#kacij2018

           It was the greenest summer he’d ever seen in his entire life. The sun rose bright and warm every morning, and it only ever seemed to rain just enough for the grass to stay lively and plush beneath his feet. It was the perfect outdoor summer, made for hiking and fishing, and of course it was the first summer he’d been put in charge of jobs for his father’s lawn service, so while he spent most of it outside, it wasn’t quite as enjoyable as he’d wanted it to be.

           That didn’t mean he’d found it boring. No, he’d always found some comfort in demanding work, in keeping things in order, so when Cliff asked him to spend his last college summer running a job for one of their wealthier clients in the historic part of Artondale, Washington he was quick to jump aboard. Of course, it was just as much for the assistance it gave his father as it was for his own personal satisfaction, but what he hadn’t expected was to find the assignment to be fun. He hadn’t accounted for Anna.

           It had been all business at first. He’d gone to high school with Elsa, and she’d insisted upon using his father’s lawn service for the summer because it was the service her recently passed parents had always used. He barely knew her, she’d always kept to herself and that had never bothered him. She was a polite enough employer, and he always made sure that the work he completed was up to her standards. They never had an issue, and everything was as neat and orderly as the hedges, rose garden and exactly two-inch-high weed-less Kentucky Bluegrass. That was, of course, until Anna came back from boarding school.

           He could still remember the first time he saw her, a red head poking out an upstairs window for a split second like a ghost. He wouldn’t have even noticed it if he hadn’t looked up at just the right moment, because of course he knew that the Arendelle’s had a younger daughter but hadn’t thought that she’d be watching him from an upstairs window. Something about it made him sad, the idea of her spying instead of just coming down to say hello. He hadn’t really thought much of it at the time, but as he caught her looking again and again it had made him equal parts curious and frustrated. His only thought at the time had been that she was too good to come out and say hello, everything he knew about Elsa said that she wouldn’t agree with her sister fraternizing with the help.

           But undoubtedly fraternization was bound to happen when she kept spying on him out a window. It had been a week since he’d first spotted her staring and while he’d never considered himself the sort of man to have a temper, he also had never encountered conditions as infuriating as those on the day they first met. He’d apologized later, his Ma would have rung his neck if he hadn’t, but in the moment, he shouted up to her he had seen more red than just that of her hair.

           “Take a picture, it’ll last longer!”

           He’d been angry, after hours of convincing himself that she was up in the air-conditioned loft of her bedroom while he and his guys toiled with her hedges on the hottest day of the year. And of course, if he’d been in his right mind he wouldn’t have said anything at all, but he had been fried from the heat and sick and tired of ensuring that there were ninety-degree corners on a plant with round leaves. It had only been the background thought of his father’s reputation and a quiet voice of self-preservation that had kept him from yelling a few choice words instead.

           When she’d disappeared from the window he’d expected her sister to come out and ask him to leave. He’d stopped his work on the hedges and looked to the ground, hearing his heart beating in his ears as he came to the realization that he’d just screwed himself over, not to mention possibly lost a customer for his father. He had played a million possible outcomes over in his head of all the different ways in which six words would ruin his life and he became strangely prepared for it all within a few moments. What he hadn’t imagined in his thousands of possibilities was that when the sliding glass door opened a few minutes later he would to look up to see a sheepish young woman carrying a tray of lemonade like something out of a sitcom.

           That was the day that he truly met Anna Arendelle. That was the day that he, somewhat nervously came to the realization that she was not the annoying thirteen-year-old sister of his employer, but rather a sweet young woman of eighteen who hadn’t spoken to a man outside her ivory tower. After clumsy introductions and apologies, Kristoff realized that his week-long stalker was so much more than a flash of red and affluence in an upstairs window, she was just a lonely soul looking for companionship.

           It had been easy for him to like her. At the start she would still be a flash in a window, the little red head that watched him work, offered a few polite words, and brought out homemade lemonade to his guys. It was a comfortable way to know her, to see her smile at his compliments on the drink, to nod slightly when she had preferences for which flowers she’d like planted, and to politely make small talk when she caught him before he left in the afternoons. She was polite, and when she rambled about her thoughts on the garden he didn’t find it annoying or boring because she was also an excellent listener when he decided to say something in return.

           It was always easier to listen to her talk though. There was something in her voice, the raw excitement she had for information as simple as which plants were weeds or why he needed to change the height on the mower deck before he mowed her lawn. Her passion was strangely infectious, and soon enough he was able to find comfort in being swept up in her moods. The moments when she called him by his name and talked about her day while he weeded the garden were some of his favorite moments of the day, and he’d started to notice that when he came by after not being around for a couple days, she’d seem anxious to see him. When he realized her burgeoning attachment to him, her distaste for rainy days where he didn’t work, he began to take note of the way being around her made him feel.

           The day the feeling had become inescapable was exactly a week after she’d been told off by her sister for distracting the crew. Of course she’d come out each time just as she had before, but there was a discomfort to it, a strangeness to the way she had to sneak into her own backyard just to see him. That day in particular was no exception, but the way in which she was caught certainly made it difficult for him to deny he had feelings for her. Of course, any many would have a hard time denying their affection for a woman once she was in his arms.

           The day that Kristoff realized that he was falling for Anna Arendelle was the same day that he learned that she was terrified of snakes, the same day that she saw a garter snake, leapt into his arms and cried while shrieking loud enough to cause her sister and all the staff of the stately house to come barreling out of the house in a rush. It was also the day that he was apologized to profusely by Elsa Arendelle, and the day he extremely nervously asked Anna to join him at the county fair for a day, a date he felt was immensely beneath her, but also one that Anna enthusiastically agreed to as her sister sighed.

           It was all downhill from there. The rest of his summer was spent with Anna, teaching her about the things he did for work, telling her about his plans after he graduated with his forestry degree, and listening to all of her concerns about going off to school three states over for a program that she didn’t even want to complete. Anna Arendelle spent the summer becoming engrained in his life, his truck cab started to smell like a mixture of her perfume and the old saddle blanket she’d used for equestrian that had become their picnic and star gazing blanket, his hands became skilled at wrapping around hers, and in shy and nervous ways the nights became a classroom for them to learn the shapes of each other’s mouths.

           It was the summer of Anna. Her eyes were bluer than any of the fjords in Puget Sound. Her red hair swinging in braids rivaled any sunset, and he found the grass was greener and softer below him whenever she was laying in it beside him. Her smile outshined the sun, and as they sweated together in her backyard or on his days off up in the mountains, at local events, at concerts and in farmers markets, he found he couldn’t care less about the heat. If Anna would look at him with love in her eyes forever, he thought that he’d walk into a fire and back out again without a single complaint.

           The night they made love was the night that he’d stopped working for the Arendelle family. His father had been able to take back over, with summer turning to fall and his work becoming more and more raking and less and less mowing and gardening, so with no small amount of gratitude for the opportunity the work had given him, he’d taken Anna out to dinner and then up camping to watch the Perseid meteor shower in the mountains. He hadn’t felt worthy of her atop the pile of blankets in the bed of his truck. He’d been so nervous the whole time, kissing every inch of skin she revealed for him until she practically begged for him to be inside her. It was nothing like the movies, it was nothing like he’d imagined, and yet it was so much more because it was Anna, sweet untouched Anna who spent the entire experience caught up between virginal gentleness and the primal need to take what she wanted. Her hands gripped his shoulders as she called out his name into the heavens above them, and he spent the entire experience whispering prayers and thanks for whatever it was he could have done to deserve her.

           He tucked her beneath a blanket at his side as they watched the passage of the stars above. She had told him about making wishes, and while she probably made a million, she was strict to her promise that she would not tell him a single one until it came true.

***

           He didn’t have any packing to do. All four years of his education were easily accessible, just nineteen minutes from home at UW Tacoma. Come next summer he would be a graduate, hopefully with a job in one of the many parks in the area or with the state department of ecology. He knew that the thought should fill him with joy, but as he helped Anna pack everything she loved into a few suitcases, he couldn’t feel anything akin to happiness. He imagined it would be easier if she seemed happy at all herself, but as per the usual she was easier to read than a book.

           She didn’t shrug off his hand when she brought in to her shoulder, but instead relaxed under it. When he wrapped his arms around her, he felt as if he might be the only thing keeping her standing. After their whirlwind summer romance, how quickly he had fallen for her, he felt the same for her. Being together was the only thing that kept them from falling apart.

           “Kris,” she whispered, so soft her sister wouldn’t hear her from the next room over, “I don’t think I can do this.”

           I don’t think I want you to.

           “Sure you can,” he whispered in return, his lips in her hair, “You’re Anna Arendelle, the strongest, smartest girl I know, you can do this no problem.”

           She shook her head and he frowned as she pulled away from him. Of course, he had a feeling that the thoughts running through her head were about the same as his own, but he was trying to optimistic for her despite positivity being far more her strong suit than his own.

           Please don’t go.

           “Not school,” she started, stepping forward to place another t-shirt into her bag, this time it was printed with the words “Jane’s Canvas”, an indie folk group they’d seen in concert at an open mic night before they’d gotten serious.

           He stepped around her so that he was facing her. He could see by the way she was frowning that she was going to cry soon. She had to leave within the hour to be at the airport to catch her plane, and as the time to leave approached, she got more and more upset. He couldn’t help himself from reaching up to tuck an errant hair back behind her ear. He didn’t know how many more he’d have the pleasure of touching before winter break, so he took his time and rested his had gently on her cheek when he was done, his thumb swiping away a few drops of moisture that had already found their way out of the corner of her eye.

           “I know,” he said because it was all he could think to say.

           He wasn’t surprised when she started to cry fully in response. He hadn’t expected anything else, and he knew that wiping away the deluge would do no good. Apparently going off to school was on par with her fear of snakes, as the amount of tears was similar enough he knew the only solution was to pull her into his arms to let her cry into his chest.

           He hushed her gently, hands moving across her back, through her hair, along her shoulders as he heard her choked attempts at speaking through the pain and his embrace.

           “I don’t even want to go. I want, I want to, I want to stay here. I don’t want to study business, and the teaching program in Tacoma wanted me… I, I hate this. I hate this so much. Please Kris.”

           He didn’t know what to say, so he just held her tighter. It was all information he knew already. She’d been accepted at the business school her parents had wanted for her to attend in Arizona as well as at UW Tacoma’s education program. He knew that while Anna had wanted nothing more in life than to teach kids, her sister’s constant reminders of their parents expectations had swayed her to head out of state. He knew that she could still take Tacoma up on their offer, and he knew that there was a little house a friend was renting there that was looking for roommates.

           “I’m no good with words, but that’s nothing new,” he said, allowing himself a moment to finally let go, “but still I have to try to explain what I want to do, with you.”

           “Let me be your ride out of town,” he whispered without really thinking about it, “let me be the place that you hide, we could change our plans on the go. Anna, there’s a house on the bay…” he shook his head and pulled her closer, “expectations be damned, Anna, I’ll get a job in the city, just please…”

           He took a deep breath, but the words came out quiet despite his new found determination, “Run away with me.”

           Anna, whether though shock or sheer will, was able to reign in her control enough to look up at him and go quiet.

           “Get the car packed and throw me the key, run away with me. Anna, I have these plans, I have all these plans for our lives in Tacoma, just… accept their offer, I know this seems fast, but what else can I do? Anna, I love you. Run away with me.”

           She blinked, and Kristoff was suddenly aware of how hot he felt. He wanted to tell her that if it looked like he was sweating it was because he was, but he figured that at such a serious moment that they were both shocked into silence, it would be foolish to break it with something so silly.

           “I did.”

           “You did what?” he asked, not sure what she was referring to.

           “Tacoma. I did, I…” she took a deep breath and then smiled, “I did accept their offer, I know it was stupid, but with the other school requiring in person meetings before the semester started… oh God it was so stupid of me, but I was going to go and change my mind… I, Kris… Yes. I did, I’m going to stay in Washington. I’m going to stay in Artondale. Tacoma sounds great, and the house is something I’d like, but maybe after you graduate? Maybe we start with you driving me to campus for orientation next week? And then maybe we go to campus together? I could schedule my classes the same time and…”

           He kissed her, pulling her tight into his arms and not caring about the way his eyes were watering as he took it all in. Anna was going to stay. He’d never thought that he could need someone in the way he needed her, and now he’d gone from packing her bags to hearing that she’d not be leaving him. It was emotional whiplash, but all he could feel was happiness as he kissed her again and again until he heard a throat clear from the door way.

