Rain or Shine (UnWilling Roommates book 2.5)

Billpunzel

(Rapunzel AU requested by my sweet friend CandyMoon6583. She's just adorable. :3)

The night sky was overcast, but a sliver of moonlight leaked through the clouds.  Deep in the forest, in a hidden meadow, stood a once-majestic stone tower.

The sounds of nocturnal wildlife and the nearby waterfall masked any noise that might have been made as a dark figure slipped into the valley.  The unknown person paused, taking in the sight of the tower, then strode to its base and began climbing without hesitation.

A stone broke loose from the wall and the intruder slipped, nearly falling, halfway up the tower.  Years of exposure had left the rocks weathered and cracked, providing convenient hand- and foot-holds.  Without much trouble, the figure reached the sole window at the very top, eased open the shutter, and vaulted neatly inside the tower.

The intruder somersaulted on the floor, landing on their feet gracefully, only to be immediately met with a frying pan in the face.  The figure was unconscious before they'd even realized what was happening.  All that registered in their field of vision was a yellow blur.

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Sunshine was streaming through the window by the time the intruder regained consciousness.  Slowly, her eyes focused on a good-looking man dressed in a yellow tuxedo.  He had a triangular patch over one eye, and he was holding a frying pan threateningly.

Also, his blond hair was apparently a mile long.

The strange man and the intruder stared each other down for a long moment.  Slowly, the girl's eyes followed the man's hair to the ground, realizing it was wrapped around the chair she was sitting in.

"EEWWWWWW!" she squealed.  "I'm sitting in HAIR?!  This is SO GROSS!"

She struggled frantically, trying to free herself from her hairy restraints, but only succeeded in tangling herself up further.  

"Who are you?" the yellow man demanded.  "How did you find me here?"

Giving up with a sigh, she resigned herself to glaring at the stranger.  "Cool your jets, man.  It's not like I came here on purpose.  I didn't even know anyone was living here."

"Then what are you doing here?" he snapped, pointing his frying pan at her.

"I said chill!  I was just hiding out here until the guards stop searching for me.  I'm sort of... on the run," she admitted, squirming uncomfortably in her chair.

"You're on the run?  Why?" he started, staring at her eagerly, then stopped himself.

"Sorry. I guess I haven't seen any other people in a long time.  I'm Bill, by the way," he introduced himself, setting down his frying pan and holding his hand out to her.  She just raised an eyebrow.

"I'm a little tied up at the moment," she pointed out.

He dropped his hand awkwardly.  "Right.  Sorry."

He knelt by her elbow and began to untie her but stopped.  "Wait, why were you on the run?"

She groaned.  "Well... I killed someone.  But it was an accident.  And then I killed a couple more people, and... it wasn't an accident," she admitted.

He didn't look shocked or disgusted as she'd expected.  "Cool."  He nodded to himself and began untying his hair from her arms.

"Wait, what are you doing?  I just told you I'm a murderer," she insisted.

He shrugged.  "Yeah, but it's not like I knew those people you killed," he said nonchalantly.  "And you have no reason to kill me, do you?"

She stared at him for a long moment.  "I guess not."