surrounded by enormous piles of money

( ben barnes. 34. cis male. he/him. ) the story of RAPUNZEL now lives in the soul of EUGENE “FLYNN RIDER” ELLINGTON, aged THIRTY-FOUR years. they’re a LOCAL, having been in woodvale for EIGHT YEARS in the WEST as a(n) BARTENDER AT IRON & ORE’S BAR/PART TIME THIEF. and yeah, they definitely have the vibes of FLYNN RIDER with the powers of INVISIBILITY, don’t you think?

INTRO

In all honesty, Arthur wouldn’t consider himself to be a big drinker. He’s not the sort to go out to bars every night, and while his memories can be fuzzy after a few too many, he’s never blacked out and done something wild…at least he hasn’t to his own knowledge. His visits to bars is to have a good time with friends - which is what his exact intentions were at Iron & Ore’s that very night. And yet, when he meets Flynn’s eyes upon entering, a faint blush can’t help but warm his cheeks. Still, Arthur laughs regardless. “I don’t at the moment, but if my plans change at all, I’ll be sure to let you know about them first,” He taps his index finger at his forehead, then points to Flynn. “What’re you in the middle of making now?” He asks. “Just make it a double and I’ll have one too.”

good, he wasn’t upset with his joke. not that flynn would have particularly cared, but it was easier on all parties if he just avoided making enemies in this town. especially over something like a meaningless comment on the other man’s actions when he was drunk. “a warning would definitely be appreciated, maybe I’ll clock out beforehand,” as for the question, he already started grabbing the ingredients for a second before answering, “amaretto sour, coming right up.”

Elinor squinted their eyes, sizing the man up and down to see if they’d actually believe this. It was a bit ridiculous, right? But then again, perhaps it’d be a dick move to make a bigger deal out of it than it needs to be, “Hmm, where are you from?” He’d mentioned traveling, after all, “Maybe they weren’t as much of a piece of pop culture there, but I’d check if one of your parents just stole the inspiration for the name.”

“england, originally. smaller town.” at least that part was true. “i wasn’t much of a reader as a child, i think those books missed me entirely.” as for checking with his parents, he couldn’t help but laugh lightly. “unfortunately, their side of the story won’t be known. they passed a few years back.” or maybe they’re out there somewhere, who can say? he definitely has no clue.

If there was one thing she was going to be a bit hesitant around, it was boys. Despite her whole worldview being put into question, everything being upturned when she left, a few of the teachings that the woman who masqueraded as her mother had instilled in her stuck to the back of her brain. The root of all evil in the world came from men, she’d been told - selfish, pig-headed, disgusting men who felt they were entitled to all of the good things just because of what parts they were born with. But this man didn’t seem like that at all; quite the opposite, in fact. He was nice enough to answer her question, after all. “ Chocolate is always a good choice, ” she agreed with a little nod, smiling a small, courteous smile. “ It was always a really special thing in my house. Chocolate and ice cream. ” She laughed softly. “ But I also do really love strawberries… ” Looking back to the menu board, thinking for a moment, pondering on weather she should just get two scoops, before the question came.

Looking over, the blonde smiled again. “ Both, actually, ” she offered in return. “ I’ve only been here in town a few weeks. So it’s my first time here, too. ” There was a brief pause, then her hand came out, and the out-of-habit smile turned genuine and friendly. “ Rochelle. ”  No one was inherently bad or evil, she wanted to believe that more than anything, and sometimes it took her offering her hand to earn it. “ Are you a regular here ? ” Her question was curiosity, but also causality, trying for an actual conversation.

flynn really wasn’t the one with the best opinions on ice cream, sweet treats weren’t really something he indulged in often even with the time he’s spent here, materialistic things were what he liked getting himself, not something that only lasts a short time. but it seemed like she liked his suggestions enough as she spoke about the two flavors two decide between. he couldn’t relate to chocolate being a special thing for him but it was definitely tasty.

her hand came out and he brought out his as well, shaking it for a moment before letting go. he was a thief but he was still always a gentleman. especially with new people such as herself. “flynn rider.” with her answer, he nodded, curious as to what brought her to the town but unable to bring it up yet because she asked her own question, “i’m normally here early in the morning for their waffles, i hate making breakfast for myself.” it was much easier to just come here. “figured it was hot enough to get some ice cream.”

“is it?” she says softly, “i mean, i don’t learn much new just kinda… rely on the old most of the time.”

“of course, I didn’t get the title of best bartender in woodvale as soon as I showed up.” it wasn’t his plan either, “you haven’t been fired yet so, you can’t be that bad. relying on the old must be working.”

             (  @folkloremstart​  )    ‘  this  looks  and  feels  more  cult-ish  than  that  one  sorority  recruitment  video  that  came  out  a  few  years  ago  .  ’    cue  her  staring  at  a  reflection  of  herself  ,   ever  present  frown  upon  her  lips  as  she  adjusts  the  flower  crown  that  was  placed  on  her  head  earlier  .    ‘  ew  .  ’   but  still  pretty  .  

