#feistypantswrites

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Anna looked up from the toilet to see her husband’s worried features staring down at her. His brows were furrowed, lips twisted to one side as he leaned up against the sink, a glass of water in hand. She nodded only once before deciding it was too much movement and lowering her head back into the opening. 

“I’ll be fine,” she mumbled, pressing her forehead against the porcelain. “Just a bug.”

She felt his hand spread out over her back and rub in small, soothing circles as he knelt beside her. “I can see if they can put Nemo in for tonight, join up with them in Buffalo tomorrow…”

“No, no.” Anna sighed with relief as a cool cloth settled against the back of her neck. “It’s really…” She scooted back up onto her knees as she retched again, panting for air as the nausea shook her. “It’s okay.”

“Babe…”

Reaching blinding to pat at his knee, Anna did her best to look up at him for just a moment and reassure him. “Honestly. I promise. I’ll be good as new tomorrow.”

She could feel the hesitation radiating off of him, so she crossed her arms over the toilet and rested her cheek against them. “Kristoff. Seriously. I can handle a bug.” His hand stopped moving against her back. “I’ll call you tonight after the game and I’ll be good, I promise.”

Kristoff sighed and leaned forward to press a kiss against her sweaty forehead and nodded, giving up way quicker than she thought he would. “All right,” he said as he stood up. “But if you need anything, you just call and I’ll be on the first flight home, okay?”

“Okay, honey.”

“You’ll call?”

Anna nodded, and reached over for the glass of water he left beside her. “I promise I’ll call.” She shrugged once. “Also, don’t forget my sister is here. And Honeymaren. If I need something I can bother them, too.”

That seemed to ease his worries enough, and he started backing out of the bathroom. “Please call though.”

“I will.”

“I love you.”

Anna smiled, and swallowed the bile she could feel rising in her throat. “I love you, too.”

—

“It keeps hitting in waves. Like, I’ll be totally fine and then out of nowhere, I’m curled around the toilet again.” Anna pouted as she pulled the blankets up to her chin. “And I can’t do anything, I’m so tired.” She heard Elsa humming on the other side of the line and frowned. “It’s been going on for a few days and I’m trying not to worry Kristoff, but I’m feeling all blegh.”

Her sister was too silent for her liking. “What are you thinking?”

Elsa sighed. “Mom used to get really awful periods like this, when we were little. Remember she had the hysterectomy?” 

Anna frowned. “... Yeah…”

“When are you supposed to get it?”

She… honestly didn’t know the answer to that. “Hang on,” she mumbled, pulling her phone down from her ear to pull up a tracker app she had started using.

Except that it said her current cycle was at 57 days.

“That’s… not right…”

“What’s wrong?”

Anna tapped it, trying to remember. “When did I have my last period?” 

Her sister let out a chuckle. “We’re plenty close, but I don’t track your cycle, Anna.”

“No, I…” Anna refreshed it as she thought. “I must have missed tracking it last month. It says fifty-seven days. That’s…” She was trying to wrack her brain, trying to remember what happened almost thirty days ago. Did she have it? Did they go somewhere?

Wait. It was Elsa and Honey’s wedding. 

She definitely didn’t have it then. 

The stress could have delayed it… But Anna honestly couldn’t remember having it at any point between then and now, either…

“Hey, Elsa?”

She made a noise of acknowledgement.

“Can you go to the store for me?”

—

Anna was pacing as she listened for the sound of her sisters’ car. As soon as she told her what she needed, Elsa practically ran out the door, promising to be there within the hour. 

This couldn’t be right. It couldn’t be. She was on birth control. Sure, it wasn’t one hundred percent effective, but she did her best to take it consistently.

But with everything going in the fall, it was very likely she had gotten lazy about it, or forgotten altogether once or twice. 

There was no sense panicking yet. Nothing was confirmed. She just couldn’t remember her last period. And it was possible she was four weeks late. And she was throwing up for three days. And she was sore. And tired. And shit shit shit shit shit.

Elsa let herself in, and power walked through the house to find Anna in the living room. “All right, I got five different tests.” She dug through the bag and produced them one at a time. “Some digital, some regular, this one is supposed to be very sensitive and can detect it earlier, this one is fast, and this one they said is the most accurate and --”

Anna grabbed the closest one and ran towards the bathroom, hollering “I will take all of them!” as she slammed the door shut, and ripped the box open. As she read the directions, her sister came in with all of the tests back in the bag, and a clean cup for her, offering that maybe dipping would be easier since Anna wanted to do all five.

So she did, box by box, test by test, marking which ones needed how much time, and set a timer before sitting back on the toilet and hugging her knees to her chest.

This wasn’t the plan. This wasn’t what they had decided. Before they took the step into marriage, they had a long and emotional discussion about everything to do with children and family. Kristoff had been working on things with a counselor, doing his best to unpack some of the trauma he had bottled up, but he was still hesitant - still so afraid of being like his father.

Anna had known from the beginning that this was a fear of his, and she had agreed from day one that they would wait until they were both one hundred percent ready to start the family. Together they decided that Kristoff would be the one to open the discussion, as it was mostly his worries that were holding them back.

But he had just signed another four year contract. 

The timer blared, snapping her out of her thoughts as Elsa looked at her, lip caught between her teeth. 

Anna pressed her forehead against her knees and sighed. “I can’t look.”

She heard Elsa gathering up the tests, taking a moment to look at them, and placing them back down. “They’re all the same.”

Okay, so whichever it was, it was probably right.

“What does it say?”

Elsa hesitated before tapping Anna’s hand, and placing one of the sticks into her now open palm. Anna covered the screen with her thumb, sat up, placed her feet flat on the ground and took a deep breath before removing her finger.

Two lines. 

Pregnant.

“They’re all the same?” Anna could hear the tightness in her throat as her free hand rose up to cover her mouth. 

Elsa nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, they’re all the same.”

When Anna fully looked up to her sister, with tears welling up her eyes, she saw the same joy she felt reflected in Elsa’s expression. 

“I’m pregnant?” This wasn’t real.

“You’re pregnant.”

Oh. Maybe it was.

Anna practically jumped off of the seat and threw her arms around her sisters’ neck, sobs pulling from deep in her chest as Elsa rubbed at her back. She knew Anna’s reasons for not actively trying before, and It was as if Elsa could sense the conflict burning through her veins. “It’s okay, you’re all right.”

“I…” Anna whimpered, letting her whole body slump. “I’m so happy. What if Kristoff isn’t?”

“He will be.”

“But --”

“He will be.”

Anna nodded, letting go and wiping at her face. “I guess I should make a doctor’s appointment.”

—

It was day seven of his roadie, and Anna had been ignoring his calls for three days.

“Hey baby, I hope you’re still feeling okay. I’m sorry I missed you. It’s late so you’re probably asleep. Sven wanted to go out and celebrate. I’ll call tomorrow?”

It’s all right! We’ll talk later!!

“Hi beautiful. I can’t believe I keep missing you. Should we set a time later? I miss you.”

Sorry! Elsa was over and I didn’t hear my phone. I miss you too.

“I’m starting to feel like you’re screening my calls. Is everything okay?”

I’m not! Just bad timing. I never want to just call you though because you’re way busier. I love you. Everything is okay!

“I texted Elsa. She said you’re still feeling kind of sick. Do you need me to come home? Just say the word.”

No babe, don’t worry.

Okay, just… let me know. I love you.

After that, it seemed like he had stopped trying. Anna felt guilty, she did, but this wasn’t over the phone news… and she didn’t think she’d be able to stop herself from telling him if she actually talked to him. Besides, he’d be home in two days and she could tell him then. And… well she wasn’t quite sure how that conversation would go.

She watched his remaining games and made sure to text him about how proud she was and how much she loved him and that she was going to bed before he would be out of the locker room.

He didn’t even bother to reply tonight.

Anna told herself it was because they were mourning the loss and probably on their way to the airport immediately after the game. It would be well past midnight when they landed, and even later when he would finally get home. She would definitely be asleep, and hoped that a night of rest would put him in a better mood for the discussion that they would be facing tomorrow. 

But anxiety kept her awake long into the night.

Long enough that she heard him come through the door, drop his keys, throw his gear into their laundry room, and head up the stairs as quietly as possible.

Anna had the lights out, but she pulled the blankets over her shoulder and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping he would believe that she was asleep. Sometimes, if he came back late enough, he would just sleep in the spare room to not disturb her.

Maybe he would do that now.

He opened the door. She heard his steps stop, heard him sigh, and then noticed the light receding behind her eyes as he shut it again. It took a moment for her to decide if he had left or not, but just a few minutes later the door was opening again, and he was making his way quietly to his side of the bed. 

Kristoff climbed in, and immediately wrapped his arms around her, pulling Anna flush to his chest.

Oh. She hadn’t realized how much she missed him.

Anna could feel the tears coming as he pressed two soft kisses against the back of her neck.

A small stir, to pretend she was just waking. “Kristoff?” she mumbled, doing her best to fake sleep-slurred speech.

“Hi baby,” he whispered, pressing another kiss behind her ear. “I missed you.”

She swallowed, her throat tight, as she pulled his arms tighter around her. “I missed you, too.”

Kristoff was silent, just breathing softly behind her as she cuddled into his embrace. How did she go five days without talking to him? How had she ever? But then his voice broke through the darkness again, strangled and upset. “Why were you ignoring me?”

“I… I wasn’t…”

“You were.”

Anna started to twist around to face him as he let go of her body. “I was not!”

“Okay.” 

He slid away from her and moved to get up, pausing only when her hands tangled into his shirt. “Wait, please, just…”

She could hear the tears in his breathing, could feel all of the agony radiating off of him. 

Would he understand?

Would he be angry?

“Can we talk about it tomorrow?” She wanted one night of him holding her close before she had to deal with it.

He shook his head. “I’d rather talk about it now.”

“But we’re both tired, and I missed you and --”

“Okay. I’ll sleep in the guest room.” Kristoff was swinging his legs over the side of the bed, gripping at her hands. 

