The day Eugene meet Rapunzel was the day that changed his life forever.

It was all but a memory now, but he distinctively remembered how enchanted he became by her fierce and determined nature, and how she grew to become an important person in his life.

He never realized how much he grew to care for that random girl he met in that tower long ago. How much that occurrence - that accidental encounter with her - would be a significant moment in his life. A change so great that it had an impact on his character, his existence, and his life entirely.

If he hadn't stole her crown and ran off into the forest the way he did, he never would have meet Rapunzel. Their paths wouldn't have crossed. He never would have known just how special she would be to him. He wouldn't have been given a second chance to start his life anew.

And he was grateful. For making an unexpected turn. For the unforgettable turn of events that found him the woman of his dreams.

For a chance to find love.

But what he didn't know was that Rapunzel often contemplated the same thing. How their unexpected, yet bizarre meeting turned out to be the most memorable, and the happiest accident in her life. How her bond with Eugene turned out to be something she never knew she needed.

When they first started dating a week after their return to the castle, Rapunzel didn't know anything about relationships. She didn't know what to do, what being a girlfriend meant, or what to expect out of a relationship. Her innocence was what made Eugene's attraction towards her grow stronger, and he relished it. More than anything, he loved being Rapunzel's first and took great pleasure in playing the role of a "teacher", showing her experiences she's never had before.

When Eugene showed her how to kiss, and how cuddling could be such an intimate moment that brought two people closer together, it became Rapunzel's favorite thing to do with him. And that's what they ended up doing in every date. And neither of them ever got tired of it.

They were snuggled up against each other outside, against a great oak tree, on a picnic blanket. The sun above them, with its rays so bright and heavenly, illuminated the sky, giving them an uplifting sensation. Ravens soared above them. Flowers and roses blossomed left and right, and the green fields that flourished in the spring transcended the valleys, the river, the trees, the habitations and all else that existed within the Kingdom of Corona.

"Will you marry me?" he asked nonchalantly. And they have only been going out for close to ten months, which was relatively to a year now. But Eugene was serious about it. He had never been so sure about anyone or anything in his entire life. He was so sure Rapunzel was the one.

She gave him a look of uncertainty, then sighed. "I… don't know."

But when Eugene managed a smile, one that reassured her that everything was okay, despite her answer, all Rapunzel could do was smile peacefully and relax her body against his, a wave of warmth washing over her. As if everything went back to the peaceful moment it once was; with just the two of them enjoying each other, the scenery and the beauty of the sun up above. Eugene was always extremely understanding and caring, and it never failed to warm her heart.

"Alright, then," he said, and he didn't bring it up again for the rest of the afternoon.

"Marry me."

Year two.

Rapunzel sighed. She thought they already went through this a couple of months ago when she told him she wasn't ready. Clearly, Eugene didn't pay attention.

She stopped dabbing her fork into her delicious plate of sweets and diverted her attention from her significant other, towards the landscape outside. They were sitting in the massive porch of the castle for an afternoon tea, helping themselves to the many pastries that were spread in front of them on the table. It was mid afternoon, just about three o'clock, and the Princess had just finished her etiquette lessons, deciding that she wanted to spend some quality time with her sweetheart.

Finally, after much thought, she gave Eugene the most genuine answer she could think of, "I don't know."

"You've been saying that a lot lately."

Rapunzel hesitated, then pursed her lips. "It's just a little too soon, don't you think?"

"I don't think it is."

A pause, and judging by the look of her face, Eugene knew what her reply was going to be. And he knew that trying to reassure her would be futile; that she would continue to remain unsure. And he's ready to be told that she's just not ready for that huge step in her life yet.

But he expected that response with a great sense of understanding.

"Can we wait more?"

Eugene only continued to admire his beau, his eyes doing a quick scan of her body from head to toe, appreciating how attractive she looked in her dress. If he could describe in words how much he loved and cared about this woman, and how far he was willing to go for her, it would be impossible. Because nothing could truly put into words. How he would do anything for her.

