Another chapter for my beautiful readers, ya dig? Haha I'm slowly going crazy and this chapter won't make sense. But hey, there's a special someone who makes an appearance here. ;) Idk what he'll play in here, though. Hans is his name, you know, from Frozen? Anyone know who he is? I'd hope so. Maybe he'll be evil, maybe he won't. But he isn't with Anna even if he is this chapter. Pluuss I can't forget great people that I dedicate my chapter to:
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tumblethorne
rokusan23
Hauhuehue
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Merlin's neon spotty left sock
bs13
adylaidklug
PriscilaOrglene
AliceInNeverland
DeniseAgron
sunnyjoeman
First Movement
You guys all liked their kiss. ;) And mentioned that it could lead to some more adult situations, ha. Sorry but I don't write smut, guys. Mainly cause I find it just not to my liking- and unless it's got plot, I don't read M fics. And even then I skip the lemony parts. XD I could let you guys use your imagination, though- who knows, they could end up doin' the do, enjoyin' some frick frack. I've been spending too much time on Tumblr.
This chapter's song:
"How the hell did you ever pick me? Honestly, I could sing you a song, But I don't think words can express your beauty. It's singing to me, How the hell did we end up like this? You bring out the beast in me. I fell in love from the moment we kissed, Since then we've been history." If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn- Sleeping with Sirens
August 2
"It's laundry day," Rapunzel tells Jack when he comes into the living room. The latest safe house has a sofa that wasn't torn, so Jack sits on that, as well as a table, where Rapunzel has set up a tub full of water.
She has a bar of soap, and she's scrubbing at the cloth, when she notices Jack's thinking expression.
"The others all left," Rapunzel says heartily. "Astrid and Hiccup went for a walk together, aren't they so sweet? Flynn's still sleeping. And Anna, Kristoff and Elsa left for a ransack just this morning."
"They what?" Jack's on his feet on an instant at her last words. "Just three of them? They went on a mission?"
"No," Rapunzel tries to calm him down, shaking her head so that her golden hair cascades over her shoulders. With a flick of fingers, they're back behind her ears. "They just went to a nearby house. Elsa said that three was fine."
Jack slinks back down onto the couch. Elsa's name brought up unpleasant memories. Thoughts of her distracting those zombies, and the anger he felt. His anger was something that he didn't understand- why was he so angry that day? Elsa was risking her life to save Merida, Rapunzel and Kristoff, and he didn't even like her. He shouldn't care if Elsa lived or died.
But he does.
"Since they're gone, you can tell me what's bothering you," Rapunzel says, her hands washing but her eyes traveling towards Jack. Jack just smiles, because Rapunzel's too curious for her own good, and he stands to walk to where she's washing.
"You're not washing everything by yourself," Jack says, and he dips a shirt into the water. Rapunzel smiles her gratitude but nudges him playfully with her hip.
"That isn't going to work," Rapunzel says. "Changing the subject and being nice. You're upset; you have been for days. Just talk to me."
"It's nothing, Rapunzel," Jack says, and he's lying through his teeth when he speaks this. "Honestly."
"Is it a girl?" Rapunzel's green eyes are wide with concern. "Is it your family? Jack, you can tell me."
"Rapunzel," Jack exhales, but forces a smile and turns back to his friend. "Why don't you tell me about Flynn instead?"
Rapunzel's face bloomed a deep red, and she ducks her head, laughing quietly. "I- I think he likes me," she admits, and meets Jack's eyes with her own. "But I don't know what to do."
Well, if talking to Rapunzel about relationships was about as enlightening as with Hiccup, Jack considered his typical 'just go for it' that he offered Hiccup, but since this was Rapunzel, he thought it over. Then he scraped the entire thought process.
"Kiss him," Jack offers with a chuckle, and Rapunzel slaps his wrist, soapy water sloshing over his skin.
"I've never had a boyfriend before," Rapunzel tells him, and she continues. "I haven't even been kissed, Jack- what should I do?"
"You can just tell him that you like him," Jack suggests, "And tell him that if he tries to pull his 'player' moves on you that I'll kick his ass."
"Jaack," Rapunzel warns, but she smiles.
