Some teenage Kristanna fluffies~ These two dorks would be the cutest high school sweethearts, if they had high school in Arendelle. This doesn't exist in the canon universe, obviously, for several reasons:
A) Elsa's not locked up in her room, their parents were smart, but Anna still barely sees her.
B) Anna is 13 and Kristoff and Elsa are 16.
C) Hans is a local bully of sorts, son of a duke or some rich person (details, details).
P.S. For some reason I imagine Hans to smell like a girl and, since it's a recurring joke in the movie that Kristoff smells like reindeer, I thought it would be hilarious if Anna preferred the reindeer smell.
Anna almost flew down the stairs, tripping the last couple steps but miraculously managing to stay upright as she flung herself at the castle doors. She paused to glance back at the balcony, getting a small smile and an encouraging wave from her sister, Elsa. With a last giggle of excitement, Anna yanked open the doors and hurdled through at almost-full speed. Finally, they were letting her go out on her own! Finally, she could run in an unrestricted space! Not that the castle wasn't plenty spacious, but the walls were a bit deterring. The guards waved at her and obligingly opened the doors, allowing her to get her first look at all the exploring she had to do.
Of course, the first thing she did was skip a little too nonchalantly to the chocolate stand, noting an older boy in a crisp uniform at the stall next door. He eyed her blankly and she cleared her throat, attempting to ignore his intense stare. She exchanged a few words with the chocolate man and skipped away as quickly and inconspicuously as she could, box in hand.
A hand on her wrist halted her, "excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice you look my way. My name is Hans." She was about to slug this stranger for touching her, how dare he touch her, she was the princess- Oh. She blinked up at the boy. He had the beginnings of sideburns (which were the first thing she noticed), dazzling blue eyes, hard-set features and a very charming smile. Oh yes, he was the picture perfect Prince Charming, except for the fact that he held himself rather pompously and smelled suffocatingly of daffodils. Anna took a step back, removing her hand from his grasp with a curt smile, "Princess Anna. It's nice to meet you."
"May I walk with you?" he asked, and she nodded. They talked small for a little while before Anna perked up again, explaining her shut-in life and yelling about how happy she was to be outside. All the while she kept a safe distance from him, avoiding the girly smell. Sometimes a loud crash would sound or a wave would spray them and Hans would grip her protectively against him. This was getting more and more uncomfortable every time it happened, but she pressed on. The more she talked of her excitement, the more wound up she got, and pretty soon she was running again and Hans did his best to keep up with her.
As the young redhead bobbled through the marketplace, she took in everything with wide arms. The sun, the summer flowers, the salty ocean breeze. How could Elsa not want to be out here? She suddenly regretted running with her eyes closed as another smell hit her. Literally. Hay, maybe moss, something definitely earthy and something else that was almost horse-like. She plopped back on her butt, shaking her head and glaring up at whatever she'd hit.
Or whoever, as it turned out.
Surprised, brown eyes stared back at her, blond hair tousled unceremoniously and gangly limbs held out in front of him as if he'd tried to stop her before doing exactly what she'd just done. "I'm sorry!" she laughed uproariously, then squeaked as Hans lifted her to her feet. "You should never feel sorry towards him," he grunted. Anna blinked, "but I ran into him. I wasn't looking where I was going." She didn't like the way he turned his nose up at her words.
"I'm Anna, by the way," she waved enthusiastically, grinning at the boy she'd hit. "Kristoff.." he muttered, rolling his eyes at the snort that Hans answered him with. "You were in Miss Anna's way." Anna pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Hans. "But he was-" was all she could get out before he cut her off. "And that terrible smell of reindeer is blinding." Kristoff opened his mouth to retort but Anna's tongue was quicker, "Reindeer? Is that what that is? Why does he smell like reindeer? Why do you smell like reindeer?"
