that made me grin. I slipped my arm around her, and she rested her head on my chest and smiled sweetly at me, laughter still glimmering in her eyes.
After not too long, she dozed off, exhausted from her sleepless night, probably. I looked at her to make sure she was asleep and not just laying really still. Her eyes were shut, a peaceful grin still played across her pink lips. I slowly stroked her hair, hoping not to wake her up. And then I guess I must've nodded off for a bit, too.
When I woke up, the sun was starting to set - I glimpsed it through the window - and Rapunzel was still out. Her smile was still on her face and I hated to disturb her, hoping she'd wake up without me doing anything to wake her. But after it grew dark, I knew we needed to get back to Merida and the kids. I tried to ease her up off the chair to carry her to bed, but she quickly woke.
"Flynn."
"What?" Even though I knew full well what 'Flynn' meant.
"Put me down."
"I'll just-"
"Put me down. Please,"
I sighed, but did give in, lowering her legs, but still keeping a hold around her shoulders.
"Thank you," she said, kissing me on the cheek.
So then we went home, and were greeted by Merida.
I peeked around and saw all the kids were sprawled out in random spots, played out and sleeping hard.
Rapunzel and Merida chatted quietly for a few minutes, but then she left, and my wife turned towards me, unbraiding her hair.
"And thank you for this wonderful day, again." She grinned, then went to lie down behind the lamp. I followed her and sat down.
Leaning down, we shared a goodnight kiss, before I lowered myself down beside my wife. Rapunzel fumbled around till she found my hand and grasped it, with a smile that lit the darkening room. I smoothed my hand over her hair over and over. "You're the best wife anyone could ever ask for, and never forget that I love you." I whispered to her, though I didn't think she'd soon forget the love we shared for one another! Anyway, then I was asleep too.
I'm hoping Rapunzel wants to keep the tradition of having evenings to ourselves, because I've begun to really like it, and I tend to be able to tell her lots of things that are on my mind, during then.
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