oH MY GOODNESS I am a despicable human being. This is my ROTBTD Secret Santa gift to @anastasia-airy, and yes this is two weeks late because I was overseas. Thank you for being so patient and I hope this makes up for the wait!!!! This was actually pretty hard, and I was trying to think of a very special and thoughtful gift in this story. And I was so relieved when I thought of it, but I didn’t write it in full because goodness me this is already pretty long. Also, I think I totally failed in trying to make this steampunk as per request.
The view from the top of the Tower was breathtaking.
Below her, the city stretched out in all directions, a vast shadowy spread of towers and rooftops and bridges and domes and chimneys. From those large shafts came steady billows of smoke that ought to have made an ominous picture against the slowly darkening sky. Yet, populating this dusky canvas was a multitude of lights - from candlelit rooms and street lamps and festive lights and floating airships, twinkling across the city through the winter fog.
She watched as her breath came out in a little cloud and vanished completely.
Rapunzel sighed from her perch at the attic window.
Her gaze dropped to the little contraption in her hands.
It was a gold, shiny cylinder small enough to sit comfortably in her palm. Along its length was a flat white surface decorated with gold, green, and blue diamond shapes. Each of its two circular ends held an ensemble of interconnected gears sitting below a protective layer of glass with a little button in the corner over the first cog.
It brought back vague memories of a brief conversation with a white-haired stranger, of stopped tears, of the fleeting touch of cold fingers, of a voice that rang with laughter, of a gift, of a time long ago.
“If there ever comes a time when you really need anything, use this, and I will come find you.”
Absent-mindedly, she held up the contraption, toying with it in her hands, elbows propped up against her raised knees. The gold gleamed in the moonlight, a light joining the city’s sparks. She looked out again at the world outside, a dance locked away from her.
“Well, Pascal,” she glanced at her robotic chameleon, which had made its way onto her lap, “there’s no time like the present.”
She held it up to her face and squinted at the gears in the nightlight. “How do you work this thing anyway?”
A click sounded as she unintentionally pressed the little button. Eyes wide, she watched as the first cog began moving, triggering the rest of the gears. But that was all it did.
And then, through the fog, a great, looming shape emerged slowly.
She nearly fell off the sill in surprise - it took her a while to realise it was an airship. Though it wasn’t the largest she had seen, it was still impressive, appearing as if it was constructed for a lean build.
Then, as it passed a short distance before the Tower, something leapt off the side of the ship, towards her. She screamed.
“Rapunzel?” Came her mother’s voice, shrill even with the heaviness of sleep.
The figure, who had landed lightly on the windowsill next to her, pressed his finger onto her lips. “Shh,” he whispered, “don’t let her find us out.”
Through the darkness, a glint of silvery white hair in the moonlight.
She paused.
“Nothing, Mother! Just tripped over myself!”
Some incoherent grumbling downstairs. And then the house was quiet again.
“You scared me!” She hissed.
“Good to see you again too, princess,” he grinned at her. “It’s been quite a while.”
“How did this thing tell you where to find me?” She asked, looking curiously at the gold cylinder.
He shifted backwards till his back leaned against the window frame, facing her. “Magic,” he said simply, an impish smile on his face. He dangled one leg over the edge, propping an elbow up on his other raised knee. “So what’s wrong, princess?”
Instantly a languidness passed over her face. “I’m tired of being stuck here, away from the world,” she sighed. “Especially on Christmas. Everything looks so beautiful, but out of my reach.”
He tilted his head at her, wearing a serious expression. “And what would you like me to do?”
She raised her eyes to meet his.
“Take me away from here. Out into the world.” Her voice was just a fraction short of pleading. “…Please.”
“Of course,” he nodded, eyes soft as they remained locked on hers. “Anything for you.”
“You’re not kidnapping me, are you?”
“What kind of guy do you think I am?” A chuckle in his voice.
“Well, you’re being very suspicious right now,” she replied liltingly as they continued trudging through the snow. The only things she could see in the dark were the faint shapes of silhouettes, and if it weren’t for Jack’s hand taking hers firmly, she would have lost her way long ago.
Suddenly he stopped.
“Okay, we’re here. Don’t move, okay?”
“Okay.”
He let go of her hand, and she felt a split second of panic take hold of her. But she could hear Jack’s footsteps shuffling through the snow. Then the sound of something hitting metal.
“Ow,” she heard him mutter to himself. “At least I found it.”
She giggled.
There was the sound of something heavy being pushed. And all of a sudden the place was flooded with lights. She winced and shielded her eyes with her arm.
