LMAO I KNOCKED OUT LAST NIGHT OMG

I was like

Yeah! I can write one more-- *DIES* 😭

But anyway! Onto the chapter :D

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"This is it!"

Faunus smiles giddily to himself as he tucks his small pots of paint inside his paint box, Pascal helping him setting his paint brushes inside with his tail.

"This is a very big day, Pascal. I can feel it," he continues with excitement clear in his voice, shutting the box lid as Pascal hops onto his forearm.

Faunus chuckles as he rises, looking down at Pascal. "I'm finally going to do it. I'm gonna ask him!"

Pascal climbs onto Faunus' shoulder, a grin on his face.

"Faunus!"

Faunus gasps as a familiar male voice calls to him from outside the tower, making him look to the window.

"Let down your hair!" Gothel continues in a sing song.

Faunus breathes out his mouth, shaking his hands to calm his nerves. "It's time!"

Pascal sits up straight with a stern expression, smiling and encouraging him to be brave.

"I know, I know," Faunus chuckles quietly, holding his hand up to the chameleon. "Come on, don't let him see you."

Faunus raises him to the painting, pulling the drapes over it as Pascal turns a dark shade of green to blend in with the tree.

"Faunus? I'm not getting any younger down here!"

Faunus runs to the window, peering down at his father, who was wearing his black cloak and hood with a basket at his feet and a basket strapped to his back.

"Coming, Father!"

He reassures, looping his hair over the window's hook above him. Taking a few steps back, Faunus bundles his hair up before tossing it out of the window. Gothel watches as it falls, catching the end and looping it around his hand before stepping onto the loop he created.

Gothel holds the basket securely as he was pulled up by Faunus, Faunus straining a bit as he pulls his hair back using the hook and his strength. Gothel glances around the area as he nears the window warily, nodding to himself before setting his foot on the window sill.

"Hi," Faunus pants lightly, grinning at the sight of his father. "Welcome home, Father."

Gothel exclaims a bit as he removes his hood, revealing his hair was graying a bit as he steps off the window sill inside. "Faunus, how you do that every single day without fail!"

He sets his basket down, voice dramatic as he approaches Faunus and sets a hand on his shoulder.

"It looks absolutely exhausting!" Gothel reaches out, brushing his hand over Faunus' hair as he mocks a pout, some wrinkles under his eyes.

Faunus lets out a short laugh, shaking his head and rubbing the back of his neck. "It's nothing, really!"

Gothel smirks, giving him a raised brow look. "Then I'm not sure why it takes you so long, if it's nothing."

Faunus' smile falls at this, Gothel snickering before rolling his eyes.

"Oh, come now, I'm just teasing! Geez," Gothel sighs in exasperation as he rolls his eyes, walking away.

Faunus awkwardly laughs, a tense smile on his face. "All right... um, so... Father?"

Gothel approaches the tall mirror, observing his reflection thoughtfully.

"As you know, uh, tomorrow is a really very big day--"

"Faunus, look here," Gothel cuts Faunus off, beckoning him closer to his side. "Do you see that?"

Faunus frowns with confusion. "See... what?"

"That there," Gothel nods towards the mirror. "Can't see it? I do. There stands a strong, confident, handsome young man."

Faunus' face brightens at his praise, Gothel's eyes shifting to him in the mirror.

"Oh! And there you are, too!"

Faunus' face drops, Gothel howling with laughter as he shakes his head and rolls his eyes.

"Oh, come now! I'm just teasing you! Stop taking everything I say so seriously," Gothel chastises, his frown deepening as he runs a hand along his face, noticing the wrinkles.

He notices some spots on the back of his hand as well, making him scowl.

"O--kay..." Faunus clears his throat, shaking his head. "So, Father, as I was saying, tomorrow--"

"Faunus," Gothel once again cuts him off, Faunus wincing as he frowns. "Your good old Father is feeling a bit worn out and tired. Why don't you sing for me? Then we'll talk."

Faunus perks up at this, nodding. "Of course, father!"

Gothel's eyes narrow at his enthusiasm, Faunus racing to grab Gothel's chair. He sets it down and angles it just right as Gothel walks over, watching Faunus rush around. Faunus grabs himself a low stool, setting it down in front of Gothel's chair and grabbing Gothel's arm.

Blinking in surprise as he was forced to sit, Gothel jumps as a brush was forced into his hand, Faunus gathering some of his hair and placing it on Gothel's lap as he quickly sits down.

"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine--" Faunus sings quickly, his hair glowing the brilliant gold as his magic activates.

"Wait-- wait!" Gothel stammers out with wide eyes, caught off guard.

Faunus ignores this, continuing to sing rapidly with shut eyes. "Heal what has been hurt, change the Fates' design, save what has been lost!"

Gothel frantically begins to brush through Faunus' hair.

"Bring back what once was mine!"

Faunus finishes, the wave of magic sweeping over Gothel and making him young once more, hair blackened and wrinkles gone.

"Faunus!" Gothel scolds as he lowers the brush, giving him a pointed look.