No, no no. She needed him here. “Wait, please, I…”

He froze, giving her a chance. Just one. She had to say something. She had to tell him. 

“I’m pregnant.”

This was the longest silence of her life.

“I just…” She sat up, and cupped his jaw with her palms. “I didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t know if you’d be upset or… I just… I didn’t want to tell you over the phone and I knew I’d blurt it out if we talked and I…” she ran her fingers across the stubble on his cheeks. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I just… I’m really happy but also really nervous and I just didn’t want to talk about it on the phone I… I shouldn’t have ignored you. I’m --”

“You’re pregnant?”

Anna held her breath. “Yes.”

The barely there moonlight was all that illuminated his face. She couldn’t read him, couldn’t see well enough to know what he was thinking. All she had was the silence that was dragging on and on. 

“I know this wasn’t the plan. I know that we’re not there yet. I… I know you’ve been working with Yelena, working on it but I…” She hesitated before wrapping her arms around his shoulders and leaning into him, letting out a small sigh of relief when his arms circled around her waist in return. “Babe, please say something.”

His grip tightened around her, his cheek pressing against hers and his breathing erratic before he practically whimpered out an “I’m gonna be a dad?”

“Yeah, honey, you are.” Anna felt him bury his nose into her neck, felt his whole body start to shake. “Is this good crying?” He nodded, and Anna felt her whole body relax, the whole last week of stress melting away as he sat back just enough to look at her, eyes still wet.

Kristoff lifted his hands to her jaw, stroking soft thumbs over her skin before he began peppering kisses across her face; her nose, lips, eyelids, forehead, and Anna felt herself start to cry, too. She couldn’t begin to put into words the immense relief she felt as he kissed her full on the mouth, a small laugh bubbling out of him.

“I…” he let out another breath and pressed his forehead against hers. “I was going to bring it up at the end of the season.” 

Anna felt her stomach swoop. “What?”

“I told you, right when we first… started…” another short chuckle. “That I wanted a really big family. I meant it. I could…” His palms slid down the length of her arms before taking her hands in his. “It’s been so hard to wait, Anna. But I knew it was for the best. For me…” He laid gentle kisses against her knuckles. “We’ve been married for three years now, and… I’ve already proven to myself that I can be a pretty good husband.” He paused and kissed her fingers again. “Right?”

“The best,” she agreed, nodding enthusiastically. 

“I didn’t think I could be that.” He swallowed and fiddled with her engagement ring. “But if I can be… I think I’ll be able to be a pretty good dad, too.” He shrugged. “Even when playing.”

Anna laughed and laid a palm against his cheek. “You definitely will be.”

A new silence, one filled with hope and love and excitement stretched between them, before Anna darted forward and threw herself into his arms, kissing him wherever her mouth landed. 

“I love you so much.”

Kristoff laughed, held her close, and returned her kisses with just as much fervor.

“If you don’t stop,” he mumbled against her, his hands roaming freely, “we’re going to get started on number two right now.”

Anna stood quietly, tapping her ring against the champagne flute in her hand, a soft smile playing at her lips as she watched her fiancé laughing at the edge of the ballroom. He had come to find his footing in these settings, even if he wasn’t the biggest fan of larger events, and Anna was more and more impressed with him each day.

Her coronation was the worst, Kristoff just standing by awkwardly as she could barely get a moment to say hello to him, much less get to help ease the tension for him. She hated knowing he was uncomfortable, hated knowing it was her fault that he was stuck in this situation. Anna knew that if he had the choice, Kristoff would much prefer to be in the mountains, but he loved her enough that he stayed with her, even if he hated it.

“Your Majesty?”

Her attention turned back to the dignitary from who knows where with whom she was speaking to before she got distracted. 

“Oh, goodness, I’m sorry.” Anna lifted the glass to her lips, sipping lightly before covering her mouth with her hand. “You were saying?”

More than once, she was distracted by Kristoff. Something about him just fascinated her from day one, and when his gaze found hers through the large room of people, Anna felt her smile grow. 

She remembered the first time it happened, after they fell two hundred feet off a cliff’s edge. After he lifted her out of the snow like she was nothing, after he looked at her and asked her what now? His deep honey eyes locked onto hers, and suddenly she was imagining his broad body hoisting her up and her whole face flushed as she remembered this is not the time, Anna!

And it happened again a couple of days later after he kissed her on the docks and turned her knees to jelly. She watched with pure adoration as he ran towards the sled, admiring all of its upgraded features. It was then that she knew she would do whatever it took to keep that big smile on his face. 

Then he looked up at her, practically skipped back to where she was glued to the spot, and grabbed her hands. 

Wanna go for a ride?

It was almost a childish glee that had taken over him, and Anna knew that the little flutter in her heart was real this time, not just desperation, and after their week together, she knew she could trust him not to break her.

She bit her lip before nodding enthusiastically, watching with interest as Kristoff hooked up Sven, and climbed up into the carriage as soon as he waved her on, his hands outstretched to help pull her up.

Where do you want to go?

Anna scooted a little closer, pretending to ignore the pink that had spread across both their cheeks. Anywhere, she smiled, before correcting herself. Everywhere. Then she grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together. As long as you come with me.

He had let out a huff of a laugh before grabbing the reins with one hand and squeezing her fingers with the other. 

Alright, Sven. Let’s take her highness anywhere and everywhere.

It became an everyday thing, her being distracted. She’d look at him across the table, across the room, across the courtyard, and her face would warm, a dopey smile pulling at her lips as he continued to do whatever he was doing. He didn’t even need to be doing anything special, really. Once she caught him just fixing his boots, sewing up a hole in the side, and just the pure reliability of it all made her fall even harder. 

Maybe she knew how to be a royal, but it wasn’t until Kristoff was in her life that she learned more practical things - how to sew, how to start a fire, how to find her direction without a compass - and she was forever grateful for it. 

Especially when…

Anna shook her head, not wanting to relive that.

She couldn’t bear being apart from him now, so she politely excused herself before crossing the floor with less grace than was expected of her, and practically threw herself at her fiancé, who, as always, was ready to catch her.

“Hi, baby,” he smiled, pressing his forehead against hers as her arms wrapped around his neck. 

I love you, baby! Anna had felt the fondness spread across her features again, as he slid up to her, his bashfulness taking over. I do…

She loved him, too. So much, from day one. More each day, for always. 

She lifted her hands to his cheeks, nuzzling her nose softly against his. “Hi, honey. I missed you.”

A woman beside them coughed loudly, rolling her eyes before walking away with a smile. They parted only slightly, his hands resting on her hips. “It’s barely been an hour,” he teased, placing on kiss against her palm as she stroked a gentle hand down his cheek.

“Yes but it’s our engagement announcement.” Anna clasped her hands together behind his neck. “I shouldn’t have to be away from you for even a minute.”

Kristoff rolled his eyes, but tightened his grip on her. “And her majesty should have whatever she so pleases, right?”

“As should my prince consort,” she hemmed, turning her nose up slightly in mock snobbery. 

The first time they talked about their future, Anna had been so nervous that nervous was an understatement. They had been together for about eight months, and while everything was going so, so well, she knew that her lifestyle could be stifling, to put it mildly. Things had been better since the gates were opened, but for someone who lived a free life on the mountains…

Anna walked with him slowly up the stairs of the palace, their fingers interlaced as they climbed to their favorite spot on the roof. The way his hand squeezed hers gently, Anna knew he knew that this conversation might be a rough one, but they both held steady. 

They sat, her curled up against his side, his fingers playing in her hair. 

You know I love you, right? She had asked, her fingers playing with the hem of her skirts. I love you so, so much, and I can’t believe how lucky I am… and… 

He had quieted her with a soft kiss, one arm pulling her closer to his side. I know, he had replied, kissing her again and again and again until tears started to fall down her cheeks. She just wanted him to be happy. She just wanted to be with him. 

She was afraid those things wouldn’t align. 

But he had tucked her up under his chin and told her that wherever she was, that’s where he wanted to be. Whether it was in a castle or in an abandoned barn… She was his home now.

Anna had cried more, kissed him again, and immediately commissioned them a cabin up in the secluded woods of the mountains. One that they spent many many days hiding in alone, showing one another just how in love they were.

Her cheeks reddened as his eyes tracked over her exposed skin, her low neckline exposing more of her than was usual for a royal, and she pressed an accusatory finger to the bottom of his chin. “Don’t look at me like that,” she protested, guiding his gaze elsewhere. “We have to stay until the end of this party.”

It wasn’t usually Kristoff who made them leave early, though, and his arched eyebrow told her that he was thinking exactly this. 

She couldn’t help herself, though. 

He always got dressed up for her, and that sacrifice alone was enough to make her want to get him undressed and comfortable again as quickly as possible. But he never had any objections anyway.

Dropping her hands to his lapels, Anna busied herself with straightening them as his arms tightened around her waist. “Thank you,” she sighed, finger scratching at a speck on the metal button of his coat, the same as the first time he had done this for her. 

One hour, he had firmly stated, his expression smug. You get this for one hour.

Six hours, fifteen minutes, it was all the same to her. Kristoff had talked to the tailors to make him a suit that matched her gown, he had taken it into his own hands to do something so thoughtful, and Anna loved him even more that day, even if she hadn’t thought it possible.

He reluctantly agreed when the palace staff insisted he have a few more made, because the townspeople were truly head over heels for the complementary wardrobe, and Anna had made sure to properly thank him for it.

Kristoff never wanted this life, but he wanted her. If Anna had the choice, she’d probably leave it too, if he asked it of her. But he never would, because he knew she loved it - loved the camaraderie, the parties, the ability to help those who needed it - but she loved him more than all of that.

That frightened her, once.

A tap on her shoulder brought her back to reality. Kristoff’s hands had moved to rest protectively on her waist as another young prince from some other kingdom came to congratulate them. 

He asked for a dance, and Anna graciously agreed even if she was rather annoyed to have to leave her fiancé again. 

But the prince was kind. He enthusiastically congratulated her. Told her he had heard about what had happened with that prince from the Southern Isles - his reputation still not enough for other kingdoms to learn his name - and that he was happy she had found something real.

