Backwards

by Sensational Sista

College/AU. There's an unusual perspective in rowing: To move forward, you have to move backwards. As Anna joins Arendelle University's rowing team and forges an unlikely friendship with the elusive blonde Senior, she realizes her own perspective of life and love is about to be turned around. Elsanna (Rating upped for occasional Adult Themes)

38. A Spare

Chapter 38

How on Earth was this possible? It wasn't. It couldn't be. Why? Just.. what!? It's absolutely crazy!

Now, it wasn't like she was superstitious or anything, but Anna knew in life that collisions were a large part of her big personal stories. Like those tide changing sort of big new relations. Specifically ones that landed her flat on her ass for one reason or another. Apparently, for Anna, to make impactful relationships took.. impact.

When Rapunzel found out they were Cubby Buddies, way back in 2nd grade, she had tackled Anna to the floor in an exuberant hug; it was the first time she'd learned the phrase 'pain in the butt'. Likewise, Kristoff had tackled her in an intense game of middle school Ultimate Frisbee, actually sending her to the school nurse who almost called an ambulance; even bigger pain in the butt. However, she got these wonderful lifelong friendships, forged from pain and hard ground collisions.

Then she couldn't forget how she'd knocked into Hans and Elsa, both on the same freaking morning, this time thanks to her own doing, embarrassingly, with both eventually blossoming into relationships; one to love and the other to loathe.

And.. and.. Shit. Now this!?

Oh God. Anything evolving in her life that could possibly involve Belle could not and would not be anything to look forward to.

Anna prayed that she was just being silly with her previous experiences. It's just a coincidence. A chance meeting. Total Full Moon Effect! Come on Anna, that was a question on your very first Pysch quiz. You should know better. This is definitely not something of fate. Honestly, though, even if it was, she would have refused to let it be, snipping any and all Red Strings that the all-knowing universe would want to wrap her up in. Nothing good could come of this.

A voice coming from beside her knocked her from the thoughts, almost stunning her enough to nearly miss the question completely. "What sport are you with?" the older woman asked, making casual conversation as they walked at their brisk pace.

The shorter woman, hands dug so deep into her jacket pockets, glanced up for a second before focusing on the hallway again. "Rowing."

The brunette turned, looking at her with a bright, albeit likely surprised face; Anna wasn't really making eye-contact to tell. "Me too! Which event are you? I'm in the Single."

Oh yeah, I know.. Anna internally smacked herself, silencing the automatic acknowledgment before it could make it anywhere near her uncontrollable mouth. She really would have to bite her tongue, probably repeatedly, if Belle insisted on making small talk.

She cleared her throat, trying to keep her voice calm. "Doubles sculls." She figured her petite size would give away the Lightweight status, and the less she said right now, the better.

The tall woman made a humming sound. "I used to row Lightweight too, but this year I trained extra hard to get this particular bid. Honestly, I'm surprised I came out on top against the rest. Hard work pays off, I guess."

Dear Lord, I didn't' ask for a backstory.. Why was this woman so talkative? Anna grit her teeth, trying to tamper the annoyance. Sure, Belle wasn't sounding arrogantly conceited in how she spoke, but was she completely unaware to what bragging sounded like? Is this what all celebrity types were like? This was just an additional irritation at this point. How much farther was this freaking auditorium? Shouldn't they be there already? How big was this place?!

Then, a second later, the smile on brunette's face began to grow a curious look. Anna tried to ignore just how much Belle's eyes were suddenly widening as she finally, finally, seemed to process more of what Anna said rather than going off about her own talents.

"Wait." She stopped, halting the redhead as well with a reach to her shoulder. Dark eyes looked down at the smaller woman who's own teal orbs had substantially widened at the abruptness of the halting motion. "Does that mean you're Elsa Winters' partner?"

Oh God. Oh good gracious righteous deity of any sort, could Anna please please please just teleport out of this place to the moon, or the Marianas Trench, or an active volcano.. or just die? Any of the above would do. Any were better than having this conversation with the ex-girlfriend of her beautiful and perfect not-yet-labeled-but-basically-girlfriend girlfriend.

"Uh, yeah.." she mumbled tersely.

Honestly, she couldn't say she was surprised that word had gotten out that Elsa was participating in the Games. After all, she was practically a household name within this tier. But dealing with this topic so early on and breached by Belle, of all people, just made the whole thing feel terrible.

The older girl didn't seem to be bothered by the redhead's uncharacteristically laconic response, probably just thinking Anna was some sort of closed off Ice Queen herself. Instead, the older woman's hand rose, pointing to Anna. "You're the spare who Maren stepped down for, then?"

Anna felt something thud, dully, heavily, in her chest. Scratch that. Now this made the whole news getting out thing somehow feel most terrible of all. Of all the people who could have possibly been first to bring up her status as the 'spare' who had only risen to fame thanks to Maren's sacrifice while everyone else rightfully claimed their seats, why did it have to be this woman. Anna's eyes fell aside, feeling her lips purse unknowingly as she fought off a frown, but she still somehow managed a nod.

Blinking, the other rower shook her head, offering a kind smile. "Ah, sorry. Didn't mean to come off that way. Maren's the kindest person I've ever met. I can't imagine any other rower having done that." She titled her head. "You got incredibly lucky!"

There it was again, the dull thud inside of her, activated by the reminder of that stupid comment. Luck. All it came down to.

Internally, she quickly stopped herself from going down that road. It wasn't luck; it was opportunity. She had prepared her absolute best and it turned out to be enough when she was met with an opportunity. Just like Elsa had said. As she'd assured her. It didn't matter that every other athlete here definitely hadn't had that occur, making their way to greatness all by themselves, not going to be seen going forward as the "lucky girl"; that even Belle here had qualified by her own hard work.. All that mattered was that Elsa was proud of her for meeting this opportunity square on.

