So.. Due to my running out of ideas for anything but smutty Kristanna lately.. I'm going to be attempting to finish up an original piece of mine. This means that this fic will be updated less frequently, but still often. I'm going to say.. I'll have a chapter up every weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) unless something comes up. That okay? I ask you to take a look at my FictionPress, too, please, because having the support I get here on original work would be amazingly encouraging and I really, really want to write this book..
Now! That aside, this is going to be a pretty feelsy chapter. It ended up being a crossover, but since it's the only one, I don't feel the need to change categories. There's going to be fluff, too, but you might still cry.. I cried writing it.. Imagine "When Somebody Loved Me" playing in the background..
(P.S. I looked up heights on the Disney wiki, so I know that at 16 Kristoff would be easily as tall as Eugene if not taller already. Eugene: average height, which is about 5' 11" for men. Kristoff: Over 6' fully grown)
Elsa was feeling lonely again. She knew she could go out with Anna and Kristoff and they would gladly except her, they offered enough, but her parents had been due back for a couple of days now. Father had been helping her learn to control her powers. Conceal it, don't feel it, he'd say, don't let it show. Well, she'd recently been doing the exact opposite of that. It was fun, sure, but what if it set her back in her progress? What if she couldn't conceal it anymore because she hadn't been practicing? She'd been anxious for them to come home.
A knock made her turn away from the window and the setting sun. Kai stepped halfway through the door looking very confused. "Princess Elsa," he began slowly, eyebrows knitted together, "Princess Rapunzel and Prince Eugene have just arrived at the docks." Both of them shared a daunted look before Elsa nodded and followed him out. It had been Cousin Rapunzel's wedding that Mama and Papa were headed to, so if they were there, then the king and queen of Arendelle mustn't be far behind.. Right?
Rapunzel and her newlywed were already standing in the entrance hall with Gerda when Elsa appeared at the top of the stairs. She'd never met her cousin before and Eugene was even less familiar, but Elsa put on a smile. She stood straight and proper, despite wanting to curl into herself and disappear. She wished for bubbly Anna to be by her side to greet them, even Kristoff's awkward presence would have been comforting at this point.
"Princess Rapunzel, Prince Eugene," Elsa cleared her throat, "As heir to the throne and overseer in the king and queen's absence, I humbly welcome you to Arendelle." The pair looked up at her with matching sad eyes and weak smiles. Something about that made Elsa's heart twitch, but she carried on strongly, "I trust you've had a tiresome journey. Please, do make yourselves comfortable. Kai and Gerda will carry your bags to your temporary quarters and I will send word for Princess Anna to return."
"Elsa," Rapunzel's soft voice floated up to her. She tucked a strand of brunette hair behind her ear and cast her gaze to the floor, "We're here as your family. And we bring news that really needs to be addressed. Is there somewhere private we could talk?" The lack of formality caused Elsa to drop her guard. Of course, Rapunzel wasn't raised as a princess, so it only made sense that her vocabulary would be a mix of common and royal. It reminded her a little bit of her sister.
They retreated into the king's study, where Rapunzel proceeded to throw her arms around her cousin and weep softly. Elsa stiffened, uncertain how to react do to her years of almost total isolation. She slowly patted the brunette's back, looking up to Eugene for an explanation. "We felt we needed to come. We thought it might-" his breath caught for a moment. Is he going to cry, too? "We thought it might be easier if we told you ourselves." It wasn't the news that made the young couple tear up, it was having to deliver it to Elsa. Eugene's lithe frame leaned forward as he extended his hand, "I'm Prince Eugene of Corona, and.. I'm sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances."
Then Elsa knew. Without him having to say it she knew, and her fingers trembled fervently as they clasped around his hand. Putting two and two together, her eyes brimmed dangerously until she couldn't see and she gulped for air like something was stuck in her throat. "Theyre-.. Th-They're not coming back, are they?" she squeaked.
There was suddenly a bang and Kai yelling at little feet that pattered up the stairs, followed shortly by clunkier steps. "Where's Elsa?" she heard Anna's voice call, and then the answered, "In the study, but-"
"Thank you!"
"Anna, wait, something's wrong," even Rapunzel looked up at the gruff voice outside the door. Elsa sighed gratefully to Kristoff's intuition as Anna creaked the door open with a braced expression. Kristoff ducked very quickly behind the door at the sight of new people. On a normal day, Elsa would have encouraged him out, but she completely ignored it due to the situation at hand.
"Anna.." she croaked, reaching an arm out to her. She was suddenly aware that she had been gripping Rapunzel rather tightly. "Anna, the king and queen-.. Our parents.. Mama and Papa didn't.."
"What?" With all the excitement in the past two weeks, Anna hadn't realized that they should've been home by now. She was too busy planning on how to explain Kristoff to think about dates. The younger princess looked over Eugene and their cousin hanging around Elsa's neck then, recognizing Rapunzel from the pictures their aunt and uncle sent just after she was found.
"Wha-.. Where's Mom and Dad?" Anna's little voice quivered and Kristoff was suddenly visible again, hand gently squeezing her shoulder. Nobody said anything as she digested the situation, stumbling back a step into Kristoff's protective embrace. "Anna?" he whispered, glancing up at Elsa with wide, teary eyes. "They're gone, Kristoff.." Elsa's blue eyes watered, "They're gone.."
The next hour or so was filled with lots of tears, gusts of chilly wind and snowflakes. Kristoff had begun to cry himself when Elsa retreated to her room and locked everyone out. Anna beat her fists on the door so hard that they bled, screaming and pleading, "Let me in, Elsa, don't shut me out! Please, don't leave me alone!" Rapunzel and Eugene followed silently to the kitchen after Kristoff gathered poor Anna in his arms. She was near limp, still shaking with sobs but breathless with exhaustion. All the fight was gone, and that bothered him most.
"You're okay, Anna," he whimpered, sitting her on a chair and taking her bloodied hands in his, "I've got you.. You're not alone, I p-promise." She looked up at him with a sudden realization, squeezing his hands back and trembling a little less violently. "You won't leave me, will you?"
"Of course not."
"You'll stay? Please stay, Kristoff.. I know you have Sven, but please stay.. I need you."
Her voice quivered as if in emphasis, but he wouldn't have left her anyway. Sven was alright for one night. With a single nod, he lifted her to her feet and leaned her on his shoulder, crouching so she could reach. He glanced at Rapunzel and Eugene with pink cheeks and mumbled, "I'll just put her to bed," before scooting past them and helping Anna up the stairs.
After he'd washed her hands off and helped her change (much to his discomfort and embarrassment), it took some convincing to get her to let him go. She finally seemed contented to allow him to leave only when she had fallen asleep, instructing him that he was to stay in the room across from hers so she could find him if need be. Before he settled down, however, Kristoff crept as quickly as a big kid can creep down the stairs to let the guests know what was going on.
Rapunzel retired for the night after his explanation, politely asking Kai to show her where she and her husband would be sleeping. Her eyes were still puffy, and Eugene had a bit of red around his lids as well. "Well, that was a fun introduction," he commented in his usually playful way, but it lacked conviction and never reached his expression, "My name is Eugene, by the way." He held his hand out but Kristoff didn't notice, staring at his feet with his mouth half open, panting shallowly. "Kristoff.." he murmured after a moment, "My name is Kristoff."
"You're friends with the princesses, huh?"
"Yes. I'm the.." he paused and chuckled half-heartedly," Elsa named me the royal Ice Master and Deliverer." Eugene looked perplexed, "That can't be a thing."
"That's what I said, but she insists that I'll be official once she's queen."
"I guess that day might come sooner than expected," they both winced at Eugene's words, Kristoff sniffling and wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. "Did you see her face?"
"Sorry?"
"Anna.. Did you see her eyes? It was like she was.. Dead.." the words were harder to get out than Kristoff imagined. "She did look pretty upset," Eugene pushed his fingers back through his hair. He looked Kristoff up and down, not critically but curiously. They had to be the same height and the kid was definitely wider than him, but you could still tell he was so young by how awkwardly his limbs fit together. His arms just a bit too long and feet just a bit too big, not to mention that unruly hair and childlike complexion.
At the moment, however, he looked as grown up as ever. He slouched, dark circles under his eyes and arms shaking as he propped himself back against the kitchen table. He seemed to carry so much weight on his shoulders, much more than a kid his age should. "You really care for her, don't you?" Eugene asked softly. Kristoff's whole appearance right now reminded him of his own love-struck self when he thought he'd never see Rapunzel again. All he got in reply was a nod as Kristoff swallowed the lump in his throat.
They brooded in silence for what seemed like hours before Kristoff finally spoke again. "All I can do is be here for her," he dropped his head, "I'm no good for anything else. I can't buy her nice things or take her to fancy places. I'm too clumsy to dance with her at any balls, and I wouldn't be welcome even if I could dance. I'm nobody and she's.."
"Everything you've ever wanted," Eugene finished for him, smiling lightly as Kristoff looked up at him with a furrowed brow. "I felt the same way. I was a thief when Rapunzel and I met, and she showed me a brighter side to everything I thought I knew. She tipped the world, and even though I was nothing to everyone else, including me, I wanted so badly to be something for her."