Anna smiled softly, looking over the prince’s shoulder to Kristoff, who was now leaning against the wall and watching her, a small flicker of jealousy in his eyes.

When they returned home and the highs and lows of their most recent adventure had worn back down to level ground, Kristoff had sat her down anxiously, rubbing his fingers over hers as he struggled to find his words.

I think, he stammered, twisting his mouth from side to side, that there’s probably someone else out there… more deserving of you and everything you have to offer…

Anna had immediately tightened her grip on his shaking hands. 

And I understand that I’m just… some commoner who you happened to like and who really, really liked you. 

She scooted closer, her knees brushing his as he did his best to get the rest of the words out.

I love you, more than anything. I always have, and I always will. And I think that’s important, right? His eyes had welled up, as had hers, as she crawled into his lap, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. 

I just… I want to be right for you. I want to be everything you need me to be.

Anna had pressed a firm but chaste kiss to his lips, sighing through her nose as his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. 

You already are, Kristoff, she mumbled against his mouth. You’re more than that.

He had kissed her senseless, then, more and more giving each time she whispered a soft I love you into his skin, burying herself even deeper into his heart. 

With a small curtsey from her and a lower bow from the prince, Anna was determined to spend the rest of the night right by her fiancés side. Ignoring everyone else, she stepped up to his side, sighing with relief as his arm came around her shoulders and held her closer as he finished his conversation with someone she didn’t quite recognize. 

When they left with another bow, Anna turned, wrapped her arms around Kristoff’s waist, and pressed her nose into his shoulder. “Hey,” she muttered, smiling as he waved off a concerned Kai. “I love you.”

The way he held her now, the way his fingers dug into her, she knew he wasn’t letting her leave his side even once more this evening. 

She was completely fine with that.

Looking up at him, her eyes glimmered as he smiled down at her. “I can’t wait to marry you,” she whispered, meant only for them.

It was about ten days before Kristoff felt all of his symptoms had fully subsided. He had started going for jogs a couple of days ago, but anything more than that tended to bring the headache roaring back. So he continued to take it easy, go for a short jog in the morning, and only watch an hour of tapes per day. Anything longer than that hurt his head, too.

Anna had… not so slowly started moving her things in. She didn’t have much, but he told her to put her stuff wherever she wanted, that she could make this place as much hers as she wanted. And he genuinely meant it. His house had just been a house. He hadn’t put much thought into it beyond the comfort of his couch and bed. Decor was minimal, and everything was very much brown.

Maybe she could help him make it a home.

Her just being there already made it closer.

—

After four weeks, they broke her lease and she had officially moved in. They figured it would help her save some more in the long run, help her skate by for just a little longer, even if he told her over and over that she didn’t need to worry about money.

But Anna hadn’t wanted to start things out that way. She had some savings, and she could pay for things here and there, and she didn’t want him to feel like she was taking advantage. Kristoff assured her that he could never think that she was. But still, she insisted, and he told her that that was something he absolutely loved about her.

He had been able to start doing more normal exercises again. Working with the trainers was annoying, but there weren’t any headaches returning when he pushed himself like he used to. They told him if he could do this for a week without any symptoms popping up, he could get back on the ice. 

—

That week went by like a breeze, and Kristoff relished in the feel of crisp ice under his skates. There was no feeling better than being on the ice. He sighed with defeat as they told him they wanted to wait another week before they started firing pucks at him, but he grudgingly agreed. At least he was skating.

And then, even better, he got to come home and see Anna, her hair wrapped into a bun on top of her head as she sat with her knee to her chest, drawing in an almost full sketchbook, her tongue caught between her teeth. “Hi baby,” he smiled, his heart warming as she looked up at him and used the back of her hand to push hair from her eyes. He kissed her softly as he walked past, enjoying the pure domesticity of it all. “Have a good day?”

“Oh yes! I went to that cafe downtown that we like - you know, Oaken’s Mochas and Teas?” 

He always laughed at the name. So on the nose.

“And well, I noticed that they didn’t have any sort of logo or anything so… I don’t know. I just…” she blushed and spun around on the chair, dangling her legs off the side. “They know me and I figured what was the harm in asking - so I’m designing something for them now!”

His eyes widened and he took three steps forward to clear the gap between them, placing an enthusiastic kiss on her lips. “Anna, that’s so great.” 

“They’re paying me, too!” She was giggling against his mouth, and he couldn’t help but smile. “Remember how the last place wouldn’t pay? I took it because, you know, portfolio, but I offered for free, but they insisted.”

“I’m so proud of you, baby.”

Then her arms were around his neck and not letting go and she hummed low and slow, “how about you? Good day? Worn out?”

Oh. He was never too worn out for that.

He hoisted her up onto his hips, grinning like a madman as they moved backwards to his bedroom. Well, their bedroom. She never did sleep in the spare room.

—

He was growing slightly frustrated at the week-by-week status, but he knew this was his second head injury, and they wanted to be more careful this time around. But only progressing to the next step after a whole week was growing agonizing. At least he was doing non-contact now, grinning from ear to ear as he slapped each puck out of midair.

God it felt so fucking good to be back like this.

Anna had come with him today to spend some time with Honeymaren while they practiced, and he could hear her whooping from the stands. Every time he made a save, “that’s my baby!” Every time someone scored on him, “you’ll get it next time honey!”

It was the most endearing thing ever, as she jumped up and waved her hands in the air, as if it were an actual game. As if it weren’t just her in the stands, cheering him on during a practice.

God he loved her so much.

—

Finally they were letting him practice back in a regular jersey. No more no-contact. He was fortunate that goalies rarely got touched anyway, but now they guys weren’t holding back anymore. Slapshots and more risky wraparounds and pucks fired in a way that made him dive were becoming the norm again, and he felt so damn good with every puck he saved. 

Shot by shot, the rust was shaking off, and Kristoff felt ready to get back in a game. It was almost April, and he needed to be playoff ready. They had promised him he’d be back in by March 20th, which gave him a little under three weeks of in-game play before the playoffs started. They were so close to a playoff spot, and he knew that he could help them win it.

But he wouldn’t rush, and he was going to trust the physicians on staff, and take it slow. 

If for no other reason than Anna.

He knew she was worried about him getting back in. But they weren’t playing the Stallions yet - they had at least until the Eastern Conference, and by then he would undoubtedly be a one hundred percent. Plus, the guys had his back, and, he couldn’t help but laugh about it, Warren had been scratched for the rest of the season. Coach’s decision.

—

Right on the promised date, Kristoff was starting in net against Tampa, and the literal electricity in the arena had him amped up beyond belief. Their whole team was working together like a well oiled machine, and he hadn’t realized what a vital cog he was to the whole operation until he had been gone. Even if it had just been in practice, he already felt the connection, and he knew this game would be easily won.

Anna had threatened him with an indefinite withhold if he didn’t let her come on the roadie, so she was up in their box, undoubtedly screaming along to every play, and just knowing she was in the arena made his game that much better. 

They won, 5-2, and dog-piled in the middle of the arena as they clinched their playoff spot.

Fuck. This was still the best feeling in the world.

—

The rest of the season went by in a flash, and before they knew it, the Ice Breakers were facing New York in round one. It felt so easy now as they swept the round, and had extra days for recovery. 

The Stallions lost against Boston. 

It had been a weird moment, celebrating someone else’s loss, but Anna had come home with two bottles of champagne and they popped bottles and got a little drunk and Anna had taken him to bed and all right, he might be okay with celebrating another’s loss if it meant he got this. Plus, it was the team that almost took him out for the end of the season.

Yeah, he was okay with celebrating.

Philadelphia was a harder won match. They liked to play dirty. It went to game seven before they finally secured the win, and they all felt the tiring ache of it. Kristoff hated going to game seven - it meant they only had two days to recuperate before the next match started. 

But Anna had drawn him a hot bath, had snuck in to lay on his chest while he relaxed, and scratched her fingers against his chin as she waxed poetic about playoff beards and how maybe he should just keep it and then her hands sunk a little lower, and he was suddenly feeling a lot more prepared for the Conference finals.

He genuinely thought they might lose to Toronto. They lost the first two. Won the third. Lost the fourth, and if they didn’t win all three of the remaining games, they were out.

It was close. God it was so fucking close. 

Game seven. They were 3-3. Sudden death overtime. It looked like it might head into double overtime, with only eighteen seconds on the clock, but then --

Pederson scores! Ice Breakers win!!!! 

Thank fuck.

—

Anna was there for every game. Every win, every loss, she was there. And he knew he wasn’t being a good boyfriend right now, he knew that he was too focused on his career right now and this was what he had been so fucking concerned about from the beginning.

But after game two against Nashville, which they lost miserably, Kristoff was sulking on the couch watching tapes to figure out where they kept scoring on him, and Anna wrapped soft arms around his neck. 

“Hey,” she hummed, not even reacting to his short, irritated reply. “I just want you to know… How proud I am of you.”

That got his attention. 

“You had a really traumatic thing happen, and you bounced right back from it, and you’ve been playing so hard, and so well, and… There’s no fear, and that’s amazing.” He let one hand raise to her arm, stroking his thumb across her skin.

“I love you so much,” he muttered, tilting his head back to look up at her. “I’m sorry if I’ve been a bad boyfriend.”

“I know,” she smiled, placing one quick kiss against his lips. “And you haven’t. I can deal with your job being most important for two months of the year.”

“You love me still?”

“More every day.”

He felt more confident in game three. And four. And then they were up three to one, and only needed one more fucking win to win the whole damn thing. 

—

They were in Nashville and Anna was lamenting the fact that they didn’t have the time to actually see the city this week, and Kristoff pulled her close and told her if they won tonight they could stay here as long as she wanted and see everything she could possibly think of. She blushed and kissed him and told him that he better bring his A game, because she was holding him to it and would be horribly disappointed if they had to fly back home tonight.

That was an extra motivation.