She could even ask him to wait a hundred years, and he would. Because all he wanted was her happiness.

He nodded, and a grin followed. "Whatever you want, blondie."

The Princess smiled fondly at him in response, mesmerized by the way Eugene caressed her chin with his thumb. With his other hand, he brushed a few strands of her hair aside, and Rapunzel can't help but feel adored. By his touch, his words, and the way he looked at her. And it makes her feel whole. As if they're in one of her dreams, time stopped, fireworks were exploding up above and it's just them in the here and now. And the tight proximity between them evoked nothing but a haze of physical and intimate feelings too impossible to hold in any longer.

Exactly what she's craving right now.

And it excited her.

"How can you be so sure you want to marry me?" she asked curiously.

Eugene smirked. "Oh, I'm sure," he said coyly, leaning to whisper in her ear, his breath prickling on her skin. "And when Flynn Rider is sure, well… there's no stopping him."

"Oh, really?" Rapunzel replied with a foxy grin. She trailed her hands up his bulky arms just as he leaned closer. "And is Flynn Rider in the mood to make out, perhaps?"

But Eugene was already staring at her lips. How much he wanted that right now. Yearning. Desperate –

"I'm more than in the mood, Blondie."

And with that, she grabbed his collar and pulled him into a ferocious kiss.

'Marry me', he asked her the previous night.

Year three.

Rapunzel paused, her left hand tightly clenched her canvas; her paintbrush drenched with paint in the other. The wall in front of her was scattered with many different colors of shapes, patterns and figures. All of which she drew within the past hour. Though the burst of creative juice, she stopped being able to concentrate when she heard the door to her room opening and closing. A couple of footsteps were heard. Step, step, step, step. Stop. Then the sound of the table wobbling in its place.

"Hey, blondie."

Rapunzel looked over her shoulder and there was Eugene, seated on the edge of her table with his hands on top to balance himself, one leg over the other. A captivating, devilish smile was spread on his face. Their eyes meet, and instantly, she knew what he was going to ask again.

But this time… somehow, someway… she grew to like the idea. Of spending eternity with him.

Of becoming his bride.

The ex-thief abruptly stood up and paced towards her. Slowly, Rapunzel turned her head towards the wall in front of her, and raised her hand on a clear spot to resume her artwork. But then she felt Eugene's thick arms wrapping protectively around her petite waist from behind, and suddenly, she couldn't concentrate anymore.

Eugene rested his chin on top of her shoulder. He pulled her in, and now her back is cushioned against his chest. And suddenly she's lost in his embrace. Whisked away by a Prince Charming. Like in the storybooks she used to read up in her tower. Or in a dream. Or a scene from one of her many fantasies.

"You really want us to get married?" Rapunzel whispered after a period of comfortable silence. And she's happy when he asked this last night, because she's been thinking about the two of them and what their relationship meant to her; about the two of them possibly heading down that road in the future.

"More than anything," he muttered into her ears, then kissed her earlobe. "I love you."

The brunette closed her eyes and exhaled, and suddenly his words sounded so genuine, so soothing and reassuring that it moved her. She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Internally, she told herself to make up her mind and answer his question, but her body was anything but cooperating. Just the feel of his presence from behind was enough to tranquilize her. And when Eugene placed his lips on her left shoulder, planting sweet and tender kisses on her skin, she moaned in pleasure; her mind and soul unable to comprehend reality. He then pressed his nose against the crook of her neck and shoulder, and his grip on her waist tightened. She arched her neck to the side, giving him better access. As if she was begging him to continue. And she's breathless.

Intoxicated.

Then, and only then, all is forgotten.

"Marry Me," he asked.

Year four.

They were inside the castle, in the lounge. The cushioned floor they were lying on was so comfortable that neither of them wanted to move. Rapunzel felt Eugene's big toe brushing past her feet, his fingers slightly nudging against hers, and his warm scent drawing her against him. She nuzzled her head against his shoulder, and along with Eugene, looked up, admiring the intricate details of the ceiling.