When her eyes had adjusted to the light, she dropped her arm and found themselves standing in a large cavern of some sort. Sturdy wooden pillars and structures lined the thick walls of ice.
He hurried over from a switch on the wall to the innermost wall of the cavern, where there were two heavy-looking wooden doors. She watched as he took hold of a metal lever, turning it in a clockwise direction. The large gears above the lever began rotating, and slowly, the doors opened.
And then the sounds of agitated bells and heavy… hooves?
Majestic reindeer emerged from the dark passage, agitatedly swinging their antlers, stamping on the ground. Bringing up the rear behind the three pairs of reindeer was a sleigh - admittedly a little roughed up, but still stately and impressive. Shaped like a ship, its red body gleamed in the light, a gold reindeer silhouette emblazoned on its side, metal-embossed skis underfoot, and a brilliant globe fixed on its dashboard.
Turning to her, he found her jaw hanging open. He laughed.
“Is this -” She gasped, turning to him. “Is this what I think it is? How did you -?”
“Let’s just say I know the big boss,” he waved a dismissive hand.
She gaped at him. “You’re friends with Santa?”
He chuckled. “Sorry, I laugh everytime i hear that name. His real name is Nicholas St. North, or North for short.”
“Wow,” breathed Rapunzel. “And he gave you permission to use his sleigh?”
“Not exactly,” he hedged casually. “I owe him a favour. He just doesn’t know I’m using one of his spare sleighs to fulfil it-”
Right at that moment, one of the reindeer lunged a little too close to Jack. He ducked swiftly, and Rapunzel sprang forward.
“Whoa, whoa!” She cried, holding her arms out in front of the reindeer. Despite it being a head taller than her, it stilled instantly, gorgeous brown eyes going wide as they were seemingly magnetised by her own. She stroked its head, and it nuzzled its head into her palm - it even began wagging its little tail. The other reindeer looked on evidently at the scene and started tugging forward towards her, noses seeking.
“Unbelievable,” he shook his head. “Comet sees me and tries to hack my head off. And I thought he might have recognised me, too.”
“Oh, he’s nothing but a big sweetheart,” she cooed, giggling as Jack rolled his eyes.
“Don’t spoil them, they’re brats enough already,” he scolded, moving towards the sleigh itself. “Your carriage awaits, princess.”
She hurried away from among the dissatisfied reindeer, towards him, and he chuckled at her excitement. Hopping onto the sleigh, he gave a bow with a flourish of his hand. She giggled as she curtseyed and took his hand, stepping up.
“You sure you know how to operate this thing?” She eyed him warily.
“’Course I do, I’ve seen North do it,” he retorted, grabbing the reins with one hand. “Buckle up!”
She sat down and frowned in confusion. “Where are the seatbelts?”
“Just an expression. Sit tight,” he grinned, and slapped the reins.
She squealed at the shock of the sleigh jerking forward.
The sleigh hurtled forward, out of the cavern, entering a long, winding tunnel of thick ice. Everything was a blurred rush - the pounding of the reindeer’s hooves, the stalagmites and stalactites shooting past, the rattling of the wood, the slap of the reins, the bell ringing hysterically, the powdered snow leaping from the ground into their faces, the sleigh sliding from side to side, looping up and around -
And then they were out in the open, on a short ledge of snowed-over ground, and an inclined wooden jetty, except when the reindeer dashed and leaped forward off the platform, there was nothing below, and there was the sudden sensation of nothing grounding the sleigh -
They were in the air.
She had thought the wind was screaming in her face, but then she realised she had been screaming too, and now her scream had turned into laughter that just bubbled out of her.
Clutching the side of the sleigh, she leaned out and looked at the sheer drop to the valley way down below, and the steep rock faces of the snowy mountains around.
Then she felt a cold hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t fall over, princess,” came Jack’s voice, teasing but with a hint of seriousness.
“This is amazing!” She giggled, whirling around to face him. He held her arm to steady her, but he couldn’t help chuckling at her excitement. “Where are we going?”
“To deliver some presents.”
She stilled at once.
He instantly looked worried. “Is that okay? I thought you seemed like you would enjoy the sentiment- of doing something like this on a holiday of gifts- I mean, if you don’t want to-”
He trailed off upon seeing her expression.
She only looked back at him as if she was committing him to memory, large green eyes shining with emotion in the moonlight.
“… Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked softly.
“Jack…” Her lips turned up into an affectionate smile. “That is the most thoughtful gift I have ever received.”
“Are you cold?”