With a determined face descending over her features, she turned on her heel. She had places to be and goddammit if she was going to be late, she would not waste any of her wasted minutes dealing with this person.

Falling back in step with the shorter girl a few paces later (she'd been hoping it would have deterred the unofficial guide to continue chatting with her, but that was just wishful thinking), face softening, the brunette looked forward again. From her side view, Anna caught what looked like a smile spreading over the brunette's lips. "She's intense, isn't she. Elsa, I mean." As with every other non-question, Anna's mouth remained silent. "I know her fairly well, actually." Anna just internally rolled her eyes.

You mean 'knew', she mentally corrected. The past was in the past, as Elsa would say. Leave the negatives behind. She made a hum, quietly, in agreement to the analysis again, poor attempt at a breathed laugh flying under Belle's own. Just move this discussion along, Anna, she told herself despite hating the sludge-like ire she was dragging herself through with every passing exchange.

A few steps passed in a much appreciated silence before she heard the older woman clear her throat, demurely. "Has she.." A pause. The uptick in her voice's tone and trailing thoughts gained Anna's listening ear. Then, a few seconds later, "Would you know if she's seeing any one right now?"

And that.. sorta kinda totally completely blind-sided her, sending her brain into combusting over-drive.

Teal orbs shot up, wide-eyed and watching the tall woman's side profile, still as soft looking as earlier but unreadable; similar to that of Elsa's own poker faces. Had.. had she really just ask-?

A crackle went down her spine. Ugh, why was she seriously being forced into this conversation right now?! Did she, Anna, really just get asked that question by this audacious crazy woman; this dumb jerk-face Ex? Ack! No, no, no! Nah uh! Not answering this!

Trying to silence any noise from her tight gulp, Anna simply shrugged; unspecified. Given how her thoughts were responding, she was a bit unsure what her words would sound like if she actually spoke right now. About this topic. To freakin' Belle Beauty, out of all possible people on this Earth. Oye, it was worse than she could have ever imagined!

Thankfully, absolutely grateful to whatever deity's overhead finally started listening to her distress calls, the professional rower seemed to leave the topic at that, accepting the casual shrug for what it was, letting the topic fall away for the remainder of this awfully stupid long walk.

But, like arriving at an oasis, they finally approached a wide set of doors. The brunette turned with her hand on the door latch and Anna stopped short, looking up.

"We're here," she chirped happily. All the redhead could manage was a nod and a somewhat coherent mutter of gratitude. She went to pass by the older woman but the gentle and smooth voice stopped her. "I'm Belle, by the way. I had forgot to introduce myself earlier."

Anna turned her head over her shoulder, this time nearly out of time in stopping herself from letting the 'Oh, I know' thought leave her brain again and actually come out of her mouth. Instead, she smiled slightly, tongue pulled in tight to keep her response appropriate. "Anna."

Belle grinned, nodding, dark chocolate eyes almost sparkling beneath the disc shaped lights above the door's entrance. "Well then best of luck, Anna. I bet I'll see you around."

Oh, I really really really hope that's not the case.

Again, stifling a grimace (likely poorly so), Anna grumbled a small thank you to be polite before hurrying off into the dimmed but crowded room, filled with many random onlookers who must have been athletes guests guessing by their normal attire, but given the obvious color scheme, finding the cluster of Olympians divided on the far side of the hall was very easy. Now she just had to locate the brightest blonde hair ever created and.. there!

Someone was making announcements at a podium so she did her best to slink around the dark shadows of the room. Thankfully, it looked like an empty seat was saved beside the blonde right along the aisle. She was nearly 15 minutes late at this point, so Elsa must have been prepared to maintain the reservation. A second later she plopped into the folding plush chair, turning to see astonishment in the familiar blue eyes.

"Anna..!" she hissed sharply with warning in her voice. Trying to keep the volume low, she let the intonation carry the statement's full intent. The redhead gave a pitiful look, mouthing an apology for her tardiness.

Sliding herself down a bit, hiding from the eyes of the random faces around her, she began to fidget her hands on the chair's armrests. So much was buzzing in her brain right now, and she had no means to focus on anything that the man up front was saying. How on earth was she supposed to break this news? Where does she even start explaining the conversation? Should she wait til after this meeting? Maybe wait until after tonight's party? This is totally something that can be disclosed over a peaceful breakfast, right?

".. and from here we'll be calling off our team rosters. Please, participants stand when called and let's give them a round of applause. Teams will come to the stage for recognition.. Up first; Archery..!" Soon, various sports started to be called; the many athletes hopping up one after the other before the teams were ushered informally to the stage under a wash of clapping and flashing lights.

Basically being the only information she had even heard spoken through the mic since her arrival, Anna felt a cold sweat breakout over her body. They were all going to be called by name? Really Mr. announcer dude? This is how you planned to do introductions?! Shit. Shit. Shit.

Disclosure timeline now having been expedited, the minutes moved on far too quickly and Anna could swear she could hear the ticking of a clock, but the tempo was just the pounding in her ears. She kept giving side glances up at the blonde woman, who, unlike her, actually was maintaining her gaze forward and seeming to be listening intently, even politely clapping for the rising athletes and stage photos. Her sneaker clad foot began tapping, growing steadily more insistent. Closing her eyes and inhaling, she finally tilted her head very slowly toward the blonde.

"Hey, Elsa, there's something-"

She was immediately hushed, paired with a side glance that was interpreted as 'not now, Anna.'

The roll call continued, bursts of applause as some other random team finished calling off its champions. What sport were they even on now?