They arrived at the arena early, amazed at the crowd already forming and the insane energy just surrounding the building. Playoff hockey was a whole other world, and he was so ecstatic that Anna was getting to experience it by his side. He kissed her deeply before she had to head up to the box and him to the locker room, with a quick squeeze of her bottom and a laugh.

“Hey!”

“It’s for luck!!”

Anna swatted at him but grinned as she followed Jelissa up the stairs to the visiting team’s box, laughing with the blonde about their stupid men and how on earth do we put up with them and Kristoff tuned out the rest before he heard something he didn’t want to. Then he turned his focus to the game.

“Men!” Sven hollered, his voice booming through the locker room. “This game is do or die. We’re ahead, but you better not let that cockiness mess with your game.”

Kristoff couldn’t help but smile. His best friend had perfectly honed his skill of making a speech lighthearted but also motivating. The team followed him into fire, and Kristoff had always admired him for it. When Sven wrapped it up and hopped down from his perch, Kristoff held out a hand, gripped his best friends’ and knocked their helmets together.

“Captain.”

“We win together or we die together, brother.”

Kristoff almost laughed at the drama of it all. “Calm down, Aragorn.”

Sven was silent for a moment. “When the fuck did you watch Lord of the Rings?”

“... Concussion recovery was rough.” He dropped Sven’s hand and smirked. “But it was actually pretty good.”

“Haven’t I been telling you for years that you would like it?” He smacked Kristoff upside the head and grinned. “Never listen to me, but the second you get a girlfriend…”

They heard the announcements starting, and moved out towards the runway. As always, they were last onto the ice, and as always, they fist bumped before they stepped out. He was as ready as he’d ever be. The timer counted down, they got into position.

Three.

Two.

One.

The puck hit the ice.

Period one had a rough start. 2-0 Nashville. But he was recalibrating, remembering what it was he kept missing. They got him on his glove side. They knew he was a little weaker, a little more hesitant with it after the injury.

But he could fix it.

Period two, nothing got by him, and the guys scored three times. 2-3 Ice Breakers. Thank god.

Period three, and the pressure is on. Nashville doesn’t want to lose, and the Ice Breakers don’t want to drag it out. They’ve played three long matches already. 

Nashville scores.

Ice Breakers score.

3-4.

4-4.

5-4.

5-5.

And then.

Carruthers, the kid they just brought up from the minors to fill in a gap from another injury, fucking scores with three seconds on the clock. His third game. His first NHL goal.

The fucking Stanley Cup game winning goal.

The whole team runs to center ice. The whole team dog piles on top of the kid, still silent and slack-jawed with shock, still not believing what just happened. 

“Fuck yeah!” 

“God damn it Ruthy!”

“How the fuck, kid!”

The incoherent screaming from the team didn’t drown out the booing from the crowd, but nothing would bring them down right now. Nothing could.

After their celebration, both teams basically let the three seconds run. Nashville knew nothing could be done, and the Ice Breakers weren’t about to let anything past them anyway. The buzzer rang and they all cheered again, whooping and hollering as they received the cup, went through the motions in the arena that wasn’t welcoming them. Then they ran down the runway, back to the locker room to find their family and friends waiting with enough champagne for every person in that room to have their own bottle.

Captain Sven Pederson had the pleasure of carrying the cup back with him. 

Music was blasting, everyone was screaming, champagne was already flying through the air and as the team started stripping some of their bulkier gear off, Mattias took to the stage. 

“I’ve never been more fucking proud of you boys. You rallied together and in just a few years, we’ve already risen so far beyond what people expected of this new little team in the middle of nowhere. I’m not going to make some big long speech,” Kristoff could see the tears in his eyes as he sniffled, and he let out a booming laugh as he looked around the room. “But you’ve all just… you’ve made me feel like a proud father.” He waved his hands in front of his face and shrugged. “But fuck my speech, let’s celebrate!”

And celebrate they did.

Bottles popped, beers were distributed, everyone drank way more than they should as Sven emptied at least 8 bottles of champagne directly into the cup and lifted it to pour into every players’ mouth. The man of the hour, Scotty Carruthers, was herded to the middle of the pack and drenched in champagne and beer before he had even fully finished processing what was happening.

After far too long, Kristoff found Anna, and she leapt immediately into his arms, placing sloppy peppered kisses all over his face. “I’m” kiss “so” kiss “fucking” kiss kiss “proud of you.” And then a hearty one on the mouth, as her hands pressed firm to either side of his jaw. 

Kristoff smiled with his fingers spread wide over her back as she threw her arms in the air to add more beer to the rain in the room. She laughed brightly, lowered her hands back to his shoulders, and gave him the best smile he had ever seen. “I love you so much.”

-----

She had been avoiding him for days, and he felt a stabbing pain in his chest every time they locked eyes for a brief moment before she would turn away and pretend he wasn’t there. This wasn’t fair. This had been going on for over a month, and he could have sworn she was feeling the same way.

Sure, it had started as a no strings attached fling, but then she was spending more and more time with him and he thought...

Kristoff supposed in the end, it didn’t really matter what he thought, but he wasn’t going to let this go without at least giving a valiant effort to get it back. He just needed to talk to her and figure out what she was thinking - see if she was willing to give him another chance.

Because if he couldn’t have all of her, he’d take whatever she would give him. He could push his feelings down, pretend he never loved her if that was what she wanted - if that would make her talk to him again. Maybe that made him pathetic, but she was something special that he wasn’t ready to let go of.

The second she was alone, he closed the distance between them. “Miss Arne,” he started, swallowing his nerves as she avoided his eyes. “Would you have a moment to talk?”

“I...” Anna glanced back to where he sister had settled, before chewing at her lip. “I’m not sure I do...”

He needed to drop this stupid front.

“Please, Anna.” He knew the use of her first name in public surprised her, but she actually looked him in the eye for one fleeting moment. “Just a few minutes...” She finally nodded, and he sighed with relief. “My office?”

They escaped the noise of the common area quickly enough, and Anna did her best to hold her head high. He had always wondered if there were more reasons she wanted it to stay secret and casual than just not wanting anything serious. The way she walked into his office made that feeling worse. As if she was ashamed.

He knew her ex-fiancé. Knew what kind of man she would marry.

So...

Taking a deep breath, he shut the door behind her. Kristoff paused for a moment to look at her, hair up in a fancy bun, wearing a cream and gold sundress that fell loosely off of her shoulders, and looking radiant as ever. “You look beautiful,” he sighed, leaning against a low set of shelves as she sat lightly on the edge of his desk.

“Stop it.”

“You do.”

Her eyes were glued to the ground, cheeks red and lip permanently caught between her teeth. “What did you want to discuss?”

He figured there was no reason to beat around the bush. He was either going to lose her or he wasn’t. He supposed it didn’t matter much what he said. “Do you have any feelings for me?” She stayed silent, so he modified his approach. “Even... friendship. Are we friends?”

Anna blinked and nodded slightly. “Yes,” she offered, her fingers twisting in her skirts. “Yes, we’re friends.”

That was good, at least. “But nothing more?”

She swallowed and didn’t answer, instead intensified her glare at the carpet.

“Not even just... a little more?”

Nothing.

“Are you embarrassed that we’re friends?”

That got her attention and she jerked her head up to look at him, frowning deeply. “Of course not.” She seemed offended that he had even thought it.

“So...” He tapped his fingers against the top of the unit. “Why was me having feelings ruining things?”

“I told you that I didn’t want anything serious.” She crossed her arms and his eyes were drawn to the smattering of freckles on her shoulders. His mind wandered dangerously to the last time they were alone in here, and he cursed his stupid head. This was not the time.

A sigh. Get back on track, idiot. “So it has nothing to do with the people in your social circle, huh?”

“No, Kristoff.” She looked defeated for just a moment. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

“Then why won’t you let this just happen?”

“Because.”

She was bordering on petulant as she turned her head away from him with tense shoulders, not offering anything more.

“Because why?” Kristoff felt drawn to her again, couldn’t resist the need to have her under his fingers as he pushed away from his perch and crossed the office. “We’ve been spending so much time together, and I felt... it felt... real, you know? I had been trying to deny it but...” she looked at him for a second as he got close enough to touch her. “I love--”

“You don’t. You can’t.” There was hurt in her voice as she hugged herself, defended herself. “I don’t even know what love is. Every time I thought I did... I...” Her head was shaking rapidly back and forth. “You shouldn’t love someone who can’t love you back.”

Kristoff’s eyes searched her face, panic overwhelming him as he laid a gentle hand on her cheek. “Anna...”

Her eyes clenched shut, but she didn’t pull away. “You should be with someone who isn’t... broken.”

“You’re not -- Anna, look at me,” he urged, his other hand lifting to her face so he could cradle her jaw as he spoke. “You’re not broken.” Her eyes opened just enough to see him, and he felt his heart breaking at the tears pooling in her eyes. “You’re hurt. They’re different.”

She swallowed, closed her eyes, and leaned forward to press her forehead against his chest.

Anna tried to ignore her knuckles turning white as she gripped the steering wheel so tightly that she thought she might’ve been able to break it. This was it - her last game working for the Ice Breakers, and her last time getting to joke around with the boys she had grown so fond of. It wasn’t fair, but she knew better than to fight. Her father would just treat her like a petulant child and it wouldn’t change his mind anyway.

You’re never going to grow up, are you?

She had grown up. But she was starting to think no matter what she made of herself, she would never be able to be exactly what he wanted her to be. Anna didn’t know what he wanted from her anymore. Nothing she ever did would be good enough for him.

But she was starting to be okay with that.

You cooked up this whole scheme so you could sleep around again, just like in LA.

No. She had agreed to someone else’s plan to help out someone who didn’t deserve her fathers’ wrath. She had agreed to help because it was the right thing to do. The rest had simply happened.

And now… look where she had ended up.

Because of the scheme, Anna was finally with a man she knew loved her. Even if he didn’t say it. Even if nothing was official. 

