Closing Time At The Snuggly Duckling

Closing Time at the Snuggly Duckling

 

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“ELSHA! I’M SHO SHORRY!” Rapunzel bawled, slurring heavily as she clung to Elsa and blubbered. The lisp that Rapunzel had was magnified to epic proportions thanks to the many, many empty mugs surrounding her, and Elsa wondered just how long her flight and Eugene’s talk lasted.

 

“She got into the taps. When Punzie’s motivated, she really is motivated.” The bartender sighed, clearing some of the mugs around Rapunzel while Elsa was trapped in the bear hug.

 

 

“I’m the worsht coushin ever! EVER!” Rapunzel said, using Elsa more as a support now, her hips knocking over a stein as she swiveled in her chair.

 

“You’re sho mad you won’t even shpeak to me!” Rapunzel lamented, crying into Elsa’s shirt before Eugene finally pulled her away and set her straight.

 

“Blondie, Elsa just lost her voice.” Eugene said, trying to keep Rapunzel from falling off her chair.

 

“R… really?” Rapunzel said blearily, looking to Elsa. She smiled and nodded, patting at her throat. Rapunzel wobbled in her direction for a few seconds before giving a delayed look of understanding.

 

“Bu… bu… but I’m shtill the worsht!” Rapunzel said, her eyes welling with tears again.

 

Elsa tried to say something to comfort the girl but could only produce a hissing sound. With Rapunzel’s eruption imminent, Elsa did the only thing she could think of in the situation.

 

She drew in Rapunzel for a hug.

 

Even in her drunken haze, Rapunzel’s eyes widened in shock at Elsa’s sudden openness. She could only count the number of times this had happened on one hand, and that number had most definitely doubled.

 

“Y… YOU… ARE… THE BESHT… BIG… SHISHTER… E… E… EVERRRRRURRHUHRUR!” Rapunzel wept, and while it had the opposite effect of making Rapunzel stop crying, Elsa didn’t mind where it led to. She held Rapunzel tight. Eventually, Rapunzel calmed down enough that she was back to being just drunk rather than an emotional wreck.

 

“Elsha. You are shoooo great, I’m gonna shing you a shong.” Rapunzel announced, and the rest of the Duckling cheered as Rapunzel stumbled on to the stage, using the microphone stand like a crutch. Elsa tried to mime that Rapunzel didn’t have to, but it all just looked like encouragement to Rapunzel’s blurred vision.

 

Soon, Rapunzel was belting out a drunken rendition of some Mandy Moore song, and Elsa was surprised and impressed that Rapunzel was doing so well even if she was three sheets to the wind. She turned to see if Eugene was enjoying his girlfriend’s performance, but it seemed like he was in a deep conversation with the giant man again.

 

With nothing to do and no one to talk to, Elsa went to her default mode when out in a social setting.

 

She sat there and did nothing.

 

While her talk with Eugene did sober her a bit from thinking about deeper sources of despair, familiar old complaints started bubbling up inside her. The music was too loud, the place smelled funny, her feet were tired, so on and so forth.

 

It wasn’t until she heard the clatter of dishware on the counter in front of her that Elsa was brought back to earth from her musings. She stared at a steaming bowl of brown slop.

 

“A lot on your mind, kid?” The hookhanded man slid in to the seat that Rapunzel had occupied, his replacement appendage expertly balancing a mug of beer.

 

Elsa wanted to look away, but she’d already acknowledged his presence. She stared in his general direction, but tried not to make eye contact.

 

“Yer a lot different than what I thought you’d be like, hearing about you from Anna. Punzie filled us in on some of the other stuff, but I gotta admit I didn’t expect you to be as bad off as her when she first came round.” Hookhand said, pointing with his good arm at Rapunzel, who was busy performing a riveting air guitar solo.

 

“Now Punzie! Punzie was a mess! Came in here, half ready to bolt, jumpin at every little thing… not that I can blame her, after all.” Hookhand chuckled. Elsa still didn’t really know how to act and just kept staring through the man.

 

“Quiet aren’tcha?” Hookhand laughed again, and Elsa could already feel the blush in her cheeks. She knew she wasn’t the type to talk, at all, and she hated whenever anybody pointed that fact out. She patted at her throat again and coughed, hoping that her point came across.

 

“Nah, I know about yer voicebox, kid. But I figured yer just the type to be quiet too.” Hookhand said. He nudged the chili closer to Elsa. “Eat it. One bite even. It’s got a helluva kick goin’ down, but it’ll be good for yer voice come tomorrow.”

 

Elsa looked down at the bubbling orange goo and back again to Hookhand. The thug had already finished his drink and pounded the glass on the counter, burping and standing back up.

 

“That one’s on me, kid. The rest of Punzie’s drinks, too. Looks like she needed to cut loose tonight.” Hookhand said, putting his arms akimbo as Rapunzel was singing a power ballad dedicated to Eugene.

 

“And kid?” Hookhand said, looking Elsa straight in the eye. “So what if yer a little bit quiet? I’m sure that just makes the people that do listen to ya pay more attention, right?” he said before he left to join one of the rowdier tables.

 

Elsa was left with her thoughts and her chili. What the man said wasn’t anything new to her. Anna, Rapunzel, even Eugene, they did listen to her, and she was grateful for that. Would she always be the one running away, only to be reminded about how much they cared whenever she looked over her shoulder to see them running after her?

 

Would she ever feel as if she deserved it?

 

She tried a spoonful of the chili.

 

It was painful, but it was warm.