"Next up, we have Rowing!" What! Already?! The heavy set man called into the microphone as he called the line-ups in an order, beginning with the largest boats and gradually ending with the smallest. "First we'll begin with the men's events. In the Open Eight.."

Squeezing her eyes, fists closing on the edge of the armrests, she willed herself to be heard. "Elsa, I really need to tell you.."

"Anna, listen," she whispered back and all Anna wanted to moan aloud was how Elsa was behaving like the goodie-two-shoes kid in a library. Although she wouldn't put it past the woman for being irked that Anna hadn't paid attention to any information earlier, either.

"It's really important!" she urged again, quiet voice entering a whine.

Again the older rower shook her head, mumbling something about waiting. Anna groaned.

"But Elsa-"

"Shhh!" She was met with the sharp fricative blown through perfect teeth and she reluctantly heaved a frustrated sigh.

Ugh!

Arms tightly crossing, sinking into her seat, Anna was bouncing her toes as she waited. Impatiently. Instead, trying to focus on the words being called overhead as some form of sanity savior. Though, it may not have been the most relaxing thing to do.

Not when she was being forced to withhold severely important information, while simultaneously being here, reminded that she was literally in the vicinity of rowing gods. Including some of her favorite rowers that she had first started following in high school. Like the women's Great Eight! If she had to ask for any distraction, this was certainly it, but it still did nothing except elevate her level of anxiety. Well, if Elsa was adamant about not listening to her, she might as well at least try to enjoy this a bit.

She leaned forward, trying to peak over the tall men already standing in front of her. She could sort of see through the mass of shoulders, listening to the names and she knew the time was drawing near. Her eyes widened as she caught a flash of curly red at the start of the auditorium rows, standing. Anna knew who that person was even before the legendary coxswain's name boomed over the speakers.

Currently wrapped up in the distraction, Anna squealed as she watched Merida, the 2 time gold winning Women's Eight coxswain and AU crew alum, take a dramatic bow from her spot. She waved to the crowd, smile broad. Anna's teal eyes darted around through the other bodies, looking for other Olympic faces she recognized, because everyone elses' names called prior hadn't registered to her at all. After a scan, the smaller rower looked back to her partner.

The blonde's face was drawn utterly neutral, hands folded on her lap, shoulder's poised, hanging on the announcer's words in anxious waiting. Having just heard the Women's Lightweight Pair called, both girls knew all eyes were going to be on them next.

"The Women's Lightweight Double: Elsa Winters and Anna Suvi!"

As Anna stood beside the tall blonde, she began to notice a degree of tension, despite the trained neutrality put on her features. Rather, a bit of uncertainty was visible. Her blue eyes were skittish, scanning the rest of the theater, even as the crowds clapped around them. Anna wanted to ask why the stoic woman was suddenly showing such enmity; what had broken through the professional grade stonewall poke face.

But a second after their names trailed off, Anna heard a gentle murmur begin to roll from behind her, hushed, but each whisper felt like flint brushing over her skin, sparking a flame of ire in her chest.

"Wait, isn't that..?"

"I thought she got banned.."

"Did the rowing team get desperate or something?"

"Probably bought her way back in.. rich bitch."

Somehow, Elsa stood staring straight ahead, not even flinching under the poorly hushed whispers, which Anna was certain could be heard for miles. But the way blue eyes were pulled taut in their corners was the giveaway. Putting up a defense against the world, having already anticipated such awful words to come before her name was even called.

Her auburn brows drew up in concern. Elsa.. She wanted to reach out and hug the still woman, not even able to fathom what must be going through her mind; how tough she must think she has to be right now in front of these strangers. So wrapped up in her attention to Elsa, Anna had completely forgotten about the roll call, at least for a moment.

"… and, last but absolutely not least, in the Women's Single, the renown face of our National team, Belle Beauty!"

The crowd finally erupted in cheers as the Rowing team roster was completed, and Anna briefly watched the brunette elegantly stand with the rest of the team down near the front line of seats.

There was a gasp from beside her and she instantly tore her eyes away, feeling a cold sweat perspire down her neck, as she looked at the girl beside her. "Belle..?" Her stomach fell.

Wide, unblinking, sapphire eyes were staring at the newly standing rower as the roll-call concluded for their team. The way she stared, previously stony and brave facade having crumbled in a fleeting instant, face expressing something so distant, shocked, and melancholy. It was a combination uncomfortably full of emotions that made Anna realize she hadn't ever been expecting to see what Elsa were to look like if she laid eyes on her Ex again. She couldn't help but feel a weird wave roll along her gut at the sight, thinking of the words exchanged in the hallway not too long ago.

'Would you know if she's seeing any one right now?' Ugh. Shut up, shut up! She mentally shook her head, and maybe she physically did too. She wasn't sure. As long as the conversation was rid from her mind.

After what felt like the longest delay, Elsa whipped her head back to stare at her. Blue eyes, looking incredulous for a hot second, quickly cooled with a recognizing expression. Beneath the noisy air, Anna barely made out the awe stricken words leaving Elsa's lips. "That.. was that what you were..?"

The question trailed off, whether in disbelief or just quietly finished beneath a new crackle over the speakers, but Anna regretfully nodded to confirm the fact that yes, this was what she had planned to warn her of and exactly why she was in such a rush earlier.

At some point during the last 10 seconds, Elsa had shifted to hug her arms around her stomach in the way she only did when she was incredibly uncomfortable. Having turned forward again, listening to the instructions that would lead the group up to the stage, her sapphire eyes had fallen to the seats spanning ahead of them. It didn't take a rocket scientist to tell that the introverted woman had already been absolutely dreading going out there, to be face to face with the scrutiny of the public eye, but definitely now more than ever.

On the water, in the spotlight of a race lane, Elsa was strong and the physical embodiment of confidence. But in the spotlight of the press, and in the eyes of others, peers, no matter how good of a visage she could create, she was vulnerable. Anna knew that all too well.

She could see Elsa staring tensely at the photographers near the podium, all for the sake of a simple group photo to introduce the teams and commemorate an exciting life changing event. Something meant to be a memory one day, filled with happiness. It saddened her heart.

Subtly, Anna's hand lifted and she let her fingers brush lightly against Elsa's arm. The blonde jerked her head up and looked at the shorter rower. Teal eyes offered warmth. The warmth Elsa desperately needed in that moment as they began to follow the rest of their team up for the group photo and appreciation. Anna gave a brief reassuring smile when the blonde looked at her and not a second later, Elsa offered a small grin of appreciation as they ascended the wooden steps together.

She brought her eyes back to her partner as they crossed the stage, breaking the single file line and instead going side-by-side. The sounds of the crowds and rumble of the announcer's voice fell upon deaf ears as everything drained away under the hot lights. Anna was only focused on one person in the crowded room, watching the blonde's intense gaze.

This time's going to be different, she told herself, told Elsa. Everything would be. A new story was going to be told. Their Erg race was already general news, international rowing communities knew of Elsa's past, and everyone, whether they were on her side or not, still knew Elsa could and would be expected to dominate. More than anything, more than any one else in this room, Elsa deserved to be going to the Olympics. If only the world had the heart to understand that, too, Anna thought with a full heart.

Unaware of how far they'd traversed, Anna was brought back to reality when they finally stopped, squished among the various other bodies, aligned in somewhat of a middle row, tucked aside. The sounds of the world came flooding back to her as she looked out to the black blanket covering an enraptured crowd, twinkling with bright stars all over.

"..This time, let's have it for our Olympic Rowing Team!" The applause were loud, echoing in the expansive theater.

As the two stood on that stage, the rest of the team's rowers surrounding them, Anna's hand resolutely found Elsa's own at her side, offering the softest of squeezes to her fingertips. The blonde didn't look at her, but Anna could see her shoulders relax. Anna grinned when Elsa squeezed lightly right back.

…

Anna energetically bounced onto the creaky hotel bed as she watched the opposite rower pull a make-up bag out of her suitcase. The woman was muttering something about hating having to live out of a suitcase and how unprofessional and unkempt it felt. They would only be staying in that room for the night before their flight boarded the next morning, so there was no reason to unpack. After they'd returned, Anna had actually been shocked when Elsa was literally about to unpack all of her belongings into the drawers, just for one night. She actually had to sit and convince the blonde not to.

"Such a mess," she heard muttered across the quiet room. For every article of clothing she pulled out, the others had to be refolded neatly beside it. "Uncivilized."

Anna couldn't imagine what packing must have been like for the woman. She hadn't been at the apartment when the older girl was doing her initial packing, and she was sure she had made the right decision to choose to do another FroYo trip with Audrey. Her teal eyes looked at the open bag beside her separate bed, shirts and underwear spilling out of it as if had erupted.

She drew her hand down the satin fabric of her green dress, laid out beside her on the mattress. She should have realized that she should have packed better. The wrinkles were just now starting to disappear. It was the only nice thing she'd packed, specifically for this evening; all her other clothing just whatever clothes had been in her reach (which were basically just spandex and tank-tops).

In the closet, Elsa's own dress hung up covered in that dry-clean-only plastic wrap. Anna began wondering if she also should have splurged just a penny on doing the same. Elsa had offered to pay, but the stubborn redhead had none of it.

"Ugh.." Teal eyes flitted back to the disgruntled woman now sitting cross legged on the floor in front of her open suit case. Piles of neatly folded clothes stacked beside her, each divided into blouses, pants, spandex, socks, underwear; everything was even color matched.

The blonde had been in this very peculiar mind-set since they'd arrived back; hyper fixated on this essentially menial task. The unpacking. The organizing. Things that were purposeful, easily controlled and managed. A gentle pang had hit the redhead's chest when she had initially realized why the behavior had suddenly come about.

With the unfolding recent event now thrown into what had already been an anticipating stressful time, this was acting as Elsa's distraction, compartmentalizing a lot of emotions that were stirred up earlier. A means to create order. The knowledge shared that Anna had (literally) run into Belle was just the icing on the cake, adding to the current colorful vocals of vexation.

Anna just let it play out, not suggesting anything aloud about the issue and instead allotting the blonde some time to collect herself while immersed in the familiar activity. Not like Elsa wasn't a neat freak anyway, so the task was probably pretty calming in some ways.

She gently smiled at the back of the quietly murmuring woman's head. "Jeeze. You made such a mess," Anna lightly joked from the edge of the bed. "I think one of your shirts is ruffled." The quick turn of Elsa's head toward her shirt stack followed by her groan of annoyance at the tease made Anna's smile stretch. Then she received a brief glare from over the blonde's shoulder.

"It's not that," she sighed tiredly a few seconds later, clearly frustrated. She lifted up her clothing and began stacking the piles back into the leather bag.

Anna moved herself over to where the blonde sat, and knelt beside her. "Care to elaborate?"

Her voice lost the playful edge, becoming a bit softer; an implicit means, spoken in an easier manner, to hopefully encourage comfort. After everything from the earlier meeting, seeing that ghost of her past appear out of nowhere, to Anna briefly disclosing the general information of running into the Singles rower, Anna was pretty sure what to expect coming from the woman's thoughts; mood so different than when they'd excitedly arrived at the Convention Center a few short hours ago.

The older woman chewed her cheek and pursed her lips. There was a slight hesitation, hazy eyes blinking a bit in clarity before she shook her head, mumbling, "I didn't pack my sweater.."