He had come over the second she asked, knew she was trying to escape her own worries, stopped it, and then actually managed to make her feel better. He had caressed her and worshipped her and whispered about how special and amazing she was as he satisfied her every need. He had stayed with her all night, comforted her and made her laugh and ran to the store to get her her favorite snacks and they had just spent hours upon hours just… talking, and joking, and watching dumb movies that he let her pick out.

And in the end, he held her close and tucked her messy hair behind her ears and told her - assured her - that everything was going to be fine as they curled together on her too-small bed.

And then he kissed her, for the millionth time that night, and she knew he was right.

This hadn’t been what she wanted to do with her life. This hadn’t been her dream. She had been dragged away from everything she knew and thrown into a small town and given a job because her daddy was the owner. She had felt obligated to be grateful, to be so, so overjoyed that her father had trusted her enough to give her this opportunity. 

But, in the end, it wasn’t a job that meant very much, and it wasn’t a job that he had worried much about her screwing up. It was a throwaway, much like she had always been to him. Just a way to keep her busy and out of what he considered to be trouble, she supposed.

You’ve always been such a pain to restrain, you know that? I’ve cleaned up more of your messes than I can count.

Then Anna had begun to remember the messes he had cleaned up. Like the time her second grade teacher had physically disciplined her because she kept walking around the room, unable to focus. Or the time she punched a boy when she was fourteen because he grabbed her breast even after she had told him no. Even when she was seventeen and a professor had promised her a good grade in exchange for something special, and threatened to fail her if she hadn’t complied. 

And he had thrown money at them, and told her she needed to stop being so provocative.

She hadn’t realized the implications at the time. Looking back and realizing what he had been implying, Anna could feel anger starting to bubble up in her stomach. 

A short knock on her window startled her and she swung her head around so fast she could’ve sworn she had given herself whiplash, but she let out an audible sigh of relief when it was just Kristoff, hunched over and smiling softly at her through the glass.

“You okay?”

He was muffled, but she could still hear the concern lacing his words. 

You’re going to go out there tomorrow, and you’re going to show your idiot father exactly what he’s giving up.

Anna unbuckled herself and got out quickly, practically throwing her body into his waiting arms. He had left early this morning - not because he wanted to, but because he really had needed to go to morning skate and get home for a solid nap to make sure he was up for playing tonight. They were playing the Stallions again, and he knew it would be a tough fight. Luckily, the second she was back in his embrace, Anna could feel all the day’s tension draining from her body.

“Hey,” Kristoff mumbled into her hair, dropping his duffel as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “How’re you feeling?”

She pulled back just enough to catch his gaze. “A lot better, actually. I…” Her hands came from behind his neck to lay gently on his cheeks. “Thank you. I can’t… I’m not even sure how to express how much last night meant.”

There was a hemming sound from beside them that sounded enough like her father to catch her off guard, but Anna knew he didn’t care enough to be here for her last night. Looking behind Kristoff, she physically relaxed when she saw Sven laughing and winking as he walked by. “Shut up, Pederson!”

“Stop being nasty, Arne!” He spun on his heel to keep looking at them as he walked towards the arena. “Bjorgman, don’t tire yourself out - there’s still plenty of hockey to be played in there.” He threw his thumb over his shoulder. “Even if it’s less fun than the hockey you’re playing out here.”

Anna couldn’t help the snort that blew through her nose and looked up just in time to see Kristoff rolling his eyes as he turned his head back to face her. “He’s fucking annoying. Don’t know why I put up with him.” The smile teasing at his lips was enough to make her heart beat harder behind her ribs.

She loved him, so much.

And she wasn’t sure what was going to happen if she had to leave.

—

It had thrown her off when her father had actually shown his face at this game. She was coming back from getting mic’d to listen to Coach Mattias’ pep talk, when she heard his voice call her name. “Anna.” 

It was so empty. When she turned to face him and saw the lack of empathy on his features, she felt herself growing angry all over again.

“Yes?”

He rolled his eyes. “I trust that you won’t be doing anything… drastic tonight?”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Anna felt her frown deepen. “Like what? Tell everyone how you’ve fired me unfairly? Explain that you’re taking the word of a - frankly, quite horrid - person over mine? Or do you think I’d just strip naked and fuck my boyfriend in the middle of the rink.”

“Anna.” His voice was barely a hiss.

“Well you seem to think pretty lowly of me, father.” His eyes were narrowed as he stared her down, as if daring her to make a wrong move. “Well,” she breathed, straightening her back and dropping her hands back to her sides. “Lucky for you, here I am a professional, and I’d never risk ruining anyone’s livelihood.” 

She heard his voice again in the back of her head.

You’re coming back home, where I can keep an eye on you.

“And…” She felt herself stutter slightly as she tried to keep her composure. “I’m not coming back home. I… I like living on my own. I like living here. And…” She kept her eyes locked onto his, channeling her strongest will to dare him to challenge her. “That’s final.”

He hardly scoffed. As if he didn’t want to make a scene. “We’ll see.”

And she stood there, waiting, shaking slightly in her skin as he walked away, not letting herself deflate until he was out of sight. Anna could feel panic rising in her throat, threatening to boil over into a full-blown attack. She had made it so concrete. She hadn’t given herself an ounce of wiggle room. If she didn’t have a job, she wouldn’t even be able to afford her tiny box of an apartment. What was she going to --

“Anna?”

Oh, she adored that voice.

“You said you were coming down for --” She turned to face him and he paused, his eyebrows knitting together. “What’s wrong?”

There was a sad smile pulling on her lips. “My father is here.”

“I thought --”

“Yeah, me too.” Kristoff clambered forward, his full gear clearly hindering him off the ice, and wrapped her into a warm hug, only made slightly awkward by the stiff blocker digging into her back. “I guess he wanted to make sure I left peacefully.”

“What an asshole. Want me to fire a puck at his face?”

She snorted as she nodded into his chest, leaning into his warmth. “Yeah, honey. Knock his teeth out.”

He leaned back just enough to look at her. Anna could see small tears brimming on his bottom lashes, and she had never felt more cared for. “Hey, just go out there, and do what you do. We’ll figure out the rest tomorrow.”

Anna lifted herself to her tippy toes, not even close to tall enough to reach him when he had skates on, as she puckered her lips just slightly to let him know exactly what it was she wanted. He met her halfway with a grin, and she relished the tenderness of this kiss. “You’re amazing,” he mumbled against her as they parted.

For the first time, she was starting to believe it.

—

Kristoff was playing erratically tonight.

There was a ferocity in his game that Anna was unfamiliar with as he dove and hit and bodily put himself between other players and the net. He was absolutely on fire, and Anna couldn’t help but gush about him to every single person she was speaking to that night. But it was far from his usual play style, and when it didn’t let up, she found herself growing a little further to the worried side of the meter.

It didn’t help that they were playing Hans’ team, and that Warren was being a little weasel.

During warm-ups, Kristoff had come over towards her to say something, and suddenly a puck was ricocheting off of the glass right next to them. She had jumped, startled, and when Kristoff’s head snapped around, he caught the last glimpse of Warren making some sort of gesture towards Hans. 

Mattias was screaming at him for not being more careful, and he simply apologized and said it wouldn’t happen again.

Anna heard him mutter something under his breath, something she could have sworn was along the lines of wanting that asshole off the team, but she couldn’t be sure. Kristoff lowered his head to meet her, his gloves pressing into her shoulders. “You good?”

She nodded, trying her best to ignore the new prickle of anxiety on the back of her neck. “You?”

“Want to strangle him, but that’s nothing new.”

Anna had laughed, but now as she watched him play, she wasn’t so sure he had been kidding.

Not a single puck had gotten by him in the last two periods and you could see the tension growing between the two teams. Westergaard had broken two sticks so far trying to land a slapshot as fast as possible, hoping just sheer force would get one past the brick wall that was Kristoff Bjorgman. He continued to have no luck.

It wasn’t until the third period that things started getting dirty.

There were more unnecessary hits, more high sticks and elbows and roughing and penalties being called left and right. Anna had stayed on the edge of her seat the whole time, grimacing everytime a puck came close to hitting Kristoff’s mask. 

With eleven minutes to spare, Anna noticed something strange happening in the Stallions’ huddle. Something venomous spread across the face of their forwards, and Anna tapped nervously on the arm of Sven. “Hey - um… I’ve just got a really bad feeling --”

“Huh?”

He looked at her for about half a second before both of their eyes turned back to the ice, the Stallions racing to their goal with ease. The positioning seemed normal enough, but Kristoff’s eyes were locked on the men passing the puck back and forth in front of him. There were players behind him, players he didn’t see, and Anna gripped at the boards with tense fingers, watching as Westergaard started speeding up the wing.

In a flash, the puck was shot, rebounding to the side, and Kristoff was looking for it for just a second as Hans came forward, scored, and didn’t stop. He crashed into the goalie, full force as he jumped into the air, stick up in celebration, and practically tackled Kristoff to the ground.

There was a thud as his head hit the ice.

Kristoff did not move.

Sven was out there in a flash, grabbing fistfuls of jersey, and landing one clean punch against Hans’ jaw as other teammates followed, and medical ran out more carefully behind them.

Kristoff still wasn’t moving. 

The refs were blowing whistles, always nervous to get between angry hockey players throwing fists, and eventually Anna could see his mask off to the side, his legs moving just slightly as the medical team moved him onto his side. Sven abandoned the fight, his gloves long forgotten, as he knelt down behind Kristoff, gently helping them turn him.

It was dead silent in the rink. 

She begged, her fingers clenching the edge of the boards even tighter, for him to just get up. If he could skate himself off the ice, it wasn’t that bad. If he would just get the hell up, she wouldn’t be so worried…

It had been two days and no other symptoms had arisen, so Kristoff felt pretty safe to start doing some light activities. He set a silent alarm, got up at the crack of dawn, did his best not to wake Anna, and then headed out for a short, slow walk around the neighborhood. The brisk air was doing wonders for him, and he felt a sigh of relief wash over his whole body as he took in a deep breath. 