"Yeah, you're right. The guy could probably kick my ass if he wanted to," Jack chides. Rapunzel laughs and smiles at him, scrunching her nose up.
Jack continues washing and lets his own thoughts wander. Rapunzel was perfectly happy with possibly being in a relationship. Why was it so hard for him to admit that he felt, possibly, something for Elsa? His first thought was because she was a whiny brat who deserved everything horrible, but he knew that that wasn't true. In reality, she was just another girl.
No, he felt nothing for her. Jack tries to convince himself that, but she got under his fucking skin and she haunted him. It was her eyes. Those bright blue eyes that could shine like stars. The could be full of hate and the next time he saw them they could be smiling.
Rapunzel seems to notice that his anger's being let out on laundry, so she just smiles patiently and hands him more soap.
August 3
Jack's pretending to sleep early morning when Elsa, Kristoff and Anna come back. He can hear the door shut, and can hear Anna's excited chattering, and Kristoff's voice responses, and Elsa's own voice calmly telling them to be quiet or they'd wake someone up.
He can hear Anna immediately hush, and Kristoff follow suit, and then hear their footsteps when they walk away. Only Elsa seems to be rooted to the spot, because Jack never hears her footsteps.
When he does, they're quiet and delicate and they're approaching him.
Elsa shuts the door to his bedroom behind her, and she sits on a chair situated next to the mattress Jack's lying on.
"You can pretend to be asleep," Elsa says. "And you can pretend you have no idea what it is I'm talking about. But that kiss wasn't supposed to happen, Jack. You say that you hate me. And I've been trying to hate you, too."
Hold on- how the hell did Elsa find out that Jack hated her? Must've been Hiccup. No, he never told anyone. Unless he did and he forgot- And what was that about her trying to hate him in return?
"But I can't hate you," Elsa continues. "And it's because you remind me of myself. You're trying to shut everyone out because you don't want to hurt them. But me-" She laughs hollowly, and Jack's sure that she must be shaking her head or something by a rustle of hair, but he won't open his eyes at all just to check. Elsa keeps talking. "But you want to hurt me. The problem is, you can't. You actually care about my safety. And that's sweet and all, but I'm not the kind of girl for you. You deserve some pretty girl who's going to love you, and that's not me. I'm sorry."
There's a beat of silence, and then noise of Elsa tapping something. Maybe the floor, maybe the wall. But Jack's silent because he's processing what she's just said. She had basically said that she knew of Jack's growing affection for her- if affection could count as angrily kissing her. Either way, she knew he was awake. And she was waiting for him to respond.
Jack refuses to play her game.
"I might like you, you know," Elsa says carefully, probably to get a reaction. "But it isn't you. It's me that's the problem." The last part isn't said sadly, but rather matter-of-factly. She stands up then, because Jack can hear the sound of the chair scraping the floor.
Jack debates internally about letting her leave or admitting he liked her in return. Elsa turns the doorknob, and Jack, before he can continue second-guessing everything, sits up.
"Elsa!" he says. Elsa turns around to look at him, pausing in the doorway. She's positively radiating coolness as she crosses her arms and waits from him to speak. Jack tosses his blankets to the side and stands, somewhat awkwardly in front of her.
"I don't-" he winces as if it physically pains him to say this. "I don't hate you. And I don't want to hurt you, either. Please, just believe me when I say that."
Elsa nods slowly, her eyes an unreadable book. "I don't hate you either, Jack. I meant everything I said."
Damn her. Damn her to hell. Jack scowls, struggles, and tries to think of what to say in response, but he can't find the right words.
So he kisses her again.
August 15
They decided that a relationship was out of the question. Elsa was the leader, and while she no longer kept purposely Jack out of missions, she insisted that Jack was overprotective and that he kept trying to keep her, or any of his friends, out of the danger zones. Therefore, they began a heated argument when Elsa said Jack wouldn't be allowed to go.
Jack had insisted that he was doing it because he cared, and Elsa yelled right back that she was not a delicate little girl and could handle herself, as could any of the others.
The two ended up kissing angrily again, Jack and Elsa both drawing blood with the savage attacks on each other's lips.
When they parted, Elsa told Jack that he still wasn't going on the mission.