Uhh..? Not expecting that, the younger girl blinked, and then suddenly snorted. "Huh? That's what's got your feathers in a bunch?" She knew it wasn't the only thing plaguing the woman's mind, the pause and expression way too yielding, way too telling, but most likely the only thing she felt comfortable saying right now. If that was the fact, then Anna would let it play out as Elsa felt able.

"You don't understand. The dress I brought exposes too much of my shoulders." Automatically, the younger girl's eyes fell on to Elsa's arms, barely hidden under a plain t-shirt, currently re-folding a blouse to pack in the suitcase.

"I don't see a problem with that." Anna blushed as the unconscious words left her mouth, particularly because of how low her tone had dropped, so unlike her usual energy, but she did her hardest to proudly own them. Elsa's pink cheeks and momentary lapse in her own words made the redhead scrunch her shoulders in slight awkwardness. Wow. Now was so not the time for that train of mind. "S-sorry," she apologized with a chuckle.

The blonde shook her head slightly, but seemed to choose to simply drop the conversation. She pushed herself up off the floor, taking her make-up bag in hand, arms held closer to her body than necessary. As she crossed the room to the bathroom, she turned around, eyes down to the floor.

"Do we.. really have to go tonight?"

Anna made an incredulous face. "Um yes? It's the Night of Champions Ball!"

Elsa motioned toward the small TV against the far wall. Her face didn't even try to stop a small pout coming to her lips. "A movie would be a fine substitute.."

Of course, she only received an undeterred exuberance from the younger woman. "No, it would not. Not even close."

To celebrate the approaching departure for the Olympic Games, the entire Norwegian team was going to be there tonight. Absolutely all of the country's top athletes, socializing and conversing, including Anna's biggest idols in the rowing world too. How often did anyone get to stand amongst giants like that? Never. That's the answer. As far as she knew, Anna would never get this opportunity again in her lifetime. There was no chance that they were going to miss it!

"You go, then," Elsa said, toying with the zipper of her small bag in the center of the hotel hallway.

Anna scrambled to her feet and moved over to her partner. She knew exactly why Elsa was behaving like this. It wasn't like the idea of a party or big gathering was the reclusive woman's cup of tea in the first place, but after realizing the brunette's presence in the building earlier, of course it would only shake her even more. Hell, that second part shook Anna too. But in such a big space, with so many people probably sardined together, and with Anna as the ultimate pit-bull watch dog, there was no way for Belle to pose an issue. All it took was a little need of convincing.

"No. You're coming with me." She saw Elsa open her mouth to form another complaint but Anna shushed her. "Nuh uh. You are not getting out of this." To make a point Anna spun toward the closet and grabbed the hanging garb, wrapped in linen plastic. She pushed it into Elsa's arms and then hip bumped her towards the bathroom. Bump. Bump. Bump.

"Anna.." she warned at the pushiness.

"Please, Elsa.. I want to go so bad to see everyone, but I'm also nervous.." Well, she was being honest, at least, not just trying to fake her way into convincing the blonde with a guilt trip. There was a pinch of anxiety that still stuck with her; that stupid reminder of being a 'spare' grating not just her irritation but also a bit of her confidence. Especially if other rower's talked as blasé as Belle had on the matter, out loud, where others could overhear.. She felt herself frown at the consideration, at having to brave a situation like that alone. "If the rowers see me and just, ya know.. if they've heard about the trials.."

Elsa stood in front of her, pale hand reaching out and lightly leaning against the tanned speckled cheek. "They are not going to care. You will be fine." Navy eyes scanned the young face, brows curving up. "I've assured you of this before.."

Anna felt the blush bloom across her skin, unable to fight the goofy grin under the woman's caring inspection. "Well, this is why I need you there for continued reassurance! Just for a short bit. I'll get to look at the really amazing people up close, maybe tell them how amazing they are, and then we go." She leaned up on her toes, knocking the blonde's hand aside, while two hands flew to Elsa's face, deft index fingers playfully poking at those high raised cheek bones. The smile only grew sillier as she tilted her head in the most innocently coy manner she could, enjoying the exuberant air between them. "How about it?"

Elsa swatted at the poking fingers and shoved the girl away, making sure her motions, albeit gentle, revealed her begrudging annoyance. "Fine fine. Stop it! I'll go!" She had turned around in front of the attached bath, hand on the doorknob before casting a glance over her shoulder. Anna bit her lip, fighting down a proud smirk. Anna Grace Suvi always got her way. "But don't you dare try to drag me on to the dance floor. I do not dance." Anna felt her jaw fall open in automatic preparedness to retort, but Elsa narrowed her eyes. "I will immediately leave."

At that Anna's mouth shut, quickly back-pedaling. "Pssssh ha..! Y-you thought? Oh, no needs for threats. Didn't even cross my mind.." Well that was a lie, the idea had actually been swirling in her mind just like imaging the twirl of the dress she'd be wearing. But if we're gonna lay low as a couple.. Although deflating, it made sense. Yeah, we don't need prying eyes on us.

She turned to her own dress laying over the mattress. It took not even 2 minutes to have stripped and slipped into the aqua colored, velvet outfit, pulling the long black sleeves down her arms. Decidedly an elegant choice. Although she'd have felt much more comfortable in a basic sun dress, she figured that if there was a chance to be recognized by any of the amazing champions, or even paparazzi or sports news outlets, she really needed to look her best. Wow the crowd. Make a good first impression for once in her life.

Diving into her luggage bag, she just had to grab her shoes to complete the look. After a few seconds of shifting the items, moving aside clothes that weren't anywhere close to passing as folded, she furrowed her brows with a frown.