He was so, so grateful for Anna, but she had become just a little bit on the side of unbearable over the last few days. At first it had been cute - a little tease and a little game. If the list said no, she said no. He’d pout and she’d kiss him and he’d let her win the disagreement, then she’d kiss him again and say thank you and he’d let it go. But then he told her he had been feeling a lot better - his headache was easing, there was no more dizziness, and he was able to stay awake for much longer intervals. But she was still insistent.

The thing was, he’s had worse injuries than this, and he always worked through them alone. It wasn’t that he didn’t like having this wonderful woman doting on him, but he felt… guilty. There was no need for it, he was fine, and Anna had her own things to worry about. There wasn’t any reason she should be focusing so much of her attention on him.

He had even tried yesterday, to ask how she was feeling - what she wanted to do, if she wanted to talk about it. But she had shut him down saying there would be time to talk about it later, really, and he should just worry about getting better. Kristoff dropped it because he wasn’t sure if it might lead to an argument, but she seemed relieved so he supposed he had made the right choice. 

After about an hour, the sun was fully risen and his neighbors were starting to emerge, so Kristoff figured it was just about time to make his way back home. He hadn’t taken two steps through the doorway before he heard her feet running on the wood floor. “Hey ba-- Anna?”

She had tears in her eyes and her hands were on his face and she was frantic as she scanned her eyes up and down his body. 

“Anna, baby, what’s wrong?”

“I… I didn’t know where you were.” She swallowed and locked her eyes onto him, panic evident. “I woke up and you were gone I… I was so worried. Are you okay?”

He felt his hackles raise. This was bordering on ridiculous. “Come on, I just went for a walk.” He grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands to rest between them. “You’ve got to calm down. I’m not going to die.”

Her brows furrowed as she looked at anything but him and he felt a small hint of guilt seep into his irritation. “I…” she pulled her hands from his grip and crossed them across her chest. “I know, I… I just…” More tears welled up in her eyes as she tried her best to subtly wipe at them. “You were so motionless. You didn’t move. I thought… I didn’t know…”

Ah, fuck. 

Immediately moving forward, Kristoff pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m sorry.” He knew how it looked, how it felt, to watch someone you cared about get hurt like that. He should have known she had some reason to react the way she had been. He should have been more aware. He sighed with relief when her arms tightened around his waist. “I’m sorry, baby.”

Over breakfast that morning, after they had talked through her worries a little more, Kristoff simply grinned and said “you know, they recommend light exercise. Nothing strenuous, but as long as it isn’t making things worse, doctors think it helps concussion recovery.” Her eyes narrowed and he shrugged. “You should come with me. Then you’ll know I’m good.”

Anna had twisted her lips to the side as if to stop from smiling, and nodded. “I’d like that.” Then, after a moment of hesitation, “you’re okay with me coming along? I know… I know I’ve been a lot… I’d understand if you wanted some time alone.”

Kristoff felt something in his chest, felt an absolute warmth spread through his veins as he realized that, fuck, he never wanted alone time. Not anymore. Not from Anna. Everything was better by miles when she was with him. 

“No, Anna. I always want you around.”

Her eyelashes fluttered as her cheeks darkened and a soft smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. “... Okay.”

It hit him then, as she popped a forkful of pancake between her lips, still smiling up at him with a new glimmer in her eye, that he was ready. He was so fucking ready because any more time spent with Anna not knowing how much he loved her was time wasted.

But he needed it to be perfect. He needed the day, just the rest of the day, to figure out what he wanted to say. Then he’d tell her tonight over dinner and… 

He just hoped she’d say it back. 

—

Kristoff had been feeling a little run-down so he had settled in for a quick nap after their late lunch. He knew the both of them and knew very well that they wouldn’t actually go to bed until after midnight, so he figured a short little power nap at three wouldn’t hinder his ability to sleep tonight too badly. But he couldn't sleep anyway. His mind was going too quick and it was too frazzled to even attempt to settle down. 

Maybe the focus and stress weren’t exactly good for him, but he could only imagine how much better he’d feel once she knew. He had been hiding it for months, locking it away somewhere he only knew, and it was about time he let her in on the not-so-little secret. 

The problem was, how on earth was he supposed to tell her? 

He couldn’t be casual about it, not now. The three little words were so important to both of them, and he knew he couldn’t just drop a nonchalant I love you. It wouldn’t be enough.

No, he had to tell her how much she changed his life. How much he admired her. How much she truly meant to him. And he had to do it in a way that didn’t make him sound so fucking stupid.

Kristoff dragged a pillow over his face and groaned. He had never been the best with words, not even when it really mattered, and he hated how much he knew he was going to fuck this up. How hard was it to formulate a coherent sentence letting someone know how truly special they were? How hard was it to just fucking tell a girl you loved her?

He could say, Anna, I know we’ve been dancing this line for months, but I need you to know that I love you.

No.

He could try, Baby, you’ve changed my life, and I’ve loved every minute of our time together.

Fucking no!

Anna, you’re the most beautiful, brilliant, amazing woman that has ever graced this earth.

Too much.

Anna, you’re the most spectacular person I know. 

Better

I can’t imagine my life without you.

Close.

I’m in love with you.

Simple.

Good.

Throwing the pillow to the floor, Kristoff stretched just a little before he got out of the bed. He had a couple more hours to really nail it down, and he knew, deep down, that it didn’t matter what he said… It was the heart behind it that mattered most. With a sigh, he stepped back out into the hallway and padded down to the living room as quietly as possible. He was honestly surprised that he didn’t hear the television on. He was surprised that he didn’t hear much of anything, actually. Anna usually hated silence.

He peered around the corner, not wanting to risk waking her if she had fallen asleep, and was almost hurt by what he saw in front of him. She was sitting on his laptop at the table, red eyed and puffy cheeked, tearstained and sniffling as she scrolled downwards, wiping an irritated fist at her face. “Seriously?” she let out a heavy breath and rolled her neck back, jumping when she saw him.

“Oh, hi!” Her demeanor changed instantly. “You feel all right? How was the nap?”

“Anna.”

She pushed the chair out and turned her back to him as she wiped at her face. “Want some tea? I was just about to make some.”

“Anna.”

She darted into the kitchen, ignoring him completely. “Two sugar? Any milk? I like mine sweet but I know you’re not a sweets guy I just can’t remember if you want milk…”

Kristoff stepped forward and came up behind her in the kitchen, bracing one arm on either side of her petite frame. He was almost grateful she had stopped talking. He hated when she got avoidant and would do anything for her to just talk to him about what was going on. He leaned down just enough to rest his chin on her shoulder and press his cheek against hers. “Baby,” he sighed, wrapping his arms around her as she settled back into his embrace. “What’s going on?”

“I…” He closed his eyes when her fingers started scratching lightly against his forearms. “I’m worried that I won’t find a job, and if I can’t find a job, then I can’t afford my apartment, and if I can’t afford my apartment, then I have to move back home. And If I have to move back there, then my father was just right about me and about everything and then I’ll be far away from here and what if you only like me because I’m just here and if I leave what if everything changes and I lose all of you and --”

A hiccupping sob cut her off. 

“Ah, jeez, Anna…” He started walking them towards the couch, smiling at her small laugh as he rocked her whole body back and forth as they walked. “All right, let’s…” They sat together, her immediately drawing her legs up to lay over his lap as she pressed her forehead into his neck. “Let’s talk this out.”

“Okay…”

Kristoff began tracing his fingers up and down her bare leg, every so often squeezing gently at her skin. “So… job.”

Anna sniffled.

“You didn’t really wanna do the whole television personality thing, right?”

She nodded.

“You’ve got a degree in… Graphic design, yeah?”

She nodded again, laughing. “I can’t believe you remembered that.”

“Well,” he pressed a soft kiss against her hairline. “Things about you are hard to forget.” He smiled when she laughed, grateful for the positive reaction. “Right so… Is that something you wanted to do?” 

She nodded. “I always thought I’d enjoy doing marketing and stuff like that. Or… like, concept work. I don’t know.”

“All right, well, why don’t you take some time then? Figure it out? You…” His arm wrapped around her back squeezed a little tighter. “You deserve to take time to figure out what you want, you know that right?” 

A moment of silence and a nod. 

“But… money… and my apartment…”

Kristoff shrugged, words tumbling from his lips before he even knew what he was saying. “I mean, I’ve got a spare room. You can just move in here for a bit if you want to. You…” Then it hit him, and he felt his whole face scrunch up. Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck.

Anna was sitting up, her brows raised as she looked over his face, but he immediately turned his eyes to stare at the carpet. Fuck he was so fucking stupid. 

“That… Do you mean that?”

He felt his cheeks grow hotter. “I mean. Yeah. If you want. And like, I’ve got the spare room so you’d have your own space. And you’re here most nights anyway?” Oh stop talking you idiot. “It’s, I mean, obviously,” a laugh, “up to you? But yeah I mean, it wouldn’t… put me out or anything and it would give you some flexibility? And… I don’t know. I just… yeah.”

Kristoff risked one glance up at her from the corner of his eye and felt like he was going to have a heart attack. He couldn’t read her, couldn’t even come close to figuring out what she was thinking.

“Can you say something now?”

Her palm was on his cheek and she was turning him gently to face her. “I’m…” She swallowed and let out a wet laugh before she smiled. “I’m going to say something and… And you don’t have to say it back, okay?”

Wait. Hang on. He was supposed to do this first. He wanted to be the first to say it, wanted to fucking say it before he asked her to fucking move in and shit, he was the worst at this.

He nodded anyway.

“I… am so in love with you… and I… shit.”

Kristoff let out a heavy sigh as he smiled. God, that was genuinely the most amazing thing he had ever heard in his entire life. He wanted to hear it over and over and fucking over again. 

“I want to be with you all --”

“Wait.” He clapped his hand over her mouth before immediately removing it and apologizing at her shocked eyes. “Sorry. Okay, wait. I’ve… I messed this up.”

Her smile faltered just slightly. “... Do you not want me to move in? Because… that’s okay.”

“Oh, jesus, god, no.” He was shaking his head rapidly before realizing how dumb that was and that his headache had just slightly worsened from the movement. “No, I want that so much.”

Anna nodded, her eyes growing a little worried. “Okay. So…”

“I’ve… literally been trying to figure out how to tell you the same thing all day.” He pushed his hair out of his face and turned to look at her, the blush on her cheeks glowing under her freckles.

“... What?”

“You beat me to it. And I went out of order.” His hand lifted to scratch at the back of his neck. “I probably should have told you I loved you before I asked you to move in -- wait, god damn it.” He’d never get this right, would he?

“You love me?” That sparkle in her eyes was breathtaking.

“Fuck, wait. Of course I do. But I… was planning this whole… speech. Hang on.” He shifted them then, lifting one leg onto the couch so he could properly face her, and took both of her hands into his. “You’re… You’re genuinely the most extraordinary person I’ve ever met. Anna, you’re kind, and beautiful, and brave, and funny, and you… Well you put up with me which makes you patient as hell. And I… I never, ever thought I’d ever find this. But… it’s you. It’s only you. You’re perfect, and I don’t want to wait anymore. I’m… I’m not scared anymore, Anna. I am so, so in love with you I almost can’t bear it.”

He decided he had to be okay with how it happened. He wasn’t ever going to be perfect, but he knew he’d never meant anything more in his life.

And then her whole face contorted, and large tears started falling from her eyes, and fuck, he did it wrong, because now she was crying and sobbing and “Anna baby, Anna… What did I do wrong?”

She practically leapt off the couch, into his arms, and pressed her nose into his neck. “Nothing, god, you’re… you’re perfect. I love you so much.”

He heard her before he saw her. That laugh - he would never, ever forget that laugh. It haunted him in his dreams, so warm and soft and bright, never for him, never again. It had been six years since it was for him, and he had done a very good job of avoiding it until now. But he had been taking on odd jobs ever since he left her, ever since her sister had decided there was no more need for an Ice Master, and this was the only job available - but it had dropped him right in the middle of the royal gardens.

Right in the middle of so many memories.

Right in the middle of her whole life.

He was frozen solid, her footsteps growing closer. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, clenched tighter at the shovel in his hands, and locked his eyes on the stone pathway in front of them. The man overseeing the project whacked him upside the head, said something about slacking, and scoffed furiously about a deduction in pay. But Kristoff didn’t care, if it meant she would pass without seeing him.

But he had never been a lucky man.

“Your Majesty,” another man next to him bowed. “Such an honor.”

The queen sighed and waved a hand in front of her face. “Please! Just Anna is fine.”

Kristoff kept his head down, eyes trained on the second set of feet beside hers. Definitely a man, definitely a royal. 

“Darling,” his voice was smooth and proud, and Kristoff felt an overwhelming urge to punch him right in the mouth. “We have to head back up, your sister is waiting.” The way he spoke reminded him of… No. Anna wouldn’t wind up with someone like him. She just wouldn’t.

“Oh, Filip, I know, but --” He heard the anxiety in her voice - He could pick it out from a single word - and couldn’t stop his head from jerking up to look at her as his heart thudded against his ribs. He had to see if he was mistaken. 

He was. 

She was smiling, and so was Filip, as he teased her with a poke of his finger on the tip of her nose and she straightened the lapels of his jacket, the enormous diamond on her finger glistening in the sunlight. She seemed so happy. Even as she shook her head when he pulled her closer, loose curls bouncing around her shoulders. 

She looked so beautiful, as if time hadn’t touched her, while he had let his hair and beard grow long and had generally let himself go as he wallowed in his cabin waiting for the next job. He had taken for granted how much good manual labor had done for his physique, and knew he was softer around the middle now.

A memory of her pinching at a small roll that had formed over the waist of his pants as she teased him about getting too comfortable in the castle steamrolled over him as he tightened his grip on his shovel and turned to move. He couldn’t handle what came after, her reassuring words and hands and ‘I’ll love you no matter what you look like’s twisted the knife already embedded in his chest. 

This was the worst decision he had made since he walked out of the palace six years ago, and he needed to leave. Now.

“Bjorgman, don’t be rude.”

A hand clapped over his shoulder as he was spun back to face the royal couple. 

Her eyes grew wide as her gaze met his, and he did his best to bite back the red flush he knew was tinting his cheeks.

“Your Majesty,” he started, his eyes dropping back to the stone. “Your Grace.”

A hissed whisper came beside him, and Kristoff knew he would be facing yet another deduction of wages. “You look royals in the eyes, boy.”

“Oh, dear no,” Filip started, taking a step forward. “Please, that’s unnecessary, sir.” He held out a hand in front of Kristoff’s face, offering a shake. “We’re not ones for formalities.”

He nodded once before taking a step back. “Thank you, your Grace.”

“Filip --” Now there was anxiety in her voice, this time he was certain. “I think I need to lie down…” 

He couldn’t stop his eyes. He had to look, had to make sure she was okay. 

Even if it wasn’t his responsibility anymore.

“Oh, of course, my love.” His hand settled low on her stomach as he pressed a kiss against her forehead. “You both should get some rest.”

Both.

So, when we’re married, we’re going to have lots of children, right?

Kristoff felt his throat tightening as he struggled to swallow.

As many as you want.

At least three -- no, four. Four means they’ll each always have someone, right?

He felt dizzy. He felt darkness seeping into the edge of his vision. He heard her gasp, heard her take two steps towards him, heard a muffled “Sir? Are you all right?” and felt firm hands easing him onto a bench. A far away “stay with him, Anna,” and a quick glimpse of red hair and blue eyes kneeling before him. Multiple sets of footsteps retreating. Tears clinging to eyelashes. Soft hands cupping his cheeks, resting softly against his forehead.

“Kristoff,” whispered, urgent and scared. “Look at me.”

He could never deny her anything.

“Hi,” she sighed, a smile pulling at her lips as he cracked open his eyes. “Welcome back.”

To consciousness, or to her?

He felt her thumbs stroke his cheeks and could have cried at the tenderness of it. Like nothing had changed. Like he hadn’t left. He couldn’t help but lean into her touch, years of tension draining from his shoulders just like that. “Are you --”

“Anna, is he awake?”

She pulled away from him as if he had scorched her. “Y-yes.” She stood quickly. “He’s coming around.”

Filip practically skidded to a halt beside her, offering a glass of water to Kristoff. “Here… I imagine the sun got to him.”

Anna wouldn’t look at him again.

“Probably,” he mumbled, his throat sore from a distinct lack of usage. “I’m sorry for any trouble --”

“Please, sir, no trouble at all.” Filip knelt before him, offering up a silk rag. “I’ve set up a room for you inside the palace.”

“No,” Kristoff snapped, shaking his head. “I’ll be fine.”

“I insist.”

He clenched his jaw, turned his gaze up to Anna, waiting for her answer.

“Please,” she smiled, her eyes soft. “Come inside.”

He tried to pretend like he didn’t know exactly where they were headed. Like he didn’t know the exact layout of the palace, and of all the hidden passageways. Like he didn’t know that they were settling him into his own bedroom. He saw the concern about it on Anna’s features, too, as they rounded the corner.

“I’ll have someone send up some food and some tea.” Filip gave a squeeze to Anna’s hand, smiling. “Anna, if you need me, just call.”

She nodded, squeezed him back, and watched him leave.

Leave them alone.

Together.

Here.

The door shut behind him, and they were left swimming in a tension that was thick enough to cut.

“Anna --”

“Don’t speak.”

His heart was hammering in his chest as his eyes lingered on the back of her head. He knew her too well, knew where freckles lay under her thick hair, knew that she was chewing on her lip as she decided what to say, knew exactly how her brows were furrowed together.

He wanted to touch her. Wanted to pull her into his lap as they had for so many nights on this exact bed, wanted to tell her that he was here and he was sorry and if he could do it all over again he never would have left.

But he couldn’t do any of that.

She squared her shoulders, rolling them back and down as she straightened her spine, and Kristoff knew exactly what expression she would turn around with. Knew that if he grinned and called her baby, she’d scrunch up her nose to fight back a smile, but would wind up with her arms around his neck as he kissed her tenderly.

There it was.

Frustration mixed with worry. A line he would smooth down with a stroke of his thumb between her eyebrows. A tension he would help her ease.

But he couldn’t, he couldn’t, he couldn’t.

“Are you okay to stand?”

He was confused, but he nodded and stood, still towering over her.

“Come here.”

He would always do as he was told. It barely took three strides to meet her, anyway.

His eyes scanned her face, clearly worried and unsure as she lifted her hands hesitantly. Palms rested on his chest, and he could feel her shaking. 

“Anna--”

Arms were wrapping around his neck, then, as she pulled and pulled and he found himself hunched over just enough for her to hug him with her cheek pressed against his. It took no time for his arms to snake around her waist, too, holding her as close as he could as he breathed in familiar scents of honeysuckle.

“I…” her voice was weak, whispered, scared beside him. “I hated you so much.”

He nodded, his grip only tightening. “I know.”

“I never wanted to see you again.”

“I know.”

“I…” He felt her sob, felt the movement as it rolled through her.

His hand rose to the back of her head, dirty fingers digging into her scalp. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say that.” Her voice cracked, and he felt her grip loosening. No. No, no. He wasn’t ready to let go yet. But he’d never made her do something she didn’t want to, and he wasn’t about to start now. “If you say that…” Her fingers slid to rest on his shoulders. “If you’re sorry…”

He was suddenly distracted by the bob of her throat as she swallowed.

“Then you left for nothing.”

He did leave for nothing.

“Just stand by your decision, Kristoff.”

Almost seven years as queen had changed her. She was more sure of herself than he had ever seen her before. He nodded.

“Thank you.”

They stood in silence for longer than he would have liked. He felt it was up to him to break it, this time. “Anna…” She looked up at him and he felt small under her gaze. “Are you… happy?”

Would you be happier with me?

“I…” He saw her straighten just so, like the first night he met her, like she was trying to convince him she was something she wasn’t. “I am.”

“You hesitated.”

Her cheeks flushed, and he lifted a hand to cup hers still pressed against his chest.

“I did not.”

“Are you happy?”

Her eyelashes fluttered as she clenched her jaw and tensed her shoulders. “I already said I am. I…”

Kristoff felt a selfish twinge of hope in his chest. She could be happier. She could be happier with him. “You can tell me the truth.” He felt an exhilaration rushing through his veins. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

Just like he couldn’t say no to her, she couldn’t lie to him about anything.

“I tried to move on, you know.” Her eyes dropped to the floor, burning a hole in the carpet. “Filip is… he’s wonderful. Truly.”

“But…”

“But…” She sighed, and pulled away from him, her fingers clenching at her sides. “But nobody is you, Kristoff.”

He wanted her back, he wanted this life back. He wasn’t complete without her and, and --

“But that doesn’t matter.”

He felt his heart shatter again. 

“We’re… getting married in a month and… We have a baby on the way…”

“I love you.”

That was the worst thing he could have said, as her face contorted in a way he was familiar with, but had never been the cause of. “But you left.”

Kristoff woke with an unfamiliar but not unwelcome weight on his chest. Taking one deep breath in before opening his eyes, he flexed his half asleep arm and turned to face the still soundly sleeping redhead beside him. Her little snores were fucking adorable and Kristoff felt his heart soften under her palm as he focused on the feel of her breath warming his throat. “Anna,” he whispered, pressing his nose against her forehead. A little louder, “hey, Anna.”

She let out one loud snort and a snuffle before nuzzling deeper against his skin. He couldn’t help the breath of laughter that passed his lips. “Baby,” he tried, the word still foreign in his mouth, stroking his free hand down her cheek. “Wake up.”

“Mmmno,” she hummed, her arm wrapping around his neck as her ankle hooked around his calf. “Comfy.”

His thumb kept moving against her skin, stroking over the mess of freckles he had grown to be so fond of. He wouldn’t move if he didn’t have to… but it was kind of bordering on urgent. “I have to pee.”

Anna let out an annoyed groan before she let go of him, scooting just a little away as she tugged blankets tighter around her shoulders. “Come back soon,” she slurred, already drifting back off. He lifted his hand up to her skin, fingers brushing lightly against her as he pushed her messy fringe away from her eyes. A small smile tugged at her lips, and Kristoff found himself unable to look away.

She was beautiful, laying there so peacefully as her little snores started up again. Kristoff was realizing that he had never quite seen her this relaxed. There was something about it - about how sure she seemed that he would be cuddling up beside her again in no time - that made his heart soar.

He didn’t know what was holding him back. 

He loved her, he knew he wanted to be with her, and he knew she felt the same. She understood his fears and baggage and accepted him anyway, and was willing to wait for him to deal with it. Every moment with her felt like a step in the right direction, and every part of him longed for her when she wasn’t around. He didn’t even like going on away games anymore, because video chat wasn’t enough.

So what was holding him back?

Cupping her jaw, he ran a tentative thumb over her bottom lip. She breathed a heavy sigh through her nose and he couldn’t help but smile. 

He supposed if you believed something for so long, it took more effort to change it in the end. He wasn’t magically going to get over these hangups and be ready just like that, but Anna was worth the work. Anna was worth all the time and effort and mental challenges he would face to get to a point where he was ready.

And maybe she’d even be willing to help him along the way. 

Where she could.

Pressing chapped lips to her forehead, Kristoff moved to get up. He jostled the bed as he practically fell out of it, wishing there was slightly more grace in his bones - but it didn’t seem to wake her in the slightest as she pulled a pillow down to her chest to get back to something she deemed comfortable. He didn’t bother putting on any clothes as he made his way to her small bathroom. 

He did his business, splashed his face with some water, and stroked wet hands through his still stiff hair, grimacing as it practically crackled under his touch. He needed a shower, bad. He knew where she kept her towels, knew she had not-so-secretly gone out and bought some of his preferred products, and knew she wouldn’t mind it in the slightest…  So Kristoff flicked on the hot water, stepped into her small square of a standing shower, and washed away the remainder of the evening.

Judging by the levels of light in the apartment, it was barely 7.

Kristoff supposed he could go back to bed - they had been up awfully late...

Or he could whip something together by the time she woke up.

—

-

—

Anna was cold when she woke up. She was cold, and she was alone.

Her hand stretched out in front of her to see if there was any remaining warmth where Kristoff had been sleeping, hoping that he had just gotten up a little bit earlier. It would be okay if he had just gotten up.

But there wasn’t.

Swallowing hard, Anna curled her fingers into the fabric of the pillow. Had he really left? She vaguely remembered him getting up some hours earlier, but she had assumed he would still be tired and come back to bed. Had he seen it as an opportunity to leave? Had he taken one look at her - all knotted hair and smeared makeup and probably some drool crusted on her chin - and decided that it was too much?

Had it been too good to be true?

She sat up just enough to notice his wallet and keys were gone from the nightstand, and his clothes were no longer scattered around the room, and she felt her heart clench under her ribs. There was no trace of him left.

Oh.

Anna had thought - hoped - that their short conversation the night before was a step in the right direction. She had thought it meant he was going to stick around for a while. She thought he meant that he wanted her, that she was going to be his choice when he was ready, thought that the promise of my place next time meant that he was going to start letting go of old baggage… But clearly it had just been the soft encouragement of liquor loosening his lips.

This wasn’t the first time she had been wrong. 

It just never hurt quite this much before.

She was just about to settle in for a day of not leaving the bed and moping when a loud crash from somewhere else in the apartment startled her. “Ah, fuck --” It was louder than a whisper, but clearly hushed as if not to wake her. 

Her whole body tensed as she clambered out of the sheets, grabbing at her small shorts and large tee that she kept thrown over the back of a chair, and padded as quietly as she could out of the bedroom. It was probably just Elsa… or…

Peeking her head around the corner, Anna felt her pulse quicken. 

Kristoff was standing in the middle of the kitchenette, shirtless and cursing as grease popped up from the stove, his suit pants slung low on his hips without the belt secured, and he looked freshly showered and downright glowy as the warm morning sun filtered in through the small window over the sink. Anna swallowed around the lump in her throat.

He was still here.

Barely controlling herself as she moved across the cool wood floor, Anna did her best not to leap on him as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her nose into his shoulder. He jumped just slightly, clearly not noticing her before she collided with him, and let out a short laugh as she tightened her grip.

“Good morning,” he grinned, his voice just a little raspy from disuse and the strain of the night before. “You -- Oh, okay--”

Anna had practically started climbing up him, her legs wrapping around his waist as he lowered one hand to support her bottom. He turned her away from the stove, doing his best to protect her from the splashing bacon while also not letting it burn. “Anna, this --”

“You’re here,” she mumbled against his skin, pressing her mouth and nose into the crook of his neck. The relief she felt coursing through her was almost unbearable.

“What?” Kristoff pulled his head back just enough to look at her. “Of course I am…” His grip tightened on her, and she squeezed his hips with her thighs. “Did you think I left?”

Frowning and pressing her nose back up against his neck, Anna didn’t answer right away. She had, and now she felt ridiculous about it. “Well… all your stuff was gone.”

“Baby,” he laughed and reached back to the pan to flip the now crisping bacon. “I went to the store.” His mouth lowered to rest beside her ear, and his voice dropped to an almost whisper. “How do you live like this? All your fridge had in it was a carton of expired milk and half a jar of pickles.”

Her mood immediately lifted, his teasing brightening everything about the day. “Excuse me,” she snorted, leaning back and straightening her back. She quirked one eyebrow as she stared down at him, practically turning her nose up. “There is a pizza in the freezer.”

He laughed, a full belly laugh, his cheeks stretching with the width of this smile, and Anna was enamoured with him all over again. She had to kiss him. Had to. Her hands rose to his jaw, and she planted a chaste, wide grinned kiss to the corner of his mouth. 

Kristoff’s laugh cut off, but he continued to look at her with adoration in his eyes and a softer smile playing at his lips. She continued stroking her thumbs over his cheeks as he swallowed, flushed pink, and then turned his attention back to the stove.

“Shit…”

Smile dropping, she looked down at the pan of burnt meat and laughed. Bacon did burn awful quick if you failed to give it your full attention. “That’s okay.” Her fingers found their way to the hair at the bottom of his skull again and scratched gently at his scalp, her cheeks flushing when a soft moan left his throat at the contact. “I like my bacon extra crispy anyway.”

“Sure, sure, sure,” he chuckled, bouncing her higher on his hips before taking the hot pan off of the stove. “I’m positive you’re not just saying that.” He reached up to flick off the gas range, slid a spatula under the extra crispy bacon and dropped it down onto a waiting paper towel.

Anna couldn’t help her own giggle from bubbling up behind her lips. “I promise!” And then she lowered his head to kiss him again, both of their toothy grins prohibiting the kisses from being anything but innocent. “I love burnt bacon.”

“Well,” he sighed, his newly freed other hand pressing firmly against her mid-back as he savored her small, peppering kisses. “I’ll burn your bacon every morning, if you’d like.”

“Ooh,” she hummed against him, as if seriously contemplating it. “Tempting.”

Kristoff’s tongue teased her lips then, breakfast quickly forgotten as a heat rose between the two of them. Unspoken promises of many future mornings whispered in the back of her mind, pressing her desire to the forefront as his hands roamed over her body, mapping every inch of her.

She wanted so much, but groaned at the feeling of hairspray still stiff in her hair, makeup still caked on her face, and sweat dried slightly sticky against her skin. She needed to be clean before anything else could happen.

“Ah,” she sighed, pushing regrettably away from him. “It’s my turn to shower.” Anna almost laughed at the clear frustration in his eyes as she wiggled out of his grasp. “Are you willing to burn some eggs for me, too?” 

Watching with delight as his tongue pressed against one cheek then ran across his bottom teeth under his lips - a sign she had learned meant he was wound up and annoyed that he had to tamp it down - Anna touched her feet back down to the cool floor. 

“... Maybe pancakes?”

“Am I your personal chef now?” His teasing irritation made her smile.