           Elsa, steely and professional as ever stood before them with her brow cocked. She too seemed to deflate slightly after a moment, and for the first time since Kristoff had started seeing Anna, he watched the older Arendelle sister crack a smile.

For once she absolutely hates the drive to the mansion.

Most times, Anna would enjoy the surrounding hills, the winding roads that lead to a beautiful view above the city, letting her windows down as she enjoyed the long ride away from the hustle and bustle of Gotham; but today she despised it.

It was too long of a drive, not short enough, and she swore as she took a turn a bit too quickly and heard her tires squeal.

She had seen the headline from across the room at the gala,

“Batman vs. Joker: Joker Escapes Once Again”

Her heart was already thundering in her chest as she got close enough to her Lisa Cortez report from just a few blocks away, standing in front of a blocked off street,

“--witnesses say the fight was quick but the Joker ultimately got away once again, after yielding a knife in the latest altercation. One witness described seeing Batman struggle to get back to his vehicle, even falling at one point as he made his way back. Police advice local residents to stay in doors until the surrounding area can be cleared. Traffic has been--”

She started for the door before she could hear more. Movement across the room caught her eye as she saw Sven excuse himself and head for the nearest exit as well.

Their eyes meet for a moment and it is immediately understood where they were both heading.

In record time, the mansion came into view and she can vaguely spot a pair of dim lights in the woods behind the mansion slowly disappearing below the earth.

Pulling up to the front of the mansion, Anna slams on the brakes.

She takes the stairs three at a time, gasping as she reaches the door and Olaf (bless him) is already holding the door wide open for her.

The mansion is much less of a maze, as it had once been a few months before. Now, Anna can get through it blindfolded if need be and she is in the cave in meer minutes.

It’s there she spots him. A broken mess beside the car, clutching at his side.

He had tried to get out of the car, but had barely made it and was on the floor of the cave; Anna can tell he is struggling with every breath he takes and it is when he finally collapses completely to the floor that she moves.

She can see the blood before she reaches him.

Anna kneels beside him, taking in the scene as quickly as she can. Small cuts here and there, the cape torn in places, many cuts to his forearm guards. It’s the large gash that Kristoff still clutches that makes her pause. It is the worse she’s ever seen, his armor already soaked in blood.

“Anna”, he breathes and it is then she finally looks at his face. His eyes are barely opened, he is pouring sweat and he is looking at her in recognition but she can see his eyes glazing over.

Thinking fast, she grabs hold of the train of her dress, ripping it and beginning to wrap it around his wound.

“Ok Bjorgman, we gotta move.” She says, bringing his arm around her shoulder.

She struggles, trying desperately to pull him to his feet.

Footsteps echo across the cave and announce the arrival of Sven.

“What did you do now you lug?” He jokes, pulling Kristoff’s other arm around his shoulder and together they move him to the nearest table.

For a time, it seemed the bleeding wouldn’t stop. Anna had frantically began cleaning it at best she could, Olaf supplying anything and everything she needed. With shaky hands she sewed the wound together, watching his breathing as she did.

Finally, finally, he was stable. A few painkillers and bandages later, he lies on the table still.

It is just them now, Sven and Olaf leaving after Kristoff had calmed (Anna prayed to god they didn’t see the tears that were threatening to come the whole time he was on the table). It is just them and the sound of the nearby waterfall echoing through the cave.

“Your dress.” He says with a frown, feeling the material in his hands, eyeing the blood and large rip.

“What?...Oh,” Anna says, peering down, “It’s ok, I’ll...I’ll get a new one.”

“No.”

“No?”

“I’ll get it.”

“Kristoff no. I bought it, I’ll get it.”

“And I ruined it by being bullheaded and nearly bleeding out.” Kristoff said, looking at her with a soft smile. “It’s my fault it’s ruined, so, I’ll get you a new one.”

