Tongue-Tied
He stood outside the queen's study with an arm raised and his hand fisted. He pantomimed knocking on the door more than once, but now five minutes later, he still couldn't bring himself to do it.
It was stupid. It was frustrating, and most of all it was embarrassing.
He didn't want to bother Elsa with his silly antics anyway, not when she was so busy with much more important matters—like ruling a kingdom for instance.
Running a hand through his unruly, blonde hair, Kristoff released a low sigh and slumped his shoulders as he thought better of it and turned on his heels.
That was when he heard the handle of the queen's study rattle and click, followed by a soft, confused voice.
"Kristoff?"
He froze in his spot and clenched his hands at his side as he stared straight ahead. He held his breath. He was not ready for this.
I should have given myself more time.
Exhaling, Kristoff steeled himself and put on a brave face. No, this involved the queen's sister, of course it was an important matter.
He shifted on his feet as he turned to face her, his heart was racing in his chest.
"Q-Queen Elsa," he started and berated himself for stuttering like a fool in front of royalty.
Elsa quirked a thin brow before she raised a hand. A small smile adorned her face and Kristoff swore both sisters were more alike than he originally believed.
"Kristoff, you can just call me Elsa."
"R-Right, Elsa." He cleared his throat. "I have something I wish to discuss with you," he paused, then added, "in private."
Elsa looked surprised, but didn't question him as she opened the door to her study wider.
Taking this as an invitation, Kristoff shuffled himself in.
He gnawed at his bottom lip as he watched her close the door behind them with a soft click.
Elsa turned her attention to him, curiosity painting her features as she folded her hands and gave a tilt of her head.
He took her silence as a sign to go on.
"It has to do with Anna."
Just as he suspected, this immediately caught the queen's attention. He noticed her lips fall into a frown and he raised his hands to reassure her before she could make any ill assumptions.
"She's fine, nothing has happened. Actually, I came on my behalf and I was hoping to receive your . . ." he trailed off and averted his gaze. He could feel the chill of Elsa's eyes burn right through him, causing a shiver to run up his spine. He wouldn't be surprised if one day she gained the power to shoot icicles from her eyes, ". . . permission."
The queen blinked at this as she moved to take a seat, her right leg crossing over her left as she kept a straight posture. He could see the curiosity brighten her eyes as she regarded him.
"Permission? Permission for what?"
He could tell she was getting impatient, judging by the way she pursed her lips and furrowed her brows. If he hadn't known any better, he would have missed the manifestation of frost that began to make its way down the side of her chair. Perhaps it wasn't the best strategy to beat around the bush when it came to the Queen of Arendelle.
"To—to court Anna."
He met her gaze and pressed his lips into a thin line as she seemed to contemplate for a moment.
When the queen rose from her seat, Kristoff didn't move. Instead, he watched her every move as she seemed to glide with every bit of grace toward him.
He refused to give her the satisfaction of breaking under her cold gaze.
She stared up at him, and he felt like he was staring down at an ice sculpture. The queen didn't even seem to blink.
Just when he began to think about taking back his words, he heard a tiny hum fall from her lips followed by a side smirk.
"Very well," she finally said, turning on her heels with a wave of her hand, "I give you my permission to court my sister."
Kristoff felt like his jaw could have hit the floor at her response.
Despite the queen's cold demeanor, she never ceased to surprise him.
"W-Wait what? Are you serious?"
He swore he saw Elsa roll her eyes as she turned to face him with her arms folded across her chest.
"Yes, I'm very serious. As long as you're serious about Anna, I don't see a reason to say no. I can see how happy you make her, and I would be a fool if I denied her such happiness."
Kristoff felt himself relax, and a genuine smile crossed his lips.
"I'm sure Anna would be ecstatic to hear that coming from you, Elsa. Thank you."
Elsa shook her head.
"No Kristoff, thank you. For giving my sister the happiness she deserves."
Kristoff's smile widened at that. It was all the confirmation he needed to know that the queen, even if she wasn't directly vocal about it, approved of him.
"Well, your Majesty," the ice harvester dipped into a quick bow, a grin plastered on his face when he began to make his way to the door, "I will be on my way."
He felt Elsa's eyes follow him all the way to the door, but when he grasped the handle, she spoke up.
"Kristoff."
He turned to look at her over his shoulder, taking note of how she cradled her hands against her chest. Her eyebrows dipped downward and she opened her mouth once or twice before she was finally able to speak again.
"I'll be watching you."
Kristoff didn't need to think twice to know that it was a subtle threat. Yet, his admiration for her didn't dwindle.
"I wouldn't expect anything less, Elsa."
"So Sven, what do you think? Should I get her something?" he asked his reindeer the moment he had walked out of the castle and offered him a carrot, to which Sven had been delighted to take.
Sven lifted stared at him with a tilt of his head as he chewed on his snack.
"Just get her a bouquet of carrots!" Sven answered, though his voice came through Kristoff's lips in an exaggerated manner. The reindeer swallowed the rest of his carrot and stuck out his tongue as a lousy smile seemed to cross his snout.
Kristoff shook his head and sighed.
"As appetizing as that sounds buddy, I don't think Anna would appreciate it as much as you would."
The reindeer hung his head low and groaned. Kristoff settled his hand on Sven's head, between his antlers and leaned against him.
"What about a flower?"
"Nah, that seems too cliché," he replied with a sigh, draping his arm over his eyes as he struggled to come up with something that would appease the princess.
Sven nudged him roughly, causing Kristoff to bounce on his feet to regain his balance. The reindeer gave him a pointed look before marching toward him.
Kristoff raised his hands in a defensive manner.
"Woah woah, hey buddy relax. Fine fine! I'll get her a flower! Happy now?"
Sven gave him a satisfied look coupled with a single, appreciative nod.
"Great, now I don't even know what kind of flower to get her."
He ran a hand through his hair, but jumped when a large bundle of flowers were dropped at his feet.
Kristoff raised a brow and glanced up to find Sven looking at him expectantly.
"Uh . . . thanks, but I can't give all of these to her."
"Just pick one then!"
"Alright fine fine, you got me!" The ice harvester rolled his eyes and crouched before the array of flowers and began to pick through them.
"A red rose? Nah, too cheesy. Oh, hey bud do you think she'd like a sunflower?"
The reindeer shook his fur and scratched at his ear, causing Kristoff to release a low sigh.
"Too bulky I guess."
After a few minutes of shuffling through each and every flower, he caught sight of a small rose in the corner of his eye. His curiosity now piqued, Kristoff leaned over and took the rose between his fingers and twirled it, inspecting it at every angle.
It was simple, pink, and pastel in color, reminding him of the rosy color Anna's cheeks would take on when she was embarrassed or even angry. It reminded him of her, bright with passion.
"What do you think, Sven?" He held up the rose to his furry companion, but lurched back when the reindeer attempted to nip at it.
Kristoff shook his head and smiled, "Yeah I think this is the one too."
It was only shortly after he decided to begin his search for Anna when he turned a corner and barreled straight into her.
"Ow—hey! Watch where you're—Kristoff?" she gasped, the heat of her anger distinguishing the moment she recognized him, despite how he was holding his head out of sheer pain.
Damn she had a hard head.
"Are you okay? I'm sorry I'm sorry I was just running and I wasn't watching where I was going and—"
Regaining his composure, Kristoff straightened himself.
"Anna."
"—there was this chicken that took my—"
Sighing, Kristoff grabbed her hands and called for her again, "Anna!"
"What?! Jeez Kristoff I'm right in front of you!"
"You're rambling again, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Anna asked.
"Yes yes, I'm sure."
He then, let go of her and cleared his throat. He could feel his stomach flipping when he reached into his back pocket to grasp the small rose he had picked out for her.
"Here, I got something for you."
Anna looked up at him with such curiosity in her eyes, he found it downright adorable.
Without another word, he held out the small rose, offering it to her.
Her eyes widened as dinner plates, and a smile bloomed so wide on her face that Kristoff wondered why he hadn't thought of this sooner.
"Oh Kristoff! How did you know that it was my favorite?"
"I—ah, wait it is?" he stuttered, baffled as he shot a glance at Sven who only continued to chew on a carrot.
Anna bit her bottle lip and took the flower from him.
"Mhm."
"Ah, here let me. . ." Kristoff took the rose, growing flustered as their fingers brushed. He then leaned forward and gently took one of her braids in his freehand and wound the stem of the rose through as he settled it in her hair.
"There."
Anna let loose a low giggle and she shyly took his hand in her's.
"Thank you."
Kristoff smiled down at her and brushed a stray stand of hair from her face.
The moment was short-lived however when he realized that now was the time to ask.
He took a deep breath, beginning to sweat when his nerves got the best of him.
You can do this. It's just Anna.
He clenched his hand into a fist, and resisted the urge to peer behind his back. What if Elsa was watching? What if he made a mistake? What if she hated the way he picked his nose?
No that's absurd, Kristoff.
What if Anna didn't feel the same?