Rapunzel was standing on the seat only in her winter dress, her coat lying forgotten on the bench next to her bare feet.
“It’s pretty chilly out, maybe you should -”
“No,” she hummed quietly, like her mind was in another world, “I like it. The cold feels brilliant.”
He studied her with a faintly awed expression on his face - her eyes were closed, arms spread out wide, lips slightly parted, like she was in the middle of taking a breath, which left her mouth in a little cloud that vanished immediately. Her long hair was flowing freely in the wind, glinting golden against the dark starlit sky, the moonlight casting a muted glow on her lithe figure.
Once she opened her eyes, she locked gazes with him - but he didn’t drop his eyes.
It felt intimate.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” She whispered.
You’re beautiful.
“You have soot on your face.”
She blinked in surprise.
And then she giggled. “You too.”
“Probably from Jamie’s chimney,” grumbled Jack, rubbing his lower back.
“I could hear your fall from the roof,” she laughed.
“Yes, I’m fine, no injuries, thanks for your concern,” he rolled his eyes.
“Well, all that matters is that you didn’t squash the present and delivered it in one piece.” She shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a mischievous spark in her eyes.
“So the work is more important than the worker. I see how it is,” he answered dryly.
A serene smile replaced her teasing expression. “Really, though, the children were so precious. I wish I could see their faces when they open their gifts.”
“The ones that didn’t stay up waiting, you mean,” he snorted. Leaning over to fiddle with the dashboard, pulling a thick cloth from one of the compartments. “I’ll help you clean up a bit. You can wash up more thoroughly back at the workshop.”
He made his way to the seat, and tugged at her hand to make her sit down next to him.
“Doesn’t someone need to drive the reindeer?” She asked as he raised the cloth up to her face.
“Nah, they’re experienced. Besides, I want to do this for you.”
They fill silent.
She looked up to watch him as he wiped the soot off her face. His eyes were trained on the soot in concentration, his mouth a very small but gentle smile. The light from the lantern at the front of the sleigh cast flickering shadows on the planes of his face.
Lowering her face, she took in a large breath that trembled slightly at the end.
He stopped dabbing at her temple.
“Are you crying?” said Jack, alarmed.
She shook her head, laughed, and cried all at the same time.
“Are you going to cry every time we meet?” He joked, but he had shifted to place his hands on her shoulder, stooping down to see her lowered face.
She laughed even harder, raising a hand to scrub at the tear tracks on her cheeks.
He rubbed soothing circles with his thumbs on her arms. “Hey now, what’s wrong, princess?” His voice had dropped to a murmur.
She didn’t want to think of returning to the Tower.
Inhaling deeply, she raised her eyes to meet his. “Nothing,” she beamed. “I’m just so happy to be here with you.”
By the furrow of his brow, he looked torn between acceptance and doubt.
So she leaned forward and dropped a light kiss on his cheek.
“Thank you, Jack,” she whispered as she pulled back. “I wish I had something to give to you.”
He tilted his head at her, icy blue eyes twinkling with mirth and affection.
So many of you have expressed to me that you have yet to receive your gift from the secret Santa exchange so this is a post for all of the replacement Santas who signed up as such, to message the page here if you're still willing to be a replacement Santa :) Also a quick little side note: many of you still waiting on a gift, your person has been busy and plans to post it shorty :)
Merry Christmas! (Again)
This is my gift for @guardian-of-feels
I just finished it, once again sorry for delay... >/////< Hope you like it :)
And Happy New Year!!! :D
What are the odds that I would be your rotbtd secret santa @georgejamesvaltom? But since I am, I was excited to start this project and this is the best I could come up with (well not the best but with my limited skills, the most I could do). So, Merry Christmas!!! (And can I just say, thank god for Merida’s big, curly hair and Rapunzel’s long hair)
I’ve also included an uncolored version of these so you can do whatever you want, or whatever.
what details do we need to include when we sign up?
On the main home page (on desktop. If you’re using mobile just shoot me a message and we’ll work it out!) under the Sign Up & Info tab, there are two options. Choosing the “Join” Tab will allow you to fill out the pre-made sign up sheet to register! Just answer the questions on that, such as your OTPs and NOTPs so that I can properly pair people up.
There’s a section where you can add any additional information you might think your secret santa might need to know (Like potential AUs you might desire) Another helpful thing to add for me as the distributer is what sort of content you can produce for the gift exchange (AMVs, Art, Fics, Edits, etc).
If you have any other specifics you want to address, just feel free to shoot me another ask and we can tackle that together :)
Here is an example of what it might look like to fill out:
