For the later years of her childhood, she shied away from her sister.
Half way through adolescence, she left.
Why? Because she'd known just how much of a monster she was.
And then, in only a handful of seconds, Anna had done something utterly unexpected.
She'd tossed aside Elsa's worry, her regret and fears. She'd toss them aside as if they meant nothing, nothing at all.
And Elsa could only stare, unable to make her mouth speak the words her mind clung to.
Because all her life she'd fought to keep this, all of this from happening.
Anna shouldn't know her sister was corrupted in such a way. She certainly shouldn't embrace it.
Every instinct in the elder sister's body told her to move. To run. To flee.
It was the only thing she seemed to know how to do.
But shock, bafflement, kept her rooted in place.
Anna didn't have a clue what Elsa's reaction meant. Was it negative? It didn't appear so.
But it certainly wasn't positive, either.
Taking as deep a breath as she capable of in the suddenly thick air, she turned to face her sibling. She reached out for Elsa's hands.
Elsa could no more stop her than she could move. She let her hands be limply lifted, clutched.
Anna's grasp was tight, as if she was trying urgently to convey what she felt.
"Els? I... What do you...?" But she couldn't find appropriate words, instead biting her bottom lip.
Elsa watched in fascination, mind whirling uncontrollably. She watched Anna's teeth as they nibbled the redhead's lip.
Anna saw where her sister's gaze fell. But she misinterpreted it.
Sucking in a slightly uneven breath, she swallowed down her nervousness.
And she leaned forward.
Time seemed to stop. Elsa froze. She swore her very heart stopped, mind unable to distinguish what should and shouldn't be happening.
She watched her sister's eyelids drop down.
She watched her draw nearer and nearer.
Her own eyelids drooped, she held her breath. This was it.
How long had she envisioned this very scene? How many times had she watched it unfold in her head?
But...
A shaky breath escaped Anna, ghosted over Elsa's lips.
It was electric, shooting through her body and jump starting her brain.
There lips brushed.
Elsa jerked away.
Anna jumped, the action having been sudden and startling. She opened her eyes to find Elsa staring wide eyed at her.
"E... Elsa?"
The blonde swallowed, she was visibly shaking.
"I... I'm so sorry, Anna..."
Even through sheer pain, Elsa fell back into a routine she knew all too well.
She ran. Even with Anna's voice calling to her, burning into her conscious.
Her door slammed, and for the first time in forever, the lock clicked.
It was a wall of ice, built up to shield her sister.
She wouldn't let herself hurt Anna.