August 18
They come back, expectedly, safe. Elsa shoots Jack a challenging look, as if she's proud of it. Jack only does the most childish thing, he sticks out his tongue like he's a young boy on the playground again. The smile that lights up Elsa's face, and the sound of her laughter, is enough to let Jack know that embarrassing himself with that was worth it.
August 25
Anna was apparently missing. Elsa came back from her morning walk wide-eyed and breathing heavy, her eyes glistening with tears. Jack got, from Merida, that is, that Elsa had taken longer than usual that morning and Anna panicked, saying that it wasn't the first time that Elsa had ever run away and left in search of her.
After Elsa was told this by Astrid, Merida said, she had gone to look for Anna but apparently couldn't find her.
"Anna's going to die," Elsa sobbed, when she spotted Jack. "Kristoff said all her weapons were still in her room. She didn't take any food, she didn't take any clothes-" Elsa buried her face in her hands, shuddering another strangled cry.
Jack is unsure of what she wants to hear. The typical response is for him to tell her that Anna will be okay, that no one will rest to find her, but in reality, Anna's chances were already slim.
"I'll help you find her," Jack offers instead, and Elsa lifts her head, but instead of gratitude etched onto her features, there's surprise.
"No, you don't have to," Elsa says. "Kristoff and Flynn are out searching. Merida and Astrid, too. Rapunzel and Hiccup are staying to watch this safe house so that Anna can come back here- stay with them."
"Elsa-" Jack says, but Elsa shakes her head.
"No," she says. "You can't. You confuse me too much, Jack. I'm a headstrong girl, but you're stubborn too. Either way, I don't want you to. She's my sister. It's my fault."
"Damn you, Elsa, I'm trying to help, and if you keep playing the fucking hero-" Jack frowns.
"I'm not playing hero!" Elsa snaps. "Anna's in danger, and it's my fault, and I don't want you to get hurt either!"
"But you let the others," Jack raises his eyebrows. Elsa shook her head.
"I didn't. They left without telling me. Apparently Kristoff went behind my back and led the others out with him," Elsa says. "That doesn't mean that I'm letting you, either."
She tries to stay strong, but she's quiet and sits down on the couch. Jack can hear her cries start up again. Jack takes a seat next to her, awkwardly, and Elsa takes his hand in hers.
"I'm sorry," Jack says solemnly. "But- just stay positive. She'll come back." Elsa's head ducks low, and when she speaks, she's angry for some reason.
"Because you're such an optimist," she says. "Who are you to be telling me these things when you can't even talk to me without getting mad?"
"Listen, your highness, I'm trying to be nice here and tell you that your sister hasn't gone off and got herself killed, when that's the reality of it!" Jack snaps in response, because she should be fucking glad that he even tried to sugarcoat his words.
"I know what if feels like," Elsa says hollowly, like she hadn't heard Jack's last sentence. She turns her head to face Jack, and tightens her grip on his fingers. "To lose a sister. I actually know what it feels like now." Just like that, she can make Jack travel an entire spectrum of emotion in one conversation. Her sadness makes him regret what he had just said, so he leans forward to leave a long, lingering kiss on her forehead.
"She's going to be okay," Jack whispers, his nose knocking hers. Elsa nods back ever so gently, and lets Jack kiss her sweetly for once, minus the anger that they usually experienced in their kisses.
August 26
It seemed as if Elsa was worried again. Kristoff, Merida, Flynn and Astrid still hadn't returned, and no sign of Anna came either. Rapunzel was washing dishes in the kitchen, Hiccup was cooking dinner, but Elsa was frozen in one spot on the couch.
Jack enters the living area and goes to help Rapunzel with the dishes, or Hiccup with the food, but Rapunzel shakes her head from above a tub of water and tilts her head towards Elsa.
So Jack sits down next to Elsa and waits for her to talk.
"It's my fault," Elsa says, probably for the hundredth time lately in two days. "Isn't it."
"Yup," Jack says. "Completely your fault. It's pretty obvious that you brainwashed Anna to run away."
Elsa cracks a small smile, but it fades soon afterword. "I'm just worried."
"You've got a right to be."
Elsa faces Jack, her eyes shining with hope. "Do you think she'll be okay?"
Honestly? No.