"Shit.. I forgot my nice shoes," she mumbled, throwing her colorful Nikes over her shoulders followed by her dark converse. She lifted the vibrant green Crocs to her deadpanned gaze next, sighing. She could swear she'd packed the nude flats shed specifically bought for this very occasion. "Elsa? Do I have enough time to go back to the apartment?" she called over her shoulder.

North Street was like 30 minutes from the business center.. maybe 20 given reduced traffic at this time of night.. but the party starts in 20 minutes, and they were already going to be fashionably late (which Elsa had said was best, though Anna did wonder if that was just her way to avoid any excess time spent at the gathering..).

The blonde shook her head from wear she was still preparing her make-up in the bathroom mirror, although Anna couldn't see it over her hunched form still staring into the large suitcase. "I brought a spare pair, although they may be a half size up.." Anna excitedly lifted her eyes as she looked to see the blonde stepping out and going into the closet.

"Really? That won't be an issue..." She trailed off seeing the blonde lifting up a set of gray heels. Like, stiletto heels, with the basically toothpick wide supports. Her smile dropped, brows furrowing incredulously before looking up to the sweetly smiling woman. "Er.. I know you're jokes are dry, but come on now."

Blue eyes blinked, rounding to an almost doe-eyed expression. "What joke? I think the color will go with the dark aqua of your dress. The others I brought have a metallic shine-"

"No, the heel," she said bluntly, pointing to the rather poor excuse for a heel at all, tapping the twig that it really was. "I can't walk in that. Let alone dance!"

A blonde brow lifted. "I think you'll be fine.."

"Did you forget my middle name is the biggest irony of my life?"

At the fluidly spoken yet severely sardonic question, Elsa let a genuinely easy laugh pass her lips. It seemed to fully dissipate the worries which she was carrying from minutes earlier. "Why not try them. If it's a definite 'no' I will gladly drive us back to the apartment. Then I can grab my sweater too." Her lips pursed as her eyes rolled to the ceiling, considering. "If I take us the scenic route along the river, maybe we can miss the party all together…"

Frowning with an annoyed eye roll, Anna groaned. "We're not missing it. Argh, fine!" Snatching the shoes in a manner to be sure to highlight her reluctant attitude, she slipped the shoes on, surprised they fit so well. Standing herself upright, hands splayed out like a penguin's flippers for balance, she saw the opposite woman step into her space. When she scanned the familiar body up, she suddenly realized it felt unfamiliar, with her answer to why following immediately the second her eyes matched directly across to the taller rower. "Woah.. I'm tall!" The blonde simply snorted with a smirk.

"It's a nice view from up here, right?" Anna snorted as she watched the azure eyes bounce over her face in interest, again letting a tiny giggle fall from her lips. "Actually, it kind of suits you.." The curious, bouncing eyes slid level with Anna's own own, and the little smile on rose tinted lips quirked in the corner. "I like being tall, but this view is nice too." With the accompanying smirk, Anna knew her face was flushed at that out of nowhere line, and judging by the sparkle of amusement twinkling in those sapphire stones, the blonde had purposefully thrown out that line. Obviously enjoying her handiwork of turning her partner into a tomato, Elsa stepped back a few seconds later. "I'm going to change, now. I recommend you practice your runway walk in the meantime.."

Still flutily fighting the (pleasantly warm) fuchsia from her cheeks, Anna grinned. Whether out of honest flirtation, simply to win Anna's affection of the outfit over, or both, it didn't matter. The line definitely had sparked her newfound appreciation for the outfit. "Aye aye," she saluted, clicking her heels together, trying to let the weight off of her toes distribute evenly over the whole shoe. Might take a bit of practice..

As the young sculler gave a final touch up of her makeup (well, her attempt at it; her eye liner pencil had stabbed her an unnecessary amount if times by the time she was satisfied) in the full length mirror, stepping back and inspecting her look, she distantly began wondering about how they would look together. Given how dolled up she was for the first time since her Senior Prom, almost looking like a princess, what would happen if Elsa, so strong and gorgeous, had picked an outfit more suited for a.. prince.

The sudden mental imagery of such a dapper and formal outfit adorning the athletic woman's incredible physique made Anna wonder whether she should have pushed for Elsa to bring that god-damned sexy blazer instead of a dress. Her hands flew to her heating face. Oh damn, that's hot. Like, holy sh..

She wasn't allowed to explore the mental picture too long as the door to the bathroom clicked, and she caught a glimmer of sparkling blue in the corner of her eye. In an instant she had spun around, jaw hanging open as she took in the almost icy looking outfit; crystal-like design twinkling even in the room's florescent light. The way she'd done her make up, just a bit more formal than her always put together presentation, made her look stunning.

"Woah Elsa.." she breathed, unable to take her eyes off the blonde in her entirety. In the waiting silence, too stupefied by the appearance, the blonde shifted a little under the wide-eyed gaze.

"Is it too different than my normal look? Bad?" Something following under her breath sounded like the word 'sweater' again.

Almost choking on her response, Anna's hands flew up in front of her. "N-no! Different, yeah. B-but an absolutely a good different. Like really good!" Amazing. Stunning. Unbelievably gorgeous. She had no clue if those residual thoughts floated past her consciousness and into the room or not; she didn't care. It was all true. The way the set of shining cobalt orbs turned to look at her made her stomach flip. And maybe the next quiet whisper with the most bashful of smiles was her heart's ultimate undoing.

"Well.. good." The woman turned back toward the mirror and Anna was just left to stare.

Forget her previous thoughts. Arriving to a party with a prince at her side would have been such a generic occurrence; unfitting for someone as grand as Elsa. She was so much better than that.

Anna would be arriving with a queen.

…

"Try to keep a low profile while we're here," Elsa had murmured when the two had first entered the main event hall.

