crossing the line AU

Chapter 14

Rapunzel

"wait... What did you just call me?" As I sit on the grass, Cass' relatively thick, long sleeved top covering my top half, I immediately notice all my fear and anger disintegrate in a matter of seconds. I look her way, noticing her soft black hair, now wet and string like, sticking to her skin. I lock my eyes on hers, noticing how... Beautiful... Their hazel colour is, and listen to her fumble over her words.

She just called me Raps... I'm not just imagining it? Am I?

I- I hope I'm not...

I come to the realisation that she most likely isn't going to stop apologising and trying to sweep it under the rug, so I try and figure out a way to show her that it's ok... That I... Like it...

While she's distracted, I lean sideways, rest my head on top of her shoulder.
She was cold, but something still warmed me up.

"Don't say sorry Cass... I like it, it's cute..." I mumble sweetly.

I notice her body tense up, and I think i've pushed a boundary, but she still... Doesn't move... She doesn't do anything besides change the weight of her breathing...

But it didn't seem like it was in a bad way...

As we both continue to look out over the lake, my head still on her shoulder, I notice that the sun has started to set, making the sky turn a beautiful orangey pinkish colour.

This has got to be one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen.

"The sky looks so beautiful... Doesn't it?" My words are breathless, the moment having stolen my breath. I wait a minute for her to respond, but when she does...

... I feel her head turn in my direction.

"Yeah... Yeah, it is..."

We watch the sun set up until the sky turns a oddly satisfying dark blue shade and we decided now was a good time to light our fire, So I take a seat on the log while Cass teaches me how to light the wood.

"And that should be your fire done, it does take a few minutes before you get a proper, decent sized flame, but you'll get one nonetheless." I'm leaning forward, my chin resting on my hands while my elbows rest on my knees, watching intently, amazed at how she managed to create a fire from almost nothing! She raises from her crouched position, wipes her forehead, then looks over at me.

"Are you still cold?" The question feels weird since she's the one wearing barely any clothes and got just as soaked as me, but then I remember I'm the one with her top on, and she's probably wanting it back.
"Oh, uh, no I'm not really, not with the fire going anyway. Why? Did you want your top back?" my question was stupid, of course she does, so I go to take it off, but she she stops me with a laugh.
"No, it's ok it's ok, I was just asking you. If you were warm enough, I'd have hung up my top for the morning, that's all."

Oh. That makes more sense...

"Oh, uh, haha yeah, that makes sense. And uhm... I am warm enough." I pass over her top anyway, appreciating the soft fabric on last time before she takes it back.
I am warm enough, and I shouldn't keep her clothes from her, but something made me reluctant to hand it over originally...

I guess it was because of how comfortable I felt in it?

"Well that's good. That you're relatively dry now, I mean. I can't exactly let you catch a cold only 10 hours in." As she talks, she adjusts a seemingly thin tree branch and throws her top over it, creating some kind of washing line, giving it space to dry out.
I look down at myself, my dress still is damp in places, but it's not overly soaked, and my hair is drying slowly, due to its length the ends take a while longer to dry, but it's not a huge bother.