"Sure," Jack offers instead.
The two sit quietly, even as the door opens to announce the return of the search team.
August 27
Anna comes back to the safe house, and she's fine. She's wearing different clothes, and brings a bag full of supplies that she's most likely stolen, and bears a large smile. She also brings a stranger with her.
Rapunzel, Astrid, and Jack were all sitting on the sofa, and sit up straight when Anna calls for them. Kristoff, Flynn and Merida had left on the daily run for water, and Elsa- well, she was still blaming herself more than she had the previous day. Jack catches a good look at the stranger- a tall man with auburn hair, sideburns, green eyes and freckles.
"This is Hans," Anna says jubilantly, and she's clinging to the man and giving him eyes that makes Jack want to retch. "Where's Elsa?"
Being worried, you selfish, stupid little bit-
"In her room," Rapunzel's eyes are worried. "Anna, we were all so worried-"
"I'll explain everything, okay?" Anna says quickly, and she pulls the man after her, down the hallway.
Rapunzel exchanges a look with Astrid, and Jack's already on his feet to go give Anna a piece of his mind, but by the look on Astrid's face, he isn't alone.
Just when the two get out of the living area, they can hear the voices speaking.
"Elsa!" Anna says excitedly, and she pulls Hans with her to Elsa's doorway. Jack can catch a glance of Elsa from the doorway, and her hair is loose from her typical braid and cascading over her shoulders. Her appearance mirrors the worry she had been expressing earlier, but now that Anna has returned, Elsa's manner is cool and collected.
"This is Hans," Anna continues, "And- well-"
"We were wondering-" Hans speaks for the first time, and Jack already doesn't like him.
"For-" Anna giggles.
"Your blessing-" Hans speaks for Anna.
"Of our marriage!" The two say simultaneously. Elsa does a double take, which Jack can see from his spot.
"Marriage?" she croaks out.
"Yes!" Anna says joyfully, clutching onto Hans.
"I'm sorry, what?" Elsa says.
"Well, we haven't worked out all the details ourselves," Anna says. "Obviously the ceremony's going to be small-"
"Anna," Elsa cuts her off. "Can I talk to you, please? Alone?"
Anna was visibly crushed at the prospect that Elsa wasn't going to accept her and his man she was claiming to marry. Elsa was obviously as confused about this "Hans" as Jack was. Astrid shoved Jack to the side, still watching Elsa and Anna's exchange.
"No," Anna took a step back, clutching Hans's hand. "Whatever you have to say, you can say to both of us."
"Fine," Elsa says crisply, with a toss of her hair. "You can't marry a man you've just met."
"You can if it's true love," Anna says firmly.
"What do you know about true love," Elsa says exasperatedly.
"More than you! All you know is how to shut people out," Anna insists.
Elsa is taken aback by that, but regains her composure. "You asked for my blessing, but my answer is no. Excuse me." She brushes by Anna and Hans, and Astrid and Jack stumble away from the hallway so that she can't notice they were eavesdropping. Elsa pauses by Jack, who's shoving Astrid to the side in order to escape.
She keeps walking.
August 28
"So, who's this Hans?" Jack asks Elsa once they're alone in her room. Elsa's lying on the bed, Jack's sitting on the vanity. Elsa looks up at the ceiling when she speaks.
"Apparently he saved her life when she was in trouble." Elsa lifts her hand to trace circles on her bed sheet. "Anna thinks she loves him. So she wants him to be part of the team."
"And you said-?"
"I said yes, of course." Elsa props herself up on one elbow and frowns. "I love Anna. But I don't really like this Hans- he's too sudden, he's too-"
"Jealous," Jack announces, leering at Elsa.
"I am not jealous," Elsa says, cracking a smile towards Jack. "What's to be jealous of?"
"You're jealous that Anna's replacing you," Jack smiles triumphantly. "For some guy."
"What?" Elsa sits upright at the accusation. "No!"
"Yes, you are," Jack gloats. "I can tell. Anna's replacing you for this dude and you're jealous."
"No," Elsa flops back down to face the ceiling. "I mean- I don't think so." She turns her head as to see Jack out of the corner of her eye. "Do you trust him?"
"I don't know him," Jack says. "But I'll get closer to Anna. Find out what she knows about him."