“i think they’ve really outdone themselves this year.” truly, it was impressive how strange this town could be. even after living here for years, he still doesn’t fully understand this event of theirs, but he didn’t skip it.

“somewhat new.” she says honestly, looking to the plants below her, “though, i got hired for being good with plants… not selling them.”

“i figured. flynn rider, i work in the bar downstairs.” with her second comment, he laughed, “I’m sure you’re doing fine, selling is a skill that can be learned like any other.”

GAZE  STEADY  &  SMIRK  WIDENING    ophelié  raises  a  hand  to  cradle  her  chin ,    black  nails  digging  into  the  flesh  of  her  apple  cheeks.    “   why ,    yes ,   ”    she  persists ,    tutting  at  the  glint  of  gold  underneath  his  fingers ,    “   not  your  colour  at  all.   ”    she  doesn’t  move  from  her  position  behind  the  desk ,    nail  file  discarded  on  the  glass  countertop.    “   i  think  silver  would  much  better  suit  your  complexion  :    a  jawline  as  sharp  as  yours  must  come  with  a  warning  label ,    huh  ?   ”

with her insistence that it wasn’t right for him, flynn simply put it back. not that he really thought she was right about it not looking good; because if you asked him, everything looked good on him, but going along with the woman seemed more interesting that a pointless insistence that gold looked good on him. “then I will try silver next,” her comment on his jawline made him smirk, “now, a warning label may drive some away, that’s the opposite of what i want.”

“Let me guess you work late. One of the bars?” It felt like the most obvious answer and a reasonable one at that. She could easily picture him in one of the dimly lit bars she never went to. Now she was curious to see if she was right. “Honestly I hate the feeling. My body is demanding sleep but my mind has other plans.” It wasn’t a common occurrence for her, thankfully. If it was she was pretty sure she wouldn’t she would actually lose her mind. “Almost never really. But I think they’re worth admiring, so that’s what I’m going to do tonight.”

“best bartender in town.” maybe not, but using his job as an excuse for being out late was better than anything else he could use. for obvious reasons, he doesn’t talk about being a thief and saying that his sleep schedule has been almost nocturnal for over half of his life would lead to more questions. flynn nodded as she spoke about hating when she can’t wind down, “have you tried anything to help you sleep?” he didn’t know why exactly he was still standing out here at night, having conversations with a girl he didn’t know, but it seemed like a good use of time. “i suppose that’s as good of a reason as any.”

starter status : OPEN / @folkloremstart location : KRAUSE’S ICE CREAM & CHOCOLATE CO. featuring : ROCHELLE & YOUR MUSE

Most of her day had been spent trying to keep out of the heat, as summer was hanging heavy and humid on Woodvale by this afternoon. However, the moment the heat finally broke, she was out of the house, traversing down the street and making a stop at a place that had caught her eye the day before. Krause’s just seemed like the right place to go to beat the heat, and she was always up for something sweet. Of course, she had grab both candy and ice cream. One she’d take home, and one she’d eat at one of the little two-person fancy white tables they had scattered about the parlor. But there was the dilemma - she didn’t know what kind of ice cream she wanted. They had so many flavors up on the board, and she had very little experience with actual ice cream. When she was a little girl, she’d mostly been restricted to frozen yogurt and soft-serve because of her health.

Now, with a pretty paper bag of bought pre-packed candy hanging onto her wrist, she stood just off to the side, trying to decide what to choose. She’d been staring up at the board for what felt like an age now, and she couldn’t take it anymore. “ Excuse me ? ” The nearest person would be kind enough to help her, right ? “ It’s my first time here. Do you recommend anything ? I’ve been having trouble choosing a flavor. ” She had a few fruity things in her bag, so maybe she could stick to the theme, or get something totally different - she didn’t know.

krause was somewhere that flynn found himself in quite often. he enjoyed ice cream and candy as much as the next person, but that wasn’t why he came. he was usually here on the mornings he didn’t want to cook breakfast for himself, which honestly ended up being more often than not, so he was here for waffles. today was not one of those days, it was hot in woodvale today and he needed something sweeter and colder. so he was trading his waffle visit for an ice cream visit.

he was waiting to order when the girl in front of him spoke up and caught his attention, usually he wasn’t one that people wanted recommendations from besides drinks but he wouldn’t just tell her no. “for a first timer, i would probably just stick with chocolate. or even strawberry, though i don’t really get that one often enough here to know if it’s truly that good.” flynn looked her over, she didn’t seem familiar but honestly if they weren’t regulars at his bar or otherwise noteworthy, he may not have known her. “are you new to woodvale or just krause’s?”

