Elsa's heart stopped.
No… no! That, that barbarian. Of all times… how dare he!
Anna had shot up the second she heard her brother's name and Elsa couldn't hope to keep their hands intertwined. The redhead looked terrified, and even though Elsa was absolutely livid that her idiot brother dared to interrupt their time together, she couldn't help the sadness that filled her at the sight of seeing Anna in such a state.
Anna…
"W-what's going on? What's wrong with my brother?"
The orderly's eyes snapped to meet Anna's and he froze. "M-miss Christian, why are you…?"
Anna, with shaky steps, rounded the couch and all Elsa could do was sit and watch, anger curbed by the intense fear roiling in the pit of her stomach as her hands clenched into fists in her lap. Her mind was running on a constant loop of 'what's happening what's he done Anna please don't leave Anna please stop don't cry' and she was helpless to stop it. The redhead spoke again, this time her cry far more desperate. "What's wrong with my brother?!"
Elsa's gaze turned to the orderly then, eyes narrowing when she saw the man's hands clench at his side. He looked incredibly uncomfortable. The orderly clenched his jaw and ignored her, once again turning to Mr. Oaken. "Please Oaken, there's no time to explain. You have to come with me at once!"
Mr. Oaken sent Anna a worried glance but hurried to the orderly's side. The two men nodded to each other and, without a second glance at the girls, hurried down the hallway.
Some part of Elsa's mind thought that maybe, just maybe Anna would let it go, sit back down and take her hand again. That they could go on with their visit. That Anna would just let the orderlies handle it and wait to find out what her (idiot) brother had done. That she would just shrug and smile, then proceed to tell Elsa all about her week and how happy she was to see her (something that always managed to bring fire into the blonde's cheeks).
But the larger part of Elsa's head, the unselfish part, knew Anna. So she wasn't surprised when it only took the redhead an instant to give Elsa the sorriest, most apologetic, teary-eyed smile anyone could ever give, before chasing after them.
Hands clenching so tight she felt her nails prick the soft skin of her palms, Elsa watched her go, jaw clenched tight. Her eyes followed suit as she tucked her chin in close to her chest, entire frame curling in on itself and shaking in anger.
Tears. There had been tears in Anna's eyes. Anna's bright, kind, and beautiful eyes.
And they were Hans' fault.
Blue eyes snapped open, and in a moment Elsa was up and moving through the doorway just in time to see Anna's red hair whip around a corner. Fists still clenched, Elsa ran after her, furious with herself (and not for the first time) that she couldn't just call out to Anna and tell her to wait for her. To let her catch up.
But I can't. Because I'm a coward. You're a coward, Elsa. You've gotten so used to being wrapped up in your head that you couldn't get more than five words into that letter you tried to write her before you ripped it up and spent an hour crying like a baby. Over a letter.
I don't deserve her. Her life's stressful enough without me in it, sucking up whatever sunlight she can spare like a needy little weed.
…god, I wish I could just get over it. I hate how helpless I make myself!
I want to be able to tell her all the reasons I need her to stay… but, at the same time I just can't let her know how I really feel, she'd be disgusted! It could ruin everything, and I don't think I could ever be happy if I never got to see her smile at me again.
The thought actually caused her to stumble, tripping over her own feet as all of her anger was suddenly replaced by terror. Anna couldn't find out. She couldn't. She needed to keep herself in check, keep their interactions innocent and sweet, for Anna's sake.
But Elsa was losing control of herself, she could feel it. She'd been far too forward in the lounge earlier. Playing with the other girl's hand… to any other person in the world her intentions would have been obvious. Anna though, was different. Anna was too sweet, too innocent to ever realize what she'd been doing. The blonde was just fooling herself when she thought she felt Anna's breath hitch, thought she saw her eyes grow hazy.
Oh god, her eyes…
The familiar jolt of heat between her legs forced her own wide eyes shut once again. As she ran blindly a hand came up to clutch at her head, painfully gripping a fistful of platinum locks.
No. No! Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel!
Anna was running. She wasn't thinking, wasn't aware of the fact that there were tears once again threatening to spill over, the only sign that her heart was in utter turmoil.