Then again, Eugene always had an affect on her. To make her forget her worries. And when they're apart, even just the thought of him comforted her. And it's exactly that comfort that always aided her through difficult moments in her life, particularly when she stepped foot inside the castle for the first time. Accepting her role as the Princess of Corona and adjusting to her new responsibilities was an emotional rollercoaster of a journey. It was hard, and she knew she wouldn't have gotten through those nights of anguish had it not been for Eugene.

Suddenly, Rapunzel sat up to fix her skirt. He followed suit, but then the ex-thief caught her by surprise when he leaned to his side and captured Rapunzel's lips with his own in the most fierce, the most passionate act he's ever performed on any woman. His fingers weaved through her hair with one hand, and with the other, he gripped her waist and pulled her closer. The warm sensation of her body against his empowered him, and he wanted more. He slipped his hand underneath her skirt and on her thighs. It excited them both. Mouth to mouth. Tongues colliding. Electricity.

Captivating.

And then, like a hungry tiger, Eugene lunged forward and they both fell backwards, with him on top of her. And it sent Rapunzel off in the most pleasurable, the most thrilling experience yet. Her moaning intensifies, and she became so enthralled, so deeply invested into his world that everything else is nothing but a haze. And she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, wanting nothing more than him. More of his touch, his embrace, and the feel of his skin against hers. Hypnotized in their heated kiss, their hands in places they shouldn't be, exploring each other's mouths as if the world was ending and they only had a few minutes to live.

Abruptly, they break apart, and Eugene scanned her face for an answer, wondering why she stopped all of a sudden. He was getting really into it too.

"What did you ask again?"

Eugene blinked. "I don't even remember."

"Oh."

Silence.

Their eyes locked only for a moment before they jumped on each other again.

"Marry me?"

Five years. It was five consecutive years of Eugene asking her to marry him. And within each time he asked, Rapunzel gradually warmed up to the idea. Because she knew in her heart that she loved this man very much. That she was willing to spend the rest of her life with him.

Rapunzel gave her now boyfriend of five years an affectionate smile. She scooted closer and gently took his hand in hers, then caressed his knuckles and fingers. They were seated in a carriage that was taking them back to the castle from a long, summer vacation, and they've never been anymore thrilled to finally be heading back home.

She looked up at him, then smiled. "Yes. I will."

"Really?"

When Rapunzel nodded, Eugene smirked. He leaned over, where his beloved sat, and pulled her into a kiss.

He had her. He finally had her, and he hadn't been more excited and overjoyed in his life. He leaned back, his teeth showing the more his grin developed on his face. "I hope you know what this means."

"That you'll finally stop asking?"

Eugene laughed. "Yeah, but now we can finally start with the preparations!"

The Princess of Corona chuckled under her breath and became bashful, pressing her lips together. Her cheeks turned a bright shade of red. The way he was so eager to marry her. It was so endearing, and it made her heart skip a beat. "Look how excited you are about this. It's so cute."

"Well, yeah. Of course I am," Eugene whispered, and just as she rested her head against him, he wrapped his arms around Rapunzel's neck and pressed his lips against her temple. Then he kissed it. "I love you."

Rapunzel closed her eyes, nuzzling her head onto her now fiancé's protective chest.

"I love you too. Always."

FIN.

A/N: Something I wrote after I re-watched Tangled recently - and yes, it's another one-shot warm-up. In the epilogue, Eugene mentioned that "after years and years of asking and asking her to marry him, Rapunzel finally says yes." And this short one-shot was my interpretation of how that happened. :)

Also, I apologize if there's mistakes and grammar errors in this piece. I didn't have someone available to read over my work this time, so I pretty much had to do it myself. I'm still trying to learn how to revise my own work (since I'm not always going to have a beta reader available at all times).

Hope it was at least somewhat enjoyable.

Cheers!

- Mandy