Now look, Elinor had absolutely no problem with someone changing their name - if he felt it suited him, so be it. But they also just genuinely couldn’t believe his response, so the writer just ended up squinting at him for a few seconds instead, “The Flynnagin Rider series? I know you know what those are,” It’d be insane if he didn’t, right? Maybe his parents just never told him, “That’s like being named Winnie the Pooh.”

“ah, those, I haven’t read them,” another lie, “honestly I never even heard of them until I started traveling and the occasional person would ask about it.” flynn finished cleaning one glass and went onto another one, “as far as I’m aware, the name is just a coincidence.” it was more of him being a huge superfan as a child, though even if it was his real name, it’s not like his parents were around to ask about his name’s origin. 

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞   jewellery  estate  of  woodvale  north ,    so  when  ophélie  had  joined  its  ranks  in  the  footsteps  of  her  father  on  the  eve  of  her  eighteenth  birthday ,    it  was  safe  to  say  that  minimal  were  surprised.    a  hand  clasping  the  crook  of  her  chin ,    ophélie  studied  her  reflection  in  the  small  hand  –  held  mirror  before  her ,    brushing  a  stray  strand  of  black  hair  from  her  face  as  a  customer  attempted  to  grasp  her  attention  from  the  watch  cabinet.    “  give  me  a  second  :    almost  got  it.  ”    waving  the  inquiry  off  with  her  hand ,    ophélie  pressed  a  finger  into  the  side  of  her  cheek ,    tilting  her  face  to  the  side  to  examine  for  any  imperfections.    “  sorry ,    what  did  you  wan –     oh  my   ⸻   gold  is  definitely  not  your  color.  ” ㅤㅤㅤㅤ(  @folkloremstart​  )

jewelry was always something he pictured looking good on him. when he was in foster homes and imagining a future where he was rich enough to do whatever he wanted, before he decided eugene ellington was dead to him, which is what he usually calls the dark ages, there was always some form of jewel on him. a crown, a fancy watch, something that told anyone that saw him that he was living the life. but when he did get nice jewelry, selling it was usually his first thought. now seemed like the time to actually keep something, or at least try stuff on and see how he feels. and flynn was quite enjoying the watch he was currently trying on, but she seemed to disagree. “you think so?” his head turned to her, “i thought it looked quite dashing on me.”

        and  she’s  quite  good  at  this  ,   isn’t  she ?    ‘  oh  ,  parli  italiano ?  kidding  -  did  you  just  say  that  because  of  my  accent ?  the  models  back  in  italy  are  a  different  breed  .   i  would  know  -  ’   for  she  is  one  of  them !  and  perhaps  lisa  is  patting  her  own  back  with  the  compliments  herself  .  and  she  raises  a  brow  at  him  ,   sticks  out  her  hand  .    ‘  lisa  bianchi  .   i  am  pleased  to  have  your  interest  in  the  group  .  ’  

flynn grinned, he would take any chance to flex his traveling knowledge, “l'italia era uno dei miei posti preferiti,” he had plenty of time to learn how to speak the language while he was spending time taking people’s stuff and sitting in a jail cell for it. it just wasn’t often he got to speak it around here. “I’m sure a charming girl like yourself is getting lots of interest in the group.”

“There’s no way your parents legitimately named you ‘Flynn Rider’,” Elinor chuckled under their breath, only slightly wondering if the bartender could hear them. Maybe he could, maybe he couldn’t, but Elinor smelled bullshit here, “Unless they were some kinda crazed super-fans…”

@dashingrogueflynn​​

flynn didn’t get to have moderately successful career as a thief without working on his senses, and he’d like to think his hearing was a good one. so he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to hear their comments on his name, but he did. there was the occasional person that knew of the tales of flynnagin rider and asked about his name, but he usually pretended like he didn’t know the book. “fans of what?” he grinned, as far as he was concerned, flynn rider was absolutely the real name of the man he was today.

if you asked flynn, he would say he has countless talents. being quiet when needed, slipping into places, being charming even when leaving someone at the altar. granted, that last bit wasn’t his finest moment, but he was still charming. he was everything a good thief should be. a lesser known talent of his is recognizing faces. it was a useful one, it came in handy when knowing what person he saw earlier that day was a cop to avoid or who he already stole from before. granted, that wasn’t needed much in woodvale, but it was still useful here. it came in handy with his bartender job, though it still wasn’t always necessary, usually people knew when to stop themselves, but once or twice he would have to cut someone off and it was good to remember who that was to keep an eye out. like the man that just sat down at the bar. he offered an easy grin, his tone light as he spoke, even if his words weren’t as light. “no plans to get kicked out this time, right? it’s such a hassle for me.” it was a joke, and maybe the man didn’t even remember it, he was super drunk, but flynn doesn’t usually think before he speaks. “what can I get you?”