"Tipped the world.." Kristoff murmured, his lips twitching up in the slightest, "That's a good way to put it. But how can I be something for her? What do I be if I can't be what she deserves?"
"You be whatever makes her happy, Kristoff."
Sleeping in the castle was harder than Kristoff imagined. Having so much space to do what he wanted with was unnatural, as was lying on a mattress without lumps or furs or a fat, fluffy reindeer. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep, anyway, so he contented himself with wandering around the hallways. He kept one hand on the right wall so he wouldn't get lost, but it was still hard to tell where he had or hadn't been before. he thought about leaving a few times, but the hurt in Anna's eyes when she thought Elsa abandoned her kept him from doing so. You promised her, he reminded himself, that she'd never be alone.
When he reached a frosted door, he stopped and stared at it for several minutes. He could hear small sniffles and feet shuffling back and forth across carpet. "Elsa?" he tried, stepping up to the ice and setting his hand on it delicately. The noises silenced and, "Yes?" came the whispered reply. Forehead leaned on the frozen wood, Kristoff closed his eyes and sighed, starting when the door was suddenly pulled open. "Kristoff?" Elsa looked up at him, face still stained with water that had frosted once it touched her pale cheeks.
Neither of them said anything else as Kristoff took Elsa in his arms. Not with the same affection as he did Anna, but just as lovingly, and she graciously accepted with her face buried against his shoulder. They didn't have to speak what they both already knew, but after a few seconds, she did anyway: "Thank you.. I needed a friend.."
"I know.. So did I."
"Anna needs you more than I do, though."
"I know that, too."
"Then why aren't you with her?"
Kristoff sighed and let go of Elsa, rubbing his arms and looking off to the side of them. He briefly glanced at her before squeezing his eyes shut and mumbling, "I'm just having a little war with myself about.. My feelings for her.." Elsa nodded in understanding, "You don't think you can give her what she needs." He nodded and she touched her hand gently to his arm, "But you can, Kristoff. All Anna's ever needed or wanted was love."
They sat in silence like that, Kristoff eyeing Elsa warily. He cleared his throat but his voice still trembled when he asked, "How do I know if I love her?" Elsa regarded him with a soft smile, stepping back into her chilly room with one hand on the door. "Love," she whispered, "Is when we see an imperfect person perfectly."
Eugene wandered up and down the hall outside of his shared bedchamber. Unlike Kristoff, he was used to sleeping in a castle, but tonight he felt restless. Walking past the kitchen, he heard hoarse whispers and stopped, leaning his ear against the door. He had to stifle a chuckle at what he heard:
"I'm sorry, I got hungry."
"Why did you have to wake me up?"
"Because I was lonely."
"I thought you said you were hungry," this voice was obviously amused and Eugene could just see the smile playing on whoever's lips. There came a little whine and a sniffle, "I woke up and nobody was there and I wanted you to be there but I also wanted chocolate so I decided to tell you I was hungry and that I couldn't reach what I wanted so I could be with you."
"Anna," the first voice softened. So that must be Kristoff, then. "You could've just said so."
"What are you two doing?" Eugene decided to interject, pushing the door open and leaning on the wooden frame. He wasn't sure what he expected, but the actual sight was much funnier. Anna sat on Kristoff's lap, mouth encircled by melted chocolate. The young ice harvester looked panicked that someone would see him like that with the princess, naked except for his underwear and hair even messier than it usually was.
Anna, however, was much cheerier than she had been; still not too cheery, but better, "Oh! Uh, hi, Eugene! We were just, um.. Well, see I-.." her lip quivered and she tucked her arms around Kristoff's neck (he blushed wildly), "I wanted his company.. And chocolate.."
"I heard," Eugene did his very best to play the disapproving elder, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Relax, Kristoff," he snickered, "You'll pop a blood vessel." The teen stared at him and sputtered, clearly unsure where to put his hands at the moment or if he should move Anna off of him. He probably would have if he hadn't been afraid of offending her. "Oh, I-I just- Sorry, I mean- Sh-She's persistent, I-.. I can't say no to her!"
Anna giggled, ignoring Eugene for a moment and sliding her hand over Kristoff's shoulder to press it to his chest in her best impression of flirtatious. She was about to say something, but the big kid cut her off, grabbing her wrist bruising tight and hissing, "Stop it, Anna, this is not the time." Her face went from giggly sweet to helplessly broken in a matter of seconds. He hadn't meant to be so stern with her and he immediately regretted it, but Anna didn't see. She shoved off his lap and shot him a hurt glare, pushing past Eugene to walk quickly back to her room. Kristoff's whole posture dropped, "Anna, wait-"
"Go after her."