"So, Father!" Faunus eagerly speaks as he rises, beaming as he leans his hands on the arm of the chair as Gothel leans back with a raised brow. "Earlier I was saying tomorrow is a pretty big day, and you didn't really respond, so I'm just going to tell you, it's my Birthday!"

Gothel recoils a bit as Faunus laughs and punches his shoulder in a joking manner.

"And there it is! The... important thing I was going to tell you," Faunus grins widely.

Gothel hums a bit, shaking his head. "No, no, that's impossible! I remember very clearly your Birthday was last year."

"Birthdays are funny like that!" Faunus laughs nervously, shrugging. "They happen every year."

Gothel gives him an amused smile, watching as Faunus sighs and sits back down on the stool.

"Father, listen. I'm turning 18, and I wanted to ask..." Faunus sighs as he looks away from Gothel, "What I really want for this birthday..."

Faunus pauses, bitterly smiling as he begins to anxiously mess with his hair while muttering, "Actually, what I wanted for quite a few birthdays now..."

"Faunus, please," Gothel snaps with annoyance, shaking his head. "Stop with the mumbling. You know how I feel about the mumbling."

He raises a hand, imitating it talking.

"Blah-blah-blah, it's really very annoying."

Faunus' face heats up with embarrassment as he looks down with shame, his hands tight around his hair.

"I'm just teasing!" Gothel exclaims with exasperation, patting Faunus' head. "Gotta work on your humor there, flower. It's okay, I still love you!"

Faunus watches with sadness as Gothel rises, starting to walk away towards the basket he had set on the table. A quiet squeak gets his attention, making him look to the source. Pascal waves his hand in an encouraging motion, nodding.

Faunus curls up a bit before exclaiming, not able to take the pressure any longer. "I want to see the floating lights!"

Gothel, who was setting an apple down into the fruit bowl, freezes.

His eyes flick towards Faunus as he lets out a forced chuckle. "What?"

"Well, uh," Faunus rises and pushes a tall stool towards the fireplace, stepping onto it. "Well... I was hoping you would take me to see the floating lights."

Faunus grabs the curtain and tugs it back, revealing his painting of the floating lights.

"Oh," Gothel smiles tensely, looking away. "You mean the stars."

"Actually, no!" Faunus speaks excitedly, grabbing some of his hair and swinging it up.

His hair loops around the handle of a closed window high above, Faunus tugging it open. The sun light shines through, casting over his paintings of astrology he had done around the tower.

"I've charted the stars, and they're always constant," Faunus explains, Gothel looking up at it with narrowed eyes. "But these-- these appear every year on my birthday, Father."

Faunus gestures to the painting of the floating lights, letting his hand fall on the fire place.

"Only on my birthday," he emphasizes, looking over the painting with a wistful smile. "And I just can't help but feel like... they're meant for me."

Gothel stares at the floating lights in the painting, jaw tensed as he frowns and starts towards the window.

"I have to see them, Father," Faunus continues, watching Gothel with a pleading look. "And not just from my window. In person. I need to know what they are."

"You want to go outside, then?" Gothel questions lowly, scoffing as he shakes his head. "Faunus..."

He slams the window shut, turning and approaching Faunus as he steps off the stool.

...

"Look at you, as fragile as a flower!" Gothel grabs his shoulders, looking over Faunus' face. "Still a little sapling, just a sprout."

Faunus frowns at his words, flinching a bit as Gothel pats his head.

"You know why we stay up in this tower," Gothel gestures around at the tower, the room noticeably darkened due to Gothel shutting the window.

Faunus sighs, "I know--"

"That's right!" Gothel praises, grabbing some of Faunus' hair and dragging a hand through it as he stares down at it. "To keep you safe and sound, yes."

Gothel walks over to another set of windows, dramatically sighing as he grabs the curtain. "Guess I always knew this day was coming!"

He draws the curtain shut, making the room appear much darker. Faunus opens his mouth to speak, his hand outstretched towards Gothel.

"Knew that soon you'd want to leave the nest!" Gothel interrupts whatever he was going to say, imitating a bird flying away with his hands as he grabs the staircase railing, stepping up a few steps. "Soon, but not yet."

Faunus steps forward quickly, "But--!"

"Shh!" Gothel hisses and raises a hand, silencing Faunus with a sharp glare. "Trust me, pet. Father..."

Gothel approaches the wall, raising his fist to it.

"Knows best!"

Hitting the side of his fist against the wall, the lever above flicks upward, shutting the windows and causing the tower to completely darken.

"Father knows best..."

Faunus lights a candle, looking around with narrowed eyes as he waves the match to put it out.

"Listen to your father, it's a scary world out there!"

Faunus gasps in alarm as the candle reveals Gothel in the shadows, only for Gothel to disappear into the darkness.

"Father knows best..."

Faunus winces as his hair was tugged on, making him set the candle down as he grabs at it and yanks back. His hair was released, making him stagger backwards.

"One way or another," Gothel appears behind him in a spotlight, catching Faunus. "Something will go wrong, I swear!"