As if on cue, her answer came thundering down the cobble straight at them; a half grown reindeer buck with just the beginnings of antlers. Kristoff turned just in time to be bowled over, the animal covering his face in slobbery licks, it's butt wagging with it's tail. Hans had shoved Anna protectively behind him but the laughter and excitement that came from the previously guarded teenager on the ground in front of them was enough to spike her curiosity. "Sven, you couldn't wait just a little longer?" Kristoff chuckled, scratching the beasts scruffy neck and attempting to stop the drowning licks. To Anna's great shock and amusement, he lent a silly voice to the reindeer in answer of his own question, "I got hungry!"
Hans pushed her back with him as he retreated but she ducked under his arm and gave him a rebellious glare, "I can take care of myself."
"Suit yourself, but he's just the town embarrassment," he growled in response, turning on his heel and hurrying away, clearly irritated. Anna stuck her tongue out before taking a tentative step forward to watch as Kristoff, who was now back on his feet, pulled a carrot from his jacket and held it out to his pet. After biting it in half, Sven nudged it back at him and he promptly crunched his own portion, earning a grimace from Anna. "I think that was the grossest thing I've ever seen."
Both of them stared as if they couldn't believe she was still standing there. Kristoff rubbed the back of his neck before shrugging, causing his chest to tighten and arms to flex. Anna shook herself, grinning again and grabbing his hand without offer to shake it. "It's nice to meet you! I like your reindeer! Do you live around here? Can-"
Her sentence was again interrupted by a very confused Kristoff, who wrenched his hand back after a minute of her shaking it and took a step back. "Look, I don't need more people to bug me, okay? I get it enough, as your boyfriend just demonstrated." He hadn't meant to sound harsh but Anna cringed anyway, shuffling her feet and mumbling, "he's not my boyfriend," before turning to go.
The reindeer gave him a pointed look and Kristoff sighed heavily,brushing his thick fingers through his bangs, "A- uh.." what was her name again? Right! "Anna, wait." She glanced over her shoulder to see him pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezed shut, "I suppose it's good to meet you, too. No I don't live around here, and what were you going to ask?"
"If we could be friends," was the very blatant reply. Kristoff blinked, opening his mouth to say something but closing it again. Nothing would come out. Friends? The only friend he'd ever had was Sven, so his people skills weren't particularly well developed. Not to mention he was rugged and did indeed smell a bit, and she was so teeny and.. clean. "You don't want to be friends with me," he scoffed, patting Sven on the muzzle when he nudged him. Anna crossed her arms stubbornly, "Yes, I do."
"No, you don't."
"And why not?"
He couldn't give her an answer. He only snorted in irritation and turned away, pulling Sven, who seemed to be grinning apologetically at her, after him. But she was not giving up that easy. "You can't just walk away!" she waved her arms in protest, jogging after them. Kristoff quickened his pace but, despite his legs being longer, she still somehow kept up with them. Finally he whipped around, an annoyed glare on his face.
He didn't keep it for long, however, as she tripped over her feet and barreled into him again. He caught her by the underarms, staring down at her with half-hearted reprimandation. "This is what happens when you don't listen," he scowled, righting her rather roughly. She brushed herself off, punching him in the arm before just smiling again, "I'll follow you until you can give me a reason not to be your friend."
"What if I don't want friends?" he shot, but it lacked conviction and he knew it. His hands were balled into fists, shoulders tense and threatening, but Anna just sighed, "Well, I want friends. I've been stuck inside my whooole life! And you don't smell like that other guy, Hans, did." This caught him off guard, making him drop his intimidating stance and look over at Sven in question. He made the reindeer laugh, "you must not get out much if you think Kristoff smells better." This earned him a glare from Kristoff and a giggle from Anna.
"I like that you do that," she beamed, "talk for him, I mean. Like you understand what he's thinking." Kristoff's expression softened considerably at this, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Oh, you can smile!" Anna exclaimed triumphantly, putting her hands on her hips and puffing her little chest out. He laughed at her and his laugh made her feel just as warm as it sounded. "Yes, I can smile," he continued to chuckle, leaning on Sven. The reindeer had a grin on his face, looking from Anna to Kristoff and back.