August 29
"You got engaged to a man you met that same day?" Kristoff is telling Anna when Jack thinks she's finally alone and that he can talk to her. "Did your parents ever warn you about strangers?" Well, since Jack has a knack for inviting himself, secretly and hidden away, he listens in.
"Hans is not a stranger," Anna defends herself, her voice dreamy at the thought of him. Anna must really be daft not to notice Kristoff's attentions to her, Jack thinks, because even a blind man would be able to tell that Kristoff harbored feelings for her.
Kristoff scoffs. "Oh yeah? What's his last name?"
"Of-the-Southern-Isles," Anna's quick to respond.
"Favorite food?"
"Sandwiches."
"Best friend's name?"
"Probably John."
"Foot size?"
Nervous laughter ensues. "Foot size doesn't matter."
"What if you hate the way he eats?" Kristoff asks. Jack stifles a chuckle, because it's making itself pretty obvious that Anna knows nothing about this perfect-seeming stranger and that Kristoff is jealous.
"Hans loves me," Anna says stubbornly, "And I love him too. That's it."
Kristoff continues with something about noses, and Anna gives a disgusted reply, but Jack enters the room then, just to surprise them all.
"Not interrupting something, am I?" Jack grins at the pair. Kristoff's standing in front of Anna, and Anna is so tiny that she barely reaches his chin.
"No," Kristoff grumbles, "I was just leaving." Jack steps aside to let Kristoff pass by, and then he turns to Anna and smiles.
"Hi, Jack," Anna says with a sigh. "Do you need something?"
"Just wondered if you wanted to talk," Jack says, taking Kristoff's spot. "You know, about stuff."
"About stuff, huh?" Anna smiles. Then her smile falters. "Did Elsa send you?"
"No," Jack says, "I just needed someone to talk to. So- where's the lucky man?"
"Hans went with Astrid and Hiccup for the water," Anna says, and her smile returns. "He's really trying to be part of the team. Isn't that great?"
"Yeah, great," Jack echoes. "So, what's his story?"
"He used to travel in a group of thirteen," Anna gets a faraway look in her eye. "He has twelve older brothers, you know. He never really belonged in that team, and he said he was always looking for his own place. And he met me, and I invited him to join."
"And you knew him-?" Jack prompted.
"What does it matter if I love him?" Anna asks.
"It doesn't, but I'm just wondering-" Jack sighs. "Do you trust him?"
"Yes," Anna said instantly. "He saved my life, Jack. He completes me. We're- we're meant to be!"
"Alright," Jack says. "If you trust him, that's enough for me." Anna's grin is so wide, it appears to be stretching her cheeks.
"Thank you, Jack," she says gratefully.
When Jack leaves, he still doesn't trust that Hans guy.
September 15
Jack encounters Hans by himself one day, sitting in the kitchen over breakfast of tomato soup that Krisoff had prepared earlier that morning. Hans scoots over so that Jack can take a seat, and offers an extra bowl.
"Thanks," Jack utters, and sticks a serving spoon into the congealed red mass that was supposedly soup. Gross. He serves himself a heaping portion and takes the seat that Hans has cleared away from and takes a spoonful. It tastes as bad as it looked, but Jack shrugs and continues eating.
"Your team," Hans breaks the silence, "Does it have a leader?"
"Yup," Jack flattens his soup with the back of his spoon. "Elsa." Something had to be wrong with Kristoff's cooking if he could flatten soup. Besides, how could someone screw up soup?
"Elsa is Anna's sister, right?" Hans asks.
"Yup," Jack says again, eating because while it's dreadful, it's something going into his stomach.
"How long have you all been together?" Hans asked.
"What?" Jack could've sworn all the blood drained from his face. How was it that Hans, a perfect stranger, knew of his and Elsa's strange relationship? He was shady. He was obviously bad news-
"You know, the team," Hans spells it out. "How long have you all be traveling together?"
"Oh," it's hard to keep the relief out of his voice when Jack answers. "Er, I don't know. Months, maybe a year?"
"Huh," Hans said, and Jack still doesn't know what to make of his curiosity, On one hand, it's a good thing, on another hand, it's terrible...