Anna had just rolled her eyes. As if she was about to go streaking across the building or something. I'm excited, but give me some credit, Elsa. She let the words slide away quickly as she began to scan the area.

Almost like a miniature red carpet event, tons of photographers had stood near the entrance, ushering the arrivals, including athletes, coaches, and various other support staff for the Games, over to these wall posters for photos. The few news crews were ready with cameras and microphones, barely hiding the feathers indicative of the vultures they were; preying on any hot topics they could acquire on this first of many nights to come.

Swept up in the waves of directions, the two had also found themselves at the other end of some cameras, posed in front of the tall sign dotted with various company and product advertisements, sports drinks and automobile brands certainly making up the majority.

Being trained since birth in proper etiquette and professionalism, Elsa's pose was as cordial as ever, hands clasped in front of her as she faced forward, giving a small air of space between their bodies. While Anna, much more flustered under the pressure, momentarily flailed her arms, eventually letting them come to rest in front of her, mimicking the other woman. But where Elsa's smile had been near non-existent, Anna's was lopsided and a dictionary definition of overwhelmed awkwardness.

Anna had moved out of the cameras' sights as quickly as she could in her annoyingly lifted shoes, only to turn and see someone had stepped up to Elsa, itty-bitty microphone in hand, questions pouring from the reporter's lips reading off a ringed notepad.

"Elsa, I must say the talk in the rowing crowd is just all about how you found your way back here. Can you share a bit?" As expected, the blonde's face was utterly still, gaze cold and closed off, totally making a visible shiver pass down the reporter. Anna smiled at that reaction, proud of Elsa's wielded power.

"A recruiter asked that I try out in the Hopeful's event given the unforeseen circumstances. I accepted." When she gave nothing more, the man spoke up again.

"Was it to try and clear your name? A real 'come-back kid' moment?"

The older woman didn't let up her gaze, voice completely matter-of-fact. "I don't row for that purpose."

Anna felt the wind sucked out of her, knowing how often Elsa had actually indeed expressed that exact sentiment; the goal of one day clearing her family name.. had that just been a defensive mantra at the beginning? An aspiration that more logistically made sense given the situation, the fall out, that she just had to persevere to get back to where she'd been.. where she left off when everything fell apart.. Anna blinked away the past consideration. She knew that all along, despite the cold and matter of fact words from last autumn, Elsa's real goal had always been to just find a way to row for herself again, to love the passion of all which the sport entailed.

She watched the older rower carefully calculating every word before she spoke, so articulate, never to mince sobering especially when on record.

"The opportunity and honor to row for Norway's crew supersedes anything personal I could even have to gain."

Smiling, Anna wanted to take the delicate yet strong hand in her own, but refrained in doing so. And a split second later she saw another tiny mic suddenly being thrust into their vicinity.. this time, pointed directly at her.

"And Anna!" brightly chirped this loud, middle-aged woman. "You're the newcomer to the competitive rowing scene, following Elsa here from Arendelle, isn't that correct?" Anna, still shaking off the surprise barely let an affirmative hum escape before the questions continued. "Tell me, what's yours and Elsa's relationship really like?"

Huh..? Our.. our relationship?! A cold sweat broke out on the nape of her neck. Just.. Just play it cool, Anna. Like Elsa did.

"Um.. wh-what do you mean? We wer-are just your good ol' run of the mill teammates," she hurriedly said with a weak laugh, scratching behind her ear awkwardly, trying not to stare into the mic as if it were a camera. Did that sound like she was implicating herself? She really hoped not. No, it most definitely did. She absolutely sucked at playing cool.

It certainly didn't deter the reporter. "What about her past allegations didn't phase you?"

Anna blinked. "Wh-.. huh?" What kind of question was that?

For some reason, the young guy previously talking to Elsa had seemed to catch on the wave of interest in this interrogation line, hopping in himself. "Are you complicit with the misconduct she's guilty of?"

Squinting at the man, she made a face, jarred by the comment, feeling a flame lick at her protectiveness. "N-no..!"

"Do you choose to over look her past because you're actually more than 'run of the mill' teammates?"

Voice catching in her throat, turning back to the woman reporter's piercing eyes, Anna tried to say something.

"-Excuse me," Elsa interrupted in a cordial voice, valiantly stepping into the little cluster like some beautiful knight in shining armor. Her head was held high with that calm drawn expression, if not even the tiniest sneer being present in the corners of her eyes. "I do believe you are holding up the line with your.. fantastic questions." She nodded her head to the side, where indeed a plethora of guests stood in wait, some even checking their watches.

Near immediately the two interviewers backed off, the man definitely looking more fearful after getting a second dose of the blonde's coldness. The exact second they turned their backs, Elsa mirrored the move, quickly herding the duo away.

Once freed and let into the main social area, away from the barrage of questions that really felt more like the Spanish Inquisition than anything, Anna let out a tired groan, allowing the irritation the flow undertow. The woman beside her offered a half-lifted smile.

"Next time, don't reveal that much emotion. Their job is to throw you off kilter, making you answer without giving a second-thought about your words."

Teal eyes shot her a look, scoffing. "Easy for you to say. You got the easy questions!"

Elsa shook her head. "Not really. They were all trap questions. But my answers were all dead-ends, so they had nothing to go off of." Her eyes were soft as she glanced down at the slightly pouting athlete. "It'll get easier in time. Remember: low profile."

The woman's words from before returned and Anna seemed to entertain them more deeply this time around. Here she had thought it merely meant not to make a scene. Apparently, it didn't apply to only those circumstances. Things you say could be heard and spun out of proportion too if someone held enough interest to do so.