There was a moment where neither said anything and the only sounds were of the trades and arguments of the market. Anna felt her face flush red after a moment, realizing she'd been staring at him. Kristoff coughed, "So, uh.. What are you doing out here, anyway?" Anna shrugged, "I could ask you the same thing. Especially since you said you don't live around here." Okay, so she had a point. Kristoff brushed her arm gently, motioning for her to walk with Sven and him as they continued through the marketplace. "We're just passing through and buying some supplies. We're ice harvesters, so-"
"Ice harvesters?" Anna glowed with curiosity, grabbing his arm and staring at him intently. He nodded, standing just a little straighter at her interest. He smiled smugly, clearing his throat in a proud manner, "Yes, ice harvesters. It's tough work, but it's worth it. And the ice is so beautiful, Anna, you should see it under the waking sky.." He trailed off a bit before bringing himself back with a shake of his head, "And Sven likes it, too. He gets to run the sled." Ann nodded, "Sven. That's the reindeer, right?"
They'd reached the edge of the market now, Kristoff pausing to look behind them at the sun still bright in the sky. "Well, I don't want to keep you, and I could honestly use a bath. Maybe you should head back to.. wherever it is you came from." Anna slugged his arm again, "no way, I'm sticking with you. Er, not to bathe.." She flushed when he gaped at her, but he only laughed after her explanation. "I would hope not. I just met you. But really, Anna-" She slapped her hand over his mouth, having to stand on the very tips of her toes to look him in the eyes, "I'm sticking with you! I already said that! This is my first day out on my own, I'm not going back before I absolutely have to! I can wait for you to bathe!"
They squabbled like this for another ten minutes or so, and continued to bicker even as Anna followed him out of town and up the path to the mountains. Luckily, he was camped fairly close by, out of sight of the trail. Literally camped, Anna found, blinking at the rolled out furs in the back of a parked sled, one pulled over a tree limb to serve as a tent. He'd said he was an ice harvester, but she had expected him to live.. well, anywhere but here, like this. She didn't say anything, however, seeing him glance at her from the corner of his eye. He's embarrassed by it, she thought softly, a faint smile pulling at the corner of her lips, that's cute.
Sven immediately jumped up into the back of the sled, flopping onto his side under the fur roof, his little tail waving as he watched Anna and Kristoff. "It's not much," Kristoff muttered, poking some discarded carrot stems with the toe of his boot, "but we get by. It serves its purpose."
"I think it's amazing!" Anna chimed, hopping over to drop next to Sven, "like a big campout, all the time! And these are so soft." She pet the furs beneath her, leaning on Sven with a small gasp, "he's soft! I could sleep with him! Oh, that's why you smell like reindeer, huh?" Kristoff only nodded, staring disbelieving at the girl... on.. his.. bed.. "I like it!" she giggled, hugging a very happy-looking Sven around the neck. Kristoff smiled at him, rolling his eyes.
Shoved under the seat of his sled were various items including a full knapsack, some extra clothes, three bundles of carrots, and an old lute that was falling apart. This Anna reached over to pick up, gasping when the top splintered and hung uselessly by the strings, "oh, I'm so sorry, I-I didn't mean-" Kristoff shushed her, taking it and positioning the piece back in place before tightening the strings to hold it there. "It was already broken," he shrugged, putting it back with the other things, "There's a new one down in the market that I'm saving up for. The guy's holding it for me."
Anna had never had to "save up" for anything in her life so she didn't exactly understand what he meant, but she decided not to comment. Something told her it would be rude to ask. She watched quietly, swinging her legs as Kristoff rummaged in the knapsack. He pulled out a green lump of something, and a book. The book he handed to her, coughing and turning a very faint shade of pink, "while you wait. It's all I've got.. Sorry."