All she could do was run, because if she dared to try and let her head run wild with all of the possible scenarios she'd find her brother in she'd surely drive herself insane. So instead she focused on Mr. Oaken's back just ahead of her. Adrenaline had heightened her senses and she could hear him breathing heavily, could hear the orderly just in front breathing even harder. And as they began to approach yet another corner, panic gripped her as she began to hear what sounded like animalistic snarling.
As well as the sound of flesh impacting with flesh.
Holding back a sob, she surged forward past Mr. Oaken and the orderly, deaf to the large man's cries for her to stop. When she rounded the corner, she couldn't believe what she saw.
It was her brother.
Beating the living crap out of another boy.
Hans sat astride a large brunette of a similar age, though the boy's face was hardly recognizable as her brother threw punch after vicious punch with no end in sight. Left, right, left right; with each blow the boy's head would snap from side to side, blood flying from both his face and Hans' fists.
The snarling she'd heard moments ago?
Her brother's voice.
"You." Left. "Don't." Right. "Talk." Left. "About." Right. "My." Left. "SISTER!"
And with a murderous grimace contorting his face, Hans raised both fists above his head, hands locking together. Just as he was about to bring them down on the other boy's head, Anna screamed.
"Hans!"
He froze.
There was utter silence in the hall.
Slowly, green eyes turned to meet hers, and Hans immediately looked terrified. "A-Anna…" he whispered, "Why are you… I-I don't…" his eyes were wide with confusion, dazed and glassy as he tried to process that his beloved little sister was here before him, seeing him covered in another human's blood.
Mr. Oaken flew past her, gripping Hans by the shoulder and wrenching him away from the boy he'd beaten into a bloody pulp. His back hit the wall, hard, but he didn't even seem to care. Hans slid silently down the concrete, slumping against the floor. His eyes found hers again and Anna brought both hands up to cover her mouth, eyes burning.
He looked just like he did three months ago. His eyes were angry and confused, the bags shadowing them more pronounced than ever. There were flecks of blood on his face, and his fists were absolutely covered in the stuff.
The three elderly female orderlies that had been standing on the other side of the fight (who Anna was only now noticing) jumped into action. They rushed to the beaten brunette's side as Mr. Oaken looked down in anger. He turned to stare at Hans and moved to stand before him. "Hans, what is the meaning of this?"
At the sound of another person speaking his name Hans' eyes widened and he jumped up. "I-it wasn't my fault! I swear! That, that kid just came at me out of nowhere, and at first I was just defending myself!" He almost looked like he was about to cry, his hands shaking and his eyes wild.
Mr. Oaken regarded him silently. "At first?"
Hans nodded feverishly. "Yes! I wasn't trying to hurt him, I-I called for help and I tried to get away b-but…" his eyes narrowed, and his hands stopped shaking. Once again they curled into fists. "But then… he dared to… he, that monster-"
The blood-soaked brunette laughed from his spot on the floor. The three orderlies had managed to pull him into a sitting position and one was gently trying to staunch a wound above his eyebrow that was bleeding profusely. The male orderly who'd come to alert Mr. Oaken was standing cautiously behind them, ready to grab the boy if he tried to start another fight. "You're the real monster here. And if you hadn't gotten that cheap shot in right off the bat I'd be rending you limb from fucking limb right now."
Hans lunged forward, but Mr. Oaken held him back. Struggling in the large man's grip, he snarled back, "Oh yeah? You mean like you tried to do to that poor girl?"
The hallway was immediately filled with the echoes of anguished wailing. The brunette's eyes were clenched shut, shoulders shaking as the orderlies tensed. "It wasn't me! It was the Beast! Why does no one believe me? I loved her! Why would I… how could I have done it?!"
Hans' face remained stone-cold and furious. "I don't really fucking care, you psycho. But if you ever dare to utter my sister's name again, I promise you that I will go to the ends of the earth to put you in the ground!" He lunged for the boy one last time but Mr. Oaken forced him back, turning him around and slamming him against the wall.
"That's enough Hans. Merriweather, Flora and Fauna, get Adam cleaned up. I'll talk to him later." The three women nodded, helping Adam stand as the boy continued to blubber. The male orderly looked to Mr. Oaken and nodded once when the big man sent him a stern gaze. The orderly quickly followed after them, and Mr. Oaken sighed before turning back to Hans. "I'm afraid you've made big trouble for yourself, boy. Mr. Weselton will be hearing about this. I'm sure he'll have words for you, ya?" Oaken looked genuinely upset over the situation, giving Anna a pitying glance before pulling Hans off the wall though he kept the boy's arms held in vice-like grip.