“I..you..thanks.” Anna says, blushing as she finds the bandaging across his chest suddenly very interesting.

“You look beautiful by the way.”

Anna laughs, blowing a few wisps of hair from her eyes, “I’m sure the blood is a nice touch.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok.”

“No, not for that.” Anna eyes him, “Ok, yes I am sorry for that but...I meant..the gala...I know it meant a lot and you worked hard to get into it and--”

“It’s alright Kristoff.” Anna said, taking his hand. “It was boring anyways.”

“You’ve been talking about it for weeks,” Kristoff huffs a laugh, “I doubt it was boring.”

(In truth, Anna had been over the moon about the gala. It was the one thing she’d been dying to cover since coming to Gotham. The biggest names of the city came just to mingle, talk business over wine and champagne. It was the biggest party of the year and Anna, this year, had been chosen to cover it.

She had talked about it constantly, something she thought would annoy Kristoff to no end.

“It’s nothing but snobby rich people.”

“But there the biggest names in Gotham Kristoff! It’s a huge party.”

“Eh...it’s ok.”

“Wait...does that mean you’re going?”

Kristoff had paused, momentarily stopping in his tracing of her freckles along her back, “...maybe?”

Anna had turned over quickly then, squealing in excitement, “Oh this gala just got so much better!”

Kristoff smirked at her, “I thought you were already excited for it.”

“Yeah but now I know you’ll be there, and you’re going to wear a tux which is an added bonus!”

He chuckled then, “You like it when I dress up, huh?” leaning closer to her,

“Mhmm,” She giggled, biting her lip, “It’s very sexy.”

“And you’ll dress up too right?”

“Yeah,” she sighed as he kissed her neck.

“Mmm, maybe the gala won’t be so bad after all.”)

“...Ok, yeah...it wasn’t terribly boring and I did snag a few pictures, but still not all that exciting and glamorous like I thought plus...,” Anna pauses, biting her lip, “You weren’t there so, it wasn’t as fun.”

He squeezed her hand and Anna looked up.

“I’ll be at the next one.”

“No cape?”

“No cape.” Kristoff said with a grin, “Just a tux, and some roses.”

“Roses?”

“To go with your gown.”

Anna blushes bright red, looking down a their hands. “The press would have a field day with that one.”

“...and?”

Anna looks at him, confused.

All their time together, Kristoff made it a point to keep his life private. No matter what, nothing about his personal life went public. He kept very much to himself, as he and his family had done for so long. It was natural, easier that way he would say. Having people nosing around in his business, constantly trying to find the darkness in his past since he was brought into the family as a child, having grown adults working diligently to make him, a young boy, seem unfit to be apart of his family or discredit the family entirely; it was gross. The words people wrote, what they said, the lies they painted on so many things; he hated it.

He hated it all. So, he kept it all locked away in the mansion. Away from the public eye.

Their dates they had were in secret, discreet. Most were at his mansion, to make it easier on them. Anna never pestered him about it; she understood his hesitancy and distrust of the public.

But there was always a small bit of sadness deep inside on the fact they couldn’t hold hands in public, be seen talking too long, riding together in his car, venturing out for an ice cream cone; the normal cute date things Anna loved in her romance novels.

But this was not a knight in shining armor in a cute romance novel; this was the Dark Knight, this was Kristoff. Shy, quiet, unsure of the world and what it held but still so kind and full of love that Anna pushed the sadness aside.

Kristoff sits up, gasping as he does so. Anna moves to help but Kristoff grabs her hand once more and pulls her close. He leans against her lightly, his hands grasping her waist and as she settle hers on his shoulders.

For the millionth time she finds herself lost in his chocolate brown eyes.

“I don’t...I don’t want to be quiet anymore. Not about this.” He cups her cheek, “Not about something I care about.”

Anna smiles softly, “Kristoff--”

“I’ve been so...quiet, so shut away from people for so long and didn’t want to trust anyone but...you...you’ve helped me see the good. That there is still good in this crazy city. And I want people to see the woman that made me change, see how wonderful you are, see the good that I have in my life.” Kristoff smiles, “I want people to see the woman that I love.”

Anna giggles in excitment, tears threatening to come, “Are you sure?”