"Huh?" he looked up at Eugene in confusion. "You heard me," he folded his arms, "Go after her. I know it's weird, you feel like you can't show her affection in front of other people, but remember what I said. Be what makes her happy." He left then and Kristoff dropped his head into his hands, pulling on his bangs with his eyes squeezed shut. After a moment of deep breathing, he stood up and practically ran to Anna's door, knocking quietly and bouncing on his heels.
No answer.
"Anna?" he called, "I'm sorry, Anna. I didn't mean to sound like I was rejecting you. I-I was nervous and.." He had to swallow hard to continue, but his confidence was boosted by little feet approaching the door, "You probably don't understand, but it's difficult to guess who I can be affectionate towards you around. I don't want to embarrass you, a-and I definitely don't want to give people the wrong idea about us!"
"What's the wrong idea?" Anna sounded angry and upset. Kristoff paused, "Well, you know that we're.. I-I mean, that you and I are.. Together, you know."
"Are you saying we're not?"
"Well.. No? I don't know, I-..It just might be wrong to some people, you know? You being a princess and all.."
Suddenly the door was very forcefully yanked open and Anna stood heaving in front of him, face covered in tears and her nose running. "Kristoff Bjorgman," she sniffled, "I ignore that you're homeless, talk to a reindeer, smell worse than said reindeer does, and that you can't piss anywhere but the woods. Yet you can't ignore the fact that I'm a princess?" He didn't know what to say. Put like that, it did sound a little unfair, but, "That's different!"
"How? You weren't born any of those ways, you can change your life! I can't! I can't help that I'm a princess or that I'm loud and obnoxious, but I love every way that others say you're flawed! Why can't you do that for me?" She was shaking, hands clenched into fists at her side and face flushed deep crimson. She didn't make any effort to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks, nor did she break angry eye contact with the cowering puppy above her. "But Anna," he whimpered, "I do."
She didn't move, so he went on, "I don't think you're obnoxious. Loud, maybe, but that's just because you have so much personality and I love that. A-And I love your hair and the way your eyes light up when you get an idea, no matter how ridiculous." Anna gave him a faint smile, "You do?" To his nod, she bit her lip, turning pink and looking down at her feet, "But you still care that I'm a princess."
"Well, I probably won't ever be able to get over that. At least not in public. But I can try, if you want me to." Kristoff tensed when Anna took his hand, tugging on him lightly to pull him into her room and shut the door. As she wrapped her arms around his waist, she stood up on her toes to nuzzle his cheek and whisper, "So we're not together?" She could feel him stutter as he breathed and she hid her smirk against his neck, making him shiver with her soft breath. "I mean," he mumbled, "We could be.. If you want.."
"Do you want to be?"
"Yes.. Yes, Anna, I do."
"Then we are. I'm yours, Kristoff. Your Anna, remember?" He pulled back to look down at her, eyes travelling over her face until they rested on her soft smile. "My Anna," he repeated, tucking his arm around her tiny waist, "My.." To finish, he smashed their lips together, one hand cupping the side of her face and grunting at the muffled squeak she gave. He was only vaguely aware of her steering them towards the bed and he didn't realize how close they'd gotten until her thigh pressed up between his legs.
"Woah, hey," he pinned her shoulders gently to the mattress, gulping at the sultry look she gave him, "Calm down there, feistypants." She giggled and ran her fingers slowly up his arms, to which he shivered. "You're telling me to calm down?" her voice was a whisper as she again pressed her thigh to his 'problem.' Kristoff rolled his eyes, pushing up from her so they were no longer connected down there and mumbling, "I don't have a say in that."
"But I do," Anna slid her hand down his chest to cup him lightly through his underwear. He jumped, giving a small, soft yelp and rolling off of her with a frightened expression. "Oh, n-no you don't," he stuttered, but he had to remind himself that this was Anna he was dealing with. She clearly wasn't giving up, climbing over him to straddle his lap and roll her hips carefully. She barely touched him, but he still reacted strongly, slamming his head back against the wall by accident. She stopped to cover her mouth, giggling as he rubbed his head with a sour expression. "Sorry," she managed through her laughter.
"Sure you are," Kristoff glared at her playfully, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "Let's just take it easy, okay? You're going to give me a heart attack." He chuckled at her pout and leaned forward to kiss her again, which she accepted as an apology. She understood what he meant, though, feeling his heart thump against her hands that were rested on his chest. Her own blood was boiling, too. "Kristoff," she murmured on his lips, earning a small hum in acknowledgment, "I love you."
Kristoff's mind fuzzed and he pulled slowly back to look at her, his own voice sounding muffled to his ear as he whispered, "What?"