He lets Faunus fall, vanishing once more into the darkness as Faunus frantically looks around for him.

"Ruffians, thugs!"

Faunus gasps at the sight of a silhouette of a man with sharp teeth, making him back away. The thug disappears, followed up by a bush's shadow.

"Poison ivy, quicksand! Cannibals," Gothel pretends to fry a doll on a pan. "And snakes!"

Faunus watches with horror, jumping as Gothel appears beside him with his glowing green lantern and a serious expression. "The plague."

"What? No!" Faunus stammers, shaking his head.

"Yes!" Gothel grins widely at the sound of Faunus' fear, encouraging it.

Gothel vanishes once more, a mop coming into view and hitting Faunus' arm.

"Also large bugs! Women with sharp claws!"

Faunus recoils away, gasping with a horrified expression at the sight of a red painting of an enraged, ugly woman on the ground, her hand raised with sharp nails. Gothel lays on the ground, dramatically placing a hand on his forehead as he shakes his head.

"And-- stop, no more, I'm just appalled!"

Faunus resorts to hiding in a bundle of his hair, eyes darting around as he frowns.

"But father's right here," Gothel appears behind him, taking his hand and helping him up off the floor. "Father will protect you! Buddy, here's what I suggest!"

Faunus hugs him, only to quickly pull away when he realizes he was hugging a mannequin with one of Gothel's cloaks on it.

"Skip the drama!" Gothel walks down the staircase, candles lit on each step and his black cloak over his shoulders. "Stay with papa! Father..."

Gothel lifts his cloak, smirking, "Knows... best!"

He twirls his cloak, the gust of breeze extinguishing the candles' flames and sending the room into total darkness as he laughs eerily.

Faunus quickly works on relighting the candles, not noticing Gothel putting them out behind him.

"Father knows best, take it from your pop-sy, on your own, you won't survive!"

Faunus looks around with narrowed eyes as he backs up towards the mirror, Gothel's hand curling around it from behind.

"Sloppy, underdressed!"

He angles the mirror down towards Faunus' feet, making him back up a few paces in embarrassment.

"Immature," Gothel grabs onto Faunus' hair once more, yanking it so he staggers and falls backwards. "Clumsy! Please, they'll eat you up alive!"

Gothel rolls Faunus up into a hair-burrito, lifting him up to stand on his feet as he sways unevenly.

"Gullible, naive!" Gothel continues, moving away and grabbing his hair with a tug, sending Faunus spiraling as he exclaims in surprise. "Positively grubby! Ditzy and a bit, well..."

Gothel appears beside a dizzy Faunus, looking over him.

"Hmm, plain? Plus, I believe... getting kinda chubby," Gothel taps under Faunus' chin, making his face fall as his eyes widen. "I'm just saying 'cause I love you!"

Faunus' eyebrows furrow with confliction as Gothel hugs him tightly, quickly releasing him and backing away into the darkness.

"Father understands! Father's here to help you..."

Faunus yelps as the little light dies, leaving him stumbling blindly in pitch blackness as he fearfully feels for a candle.

"All I have is one request!"

He looks back as a light turns on, Gothel standing in a spotlight with his arms outstretched in an inviting manner. Faunus sighs in relief, quickly rushing to him. Gothel hugs Faunus, stroking through his hair.

"Faunus?"

Faunus pulls away, meeting his father's gaze. "Yes?"

Gothel's eyes narrow, expression deadly serious. "Don't ever ask to leave this tower... again."

Faunus looks down dejectedly, nodding. "Yes, Father."

Gothel clicks his tongue at his expression, "Hey."

Faunus looks up from the ground in question, frowning sadly.

His brow arches, "I love you. You know that, right?"

"I love you more," Faunus responds, managing a small smile.

Gothel smiles at this, angling Faunus' head down to press a kiss to the top of his hair. "I love you most."

Pulling away, Gothel smirks. "Don't forget it! You'll regret it..." he pats the top of Faunus' hair, "Father... knows best."

Gothel grabs some of Faunus' hair, allowing his hands to trail through it as he walks away towards the window, grabbing his cloak and basket as Faunus watches with disappointment.

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"Ta-ta!" Gothel calls cheerfully as he was lowered from the window, waving to Faunus with his hood over his head. "I'll see you in a bit, my flower!"

Faunus watches him for a moment, sighing as he rolls his eyes lightly.

"I'll... be here," he quietly murmurs, unlooping his hair from the hook and sighing heavily as he rests his arms on the window sill. "Like always."

Faunus' hair sways in the breeze as he watches the sky above, feeling a heavy sadness in his chest as he groans in disappointment and lays his head down on his arms.

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I'm sorry to those who wanted Gothel to stay Mother Gothel! ):

I figured you never really see a father and son toxic relationship in these kind of movies, and I saw that some other Male Rapunzel Stories keep Gothel as a mother so I wanted to be a lil different😭

I apologize if you're disappointed! I hope you'll still read the story!

Until the next chapter, my loves!❤️❤️