Jack vaguely registers that Hans keeps talking. "How long has Elsa been the group's leader?"
"About forever," Jack says, and though it's not strong anymore, something flares up in him about being replaced. Maybe that's why his thoughts of Elsa were hateful for so long- Jack's lost in thought when Hans talks.
"If Anna looks for me, can you tell her I've gone for a walk?" Hans stands up.
"Yeah, sure," Jack says.
Hans leaves.
September 30
Their new safe house has less rooms. They're forced to share. Jack was going to share with Hiccup, but Hiccup got roped in to share with Kristoff, and Merida shared with Rapunzel, while Astrid and Flynn decided to share. Anna was with Hans, naturally. So, Jack had no choice but to share with Elsa. If that wasn't awkward, he didn't know what was.
Her back is turned when Jack enters the room. Which is just as well, he can't look at her at the moment, because she's so confusing with those innocent blue eyes.
Elsa's brushing out her hair, the pale tendrils fanning over her shoulders. Jack leans against the doorframe, smiling and watches her pin her smooth hair back into her typical braid. Her fingers fly fast, and it only takes a minute or so for it to be acceptable.
"Creep," Elsa says, and she turns to face Jack with a smile on her own lips.
"Hello to you, too," Jack grins back in response.
"Are you going to get ready for bed?" Elsa asks, standing up from the seat where she's been combing her hair.
"What's the use?" was Jack's response, and he sits on the bed. Speaking of- "There's only one bed."
"I can tell," Elsa replies dryly. "I guess this means you get the floor."
"Hold on, your highness- is anyone gets the floor, it's you," Jack crosses his arms.
"Hmm- I don't think so," Elsa replies with a smirk. "I'm the leader of the group, and the lady here, so-"
"So nothing," Jack cuts her off before she can finish her thought. "I should get the bed because I do the most work around this house."
"You don't. That's Rapunzel," Elsa rolls her eyes, but her smile is still there.
"Whatever. I'm not moving," Jack says. Elsa takes a seat next to Jack, and her eyes flash mischief.
"I'm not moving, either."
Their eyes are locked together, and it's quiet save for their breathing. Elsa crosses her arms like Jack's done, and she's smiling. So is Jack. It's already late, and they're both tired, but they both secretly vow that they won't let the other win this silly argument.
Elsa stretches and yawns, her arms locking into the mattress. "Just give up."
"Never," Jack smiles.
"Fine," Elsa lays down, and scoots over so that Jack had enough room. "We'll share." Alright, so she was backing down. In a sense. Being the leader though, she had to be diplomatic.
"What?" Jack's a tad disappointed that she's given up so quickly.
"Keep your hands to yourself," Elsa winks, and Jack laughs. He scoots down and turns so that his back is to Elsa, as to not cross any boundaries. They had, after all, decided a relationship wasn't for them.
October 1
There's the smell of something sweet. Cinnamon mixed with another fragrant scent. Then there's the soft thing tickling his nose. Jack scrunches his nose up, and the scent comes pouring into his nostrils. He feels warm, and while he normally hates feeling warm, it's not unpleasant. There's a soft sigh from beside him, and he cracks open an eye because it's not his own.
All he sees is pale white in his vision, and sunshine filtering from the open window. He exhales, and the white quivers and shakes in his breath. The image is too strange for him- and then he remembers.
Jack's arm is enclosed around Elsa's waist, and her back is turned to him, her hair in his nose and her nether regions are pressed up against his crotch.
Alright.. so that was pretty awkward. Jack shifts in his position, praying Elsa won't wake, but it's too late. Elsa cracks her eye open and looks at Jack over her shoulder.
"Morning," is all she says, stretching up in Jack's arms. Before he can pull them away, Elsa grips his elbows to stop him.
"I didn't have any nightmares," she tells him. When he looks confused, she keeps talking. "I always have nightmares when I go to sleep."
"Congrats," Jack says sarcastically, and Elsa gives his forearm a pinch.
"It's still early," she says. "Will you stay here?"
"We're not supposed to like each other," Jack responds, but takes Elsa back into his arms and they lay down again. This time, Elsa's face is in Jack's chest, and she rests her hands around his waist.
She inhales his musky scent. "Too late for that."