He felt his throat begin to close.
No, he had to do this right. This had to be perfect.
"Anna—I . . . would you, I-I mean," he sighed and scratched the back of his neck, averting his gaze as he tried to untwist his tongue.
This was going far beyond what he had planned, and nothing had been right from the beginning. Perhaps he should have never thought of such a crazy idea. What was he thinking?
Anna stared at him with her head tilted and her hands on her hips. Her eyebrows raised as she watched his every move with her wide, powder blue eyes. If he wasn't so nervous, or sweating like a pig—God forbid he smelled like one—he would have found her expression adorable.
No, scratch that, he did find it alluring. And if he could bring himself to, he would gather her in his arms and place chaste, butterfly kisses all over her rosy, freckled-face.
"I-I—" He found himself stuttering again, and he looked to Sven for help but the reindeer just snorted at him and rolled his eyes as if to say just get on with it already!
"—off. Kristoff!"
The mountain man was shaken out of his reverie. It took him a moment to figure out why Anna's face was so close and blurry until he realized that she was holding him by the shoulders and giving him a few, vigorous shakes.
"Earth to Kristoff! Are you there?"
She was so close. Her lips were pursed and donned a pigment of light pink. He could see them start to turn white from the pressure as she pressed her lips together even tighter. It took all his self-control to not kiss her.
"I—" Kristoff cut himself off and grasped her by the elbows and lifted her hands off his shoulders. "Sorry, I got lost in thought. Was," he paused and cleared his throat to keep himself from blushing. He had to keep his pride, and he had hoped she hadn't caught him staring at her lips. "Was there something you wanted to tell me?"
Anna huffed and scrunched up her nose with a cross of her arms, and Kristoff resisted the urge to groan at the realization that he had, of course, messed up.
"No. Wasn't there something you wanted to tell me mister?"
He flinched as she leaned toward him and jabbed her index finger into his chest.
Yet despite her fiery attitude, and the fact that she was indeed annoyed with his foolish antics, Kristoff couldn't help but adore her.
In that moment, all of his fears were forgotten.
In that moment, as the sun began to set and the fireflies began their show, Kristoff knew that it didn't matter that she was a princess and he was just an ice harvester. What mattered was that he adored her more than he would like to admit.
"Anna," he started, taking in a deep breath as he stared into her eyes. He watched as the fire died from her eyes and her posture relaxed, and he found that he couldn't prevent the warm smile that bloomed across his face. He took her hand in his. "Will you go out with me?"
Anna tightened her fingers around his own, and Kristoff resisted the urge to intertwine their hands, but he was more interested in her answer.
He was so nervous he could hear his pulse in his ears as the longest stretch of silence he had ever experienced passed between them.
"Kristoff," she murmured, and his heart dropped to his stomach as he began to fear the worst.
I blew it. I've made a fool of myself. How could I have ever thought Anna, a princess would ever feel the same for a stupid mountain man like me? Oh god, I can see Elsa laughing in my face now. My life is over.
"We're already outside."
"U-Um . . . wait, what?"
Anna raised a brow as if to say 'duh' and Kristoff bit his lip. He was going to have to spell this out for her.
"No no! Anna, I-I mean . . . will you go out. On a date. With me?"
Anna's eyes widened when a wave of understanding washed over her, then a tiny grin adorned her visage.
Kristoff wasn't sure how to respond as he tried to pin point whether that look on her face was a good sign—or if it could mean he was about to face his inevitable death. He wasn't quite sure which he preferred.
His heart felt like it would burst out of his chest when she moved in and pressed her lips against his own. His hand promptly grasped at her waist as he took one step backward to balance himself.
Her arms locked around his neck in a loose embrace when they broke apart for air.
"Silly, of course I'll go out on a date with you."
A small bubble of laughter fell from his lips as he found himself grinning like a fool. He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, then on the tip of her nose, before their lips met again.
He tightened his hold around her and thanked the heavens that there would never be any boundaries that could tear them apart, because she made him happier than he thought anyone ever could.
A/N: For anyone who's curious, a pink rose resembles gratitude, appreciation, and admiration. So that being said, I found it appropriate that Kristoff would find a pink rose fitting.
I've never written in Kristoff's POV before so I hope I did him justice. Also I thought the Frozen fandom needed some more Kristanna fanfiction since there seems to be so little, sadly. I thought I could give a small contribution :3
And I also needed to take a small break from getting frustrated over trying to write the next chapter to my Frozen multi-chaptered fic DX
Please leave a review, it's wonderful hearing what my readers think 3