"While I wait for wha- oh, right," she nodded, taking the book from him, "you were going to take a bath.. Where?" He jerked his thumb behind them at a wide pond which she hadn't noticed before. "You wash in that?" she crinkled her nose, but immediately wiped a blank expression across her face when he winced. "I'm sorry, Kristoff-"
"It's okay," he sighed, shrugging weakly and moving to the front of the sled. She didn't feel like it was okay. He paused in removing his shirt, raising his eyebrows at her until she got the hint and turned back around. Sven had his eyes closed now, snoring lightly even as Anna leaned on him. She listened to the rustling of Kristoff's clothes and the quiet disturbance of the water. He'd hesitated with the last piece of clothing, which made her smirk in amusement.
The book he'd given her was worn and dusty, but she still held it like it was the most precious thing she'd ever seen. She normally hated books, having nothing to do but read them all the time, but this book interested her. She could barely make out the title in big, script letters: Food for Thought. Upon opening it, she found that it wasn't a book at all, but more like a journal that a bunch of different people had written random ideas in. Some of them made her laugh and some of them made her blush beat red.
She was in the middle of a particularly interesting paragraph when Kristoff eased the book gently out of her hands and stowed it back in the bag. She huffed, crossing her arms, "I wasn't done with that. What is it, anyway?"
"Something the ice harvesters pass around to occupy extra time. We read it and sometimes add things to it." He hopped up to sit beside her, running his fingers through his damp hair, "So, what do you wanna do now?" Anna tapped her chin, shifting her weight to lean on him instead of Sven. Nothing came to mind immediately, but she caught the lute out of the corner of her eye and grinned.
"Can you play it?" she asked, tugging on his sleeve. He nodded, reaching behind him and carefully lifting the wooden instrument with both hands. As he set it in his lap, he bit his lip, "Although, I don't know if it'll stay together much longer." He thumbed a string or two and Sven raised his head, ears forward as if ready for something. Kristoff laughed lightly, "oh, you think we're singing, do you? Okay. One song, just for you, buddy."
Anna wiggled around excitedly, getting comfortable on the edge of her seat in anticipation. Kristoff cleared his throat nervously, strumming a chord or two before plunging into a song they had obviously rehearsed before, "Reindeers are better than people. Sven, don't you think that's true?" And then he sang for his friend, "Yeah, people will beat you and curse you and cheat you. Every one of them's bad, except you."
"But people smell better than reindeers. Sven, don't you think I'm right?"
"That's once again true, for all except you."
Sven had a smug look on his face at this point, and Anna giggled, "I like the way you smell." Both of them stopped to stare at her, Kristoff with wide eyes and a faint blush. "You do?" was all he could manage to say, absentmindedly messing with the hair on the nape of his neck. To Anna's nod he set the lute down, leaning closer to her with skeptical, narrow eyes. Their noses almost touched as he asked, "is your nose broken?"
"No, it's not broken," she scoffed, shoving him back half-heartedly, "I just like the smell of horses. And reindeer is similar." She tapped her fingers on her knees, ignoring his unconvinced gaze. "Do you really think people are so bad?" she ventured carefully, catching him off guard yet again. She seemed to do that a lot. "Well, I don't have the best history with people," he responded under his breath, "but you're not so bad, I guess."
Anna hadn't noticed the sun was so low until she grinned up at Kristoff and it caught one side of his straw-coloured hair. She blinked, looking over towards where she thought the path back to Arendelle was, "I should get back." There was a breathy sigh in her words, and Kristoff chuckled, getting down from the sled. "Okay," he offered her his hand, "I go to work early, anyway, so I need to get to sleep."
They left Sven in the sled, walking quietly down the mountain. Kristoff let Anna set the pace, which was surprisingly slow. Truth was, she didn't want to go back. She hadn't had a friend since Elsa shut her out and she liked being around this scruffy ice harvester. "How long will you be in town?" she inquired, nudging him. He actually sighed, "well, the older guys say I'm not old enough to go up into the deep mountains with them, where it's always frozen, so probably until winter."
"That's months away!" Anna giggled rather enthusiastically, "so I can see you until then?" Kristoff halted on the edge of town, blinking down at her. He didn't think that's why she asked, "you want to see me again?" She snorted, "of course. We're friends, remember?"
He hadn't, but he did now. And the thought made him smile.