He was silent for a moment, Hans' attempts to struggle ignored. His usually kind eyes now looked tired and sad. They slid shut and Mr. Oaken was quiet for a moment.
"I'm afraid that your visitation rights are forfeit until further notice."
"No!"
Anna and Hans had cried out at the same time, faces a matching pair rife with desperation and fear. Hans renewed his struggles and Mr. Oaken's eyes hardened, strengthening his grip to an almost painful degree. Hans didn't care, so desperate was he to get to his sister. Anna too was desperate, ignoring Oaken's warning and running to capture her brother in a hug.
She was crying now, the tears that had been gathering in her eyes finally spilling over. "Mr. Oaken please, d-don't do this!"
Mr. Oaken called for another orderly and a man quickly came up behind Anna to pull her away, trying his best to ignore the fury in Hans' eyes as he yelled. "Get your hands off my sister!"
As the man pulled her away Anna sobbed, 'no!' after anguished 'no!' spilling forth from between her lips. Hans cried out her name as well as Mr. Oaken dragged him away, kicking out in a desperate attempt to get away, but it was no use. Mr. Oaken kept his grip firm and before she knew it, they turned a corner and her brother was gone.
She continued to stare, hoping against hope that her brother would come running back around the corner… but he didn't.
Eyes clenching shut, Anna sank to the floor, the orderly's grip on her disappearing. She sobbed, unaware of neither the man's footsteps leaving, nor the gentle footsteps approaching.
She didn't notice Elsa drop to the floor in front of her, the blonde girl on her knees as she stared down at Anna with sadness in her bright blue eyes. Elsa watched Anna's shoulders shake, watched her chest heave as the redhead continued to sob violently.
She counted each tear that splashed against the linoleum floor.
And before she could stop herself, Elsa was reaching out a hand and laying it gently on the other girl's head. Her fingers combed through the soft auburn locks gently for a moment before she allowed her hand to slide around to the back of Anna's neck. When red-rimmed eyes looked up at her questioningly, Elsa just smiled as gently as she could.
Slowly, she began to apply pressure to the back of Anna's neck, and before the redhead knew it Elsa had guided her to her shoulder, allowing Anna to press her forehead against the soft fleece of the blonde's sweater. Her other arm came up to wrap around Anna's shoulders, securing her in place. Anna was shocked; Elsa had never initiated such intimate contact of this magnitude before.
But as she felt the sweater start to grow damp from the tears that were still leaking from her eyes they closed again and her sobbing resumed. Her arms wrapped around Elsa's waist and she pulled the other girl close.
Elsa immediately grew flushed from the full-body contact, but even as the voice in her head cried out for her to stop she allowed herself to enjoy the moment. Her eyes closed as she breathed in Anna's scent, still so comforting even as the girl shook and sobbed against her shoulder. The hand that was still wrapped around the back of the redhead's neck moved up to cradle her head, fingers losing themselves once again in the other girl's hair. Instinctively, Elsa began to rock her back and forth, hoping to soothe her cries.
It wouldn't do for Anna to be so sad. Not on what could possibly be their last day together. After all, the thing that Elsa had been fearful of for so long had finally come to pass.
Hans had lost his visitation rights.
…Anna had no reason to come back to the institute.
Tears began to gather in Elsa's own eyes. She clutched at the girl in her arms desperately, pained irises disappearing beneath pale eyelids.
Yes, she would enjoy this moment.
It might be all I have left.
So as you guys can see, the fluff is no longer in endless supply. We've entered the heavy-hitting arc of the story... and this is where those replacement hearts are going to start to come in handy.
I apologize for not yet replying to all of your wonderful reviews, I will do so later tonight if I have time.
Oh, and questions about Elsa's age, Anna's living arrangements? They'll be answered in their own time, don't fret. Just keep on keepin' on, and try not to get too upset with me when my words make the owies in your hearts ;)
-Cel
P.S. I love how you guys are already giving Meg and Anna their own ship name. Y'all are presh.