Gotta be more aware next time, she stated firmly to herself. Elsa was so good at it. And that meant she would need to be too.

"Not really something I want to deal with again, though," she laughed with a crassness in her tone. "Why was that stuff so draining? No matter how annoying, it wasn't even 10 minutes to get through."

From her side, dark eyes looking around the area with a casual peruse, not really seeming interested, Elsa hummed, her tone rising. "Are you saying you'd have rather stayed in the room, now?"

The younger rower turned her head, catching the smirking eyes sliding to catch a sideways stare. She scoffed, tilting her head, nose lifted. "Hah! Fat chance." She side stepped around a group of strangers, some pretending to dance to the lively music overhead while others loudly chatted and laughed.

The two found an area off to the side, not terribly populated, although with the amount of people still filing in and size of the Hall, everything was still pretty cramped. Anna looked to the blonde, curiosity in her question.

"Is there anyone you recognize?" She was given a nod.

"Quite a few," was the plain response, not accompanied by any indication of elaboration.

Anna had expected that, at least partially. She had kind of been hoping that Elsa would at least point out the ones who she was fond of. Maybe ones who she hadn't had any long-distance fallout with; if anyone else here had been on her side even. But the decisive silence all but shattered the hope.

Realizing that, as well as recalling the whispers peppering the opening athlete appreciation gathering, Anna felt her excitement deflating. She shouldn't have forced Elsa to come. The woman was obviously not enjoying it and had every right not to. Sighing, Anna toed the laminate flooring.

"Sorry I made you come. I know this really isn't your thing." She felt a shoulder nudge hers after she apologized, one of the first moments of contact shared between the two since arriving in the public space.

"I know coming means a lot to you. So, I will enjoy it with you." Blue eyes were looking down at her with an earnest and warm gaze, that rare but so genuine Elsa welcoming smile accompanying it.

Blushing, Anna giggled lightly. She nodded, feeling the warmth in her cheeks spread throughout her, feeling more comfortable. "Okay!"

She let herself begin to inspect the crowds again, knowing absolutely nothing about any other participating sports, but beginning to pick out a few familiar faces from the rowing magazines stacked at home. She pointed to a few and, ready like a tour guide, Elsa gave a name and some background blurbs of who they were and their various accomplishments. How handy!

A short while later, just as Anna was about to suggest checking out the small tables set up on the other side of the dance floor, something caught her eye, so subtle but oh so familiar.

Something bright, curly, and fiery. Her eyes went wide.

"Oh..oh my God, there's Merida..!" she squealed tightly, hands clenching together as her arms rose to her chest. Another giddy squee came from her mouth as she bounced on her feet. "And.. and the whole Great Eight! Oh my God!" Her voice raised in the glee making the woman beside her flush a little.

"Anna, please quiet down," Elsa whispered beside the freckled girl, voice conveying a hint of embarrassment, silently pleading. Her eyes practically read 'Calm yourself, I know people here.'

Anna only barely noticed.

Across the room, gathered in an obvious bunch, talking their heads off and laughing boisterously, was none other than Norway's 2-time Gold Medal winning Women's Eight, or the 'Great Eight' as they were so well known for as they dominated every National competition and World Championship each year. No other team or line-up had so much success in Norway Rowing history. They deserved all the accolades. And to top it off, the cherry on top, was that their all-star coxswain who helped them take gold four years ago (and undoubtedly would lead them to a 3rd straight Olympic victory this year too) was an AU crew Alumnae. How freaking cool!

Bright curly red locks were visible sticking out from the Amazon sized women standing in the circle. Even at the distance, she could practically hear the loud Scottish accent. Anna had just wanted to meet Merida most of all, but now, she even had a chance to meet the others..!

She recognized all of their faces, ones always lined up beside (and dwarfing) the famous red haired coxswain in so many photos, including those dotting her home bedroom walls.

The tall blonde stroke seat known for holding the most consistent race pace in any Eights race, Helga, stood with her hip cocked, wine flute in hand, seemingly restrained interest in participating within the small conversations held amongst the group. Her droll expression and pose were mirrored 100% by her 7 seat counterpart, Megara; Stern pair so in sync athletically and even down to their judgmental personalities. Of the remaining stern rowers, the boat's level-headed 5-seat, Nani, was visible, but Anna couldn't see her usual seat pair. Perhaps the quiet 6-seat, Anya ,had been dragged over to the more boisterous part of the group, who could be heard more than seen from Anna's current position, run by the 4 bow rowers..

Ugh, she wanted to see more! She wanted to talk to them, to hear their amazing stories and of their training adventures! She knew it was a lofty dream, but even breathing the same air which they were laughing would be awesome enough!

Her teal eyes slid to the side, noticing the group was standing beside the refreshment table. She grinned. I can get a drink and casually bump into them and badda-bing badda-boom, I'll be talking to them!

"It's the perfect chance, I'll go to the punch bowl and just happen to bump into them," Anna narrated her plans under her breath, calculating her plan before her eyes. Then, louder, "I'll be right back!" She took two steps before spinning back toward her confused Doubles partner. The blonde still stood with her arms crossed, eyebrow rising in question at Anna's sudden pause. "Wait. Want me to grab you some punch too?"

There was a surprised blink, possibly due to Anna absolutely ignoring her presence for the last few minutes, probably leaving the older girl even more uncomfortable than earlier, watching her gawk probably more overtly than she'd realized. But then Elsa quietly giggled knowingly at the younger girl. "That would be splendid, Anna. But, please, take your time." She seemed to have a second thought, lifting her brows in nervous sympathy. "And when you do bump into them, try-"

"'-to keep a low profile'," Anna spoke over her with a salute, in the exact manner which she knew embarrassed the blonde, more so in public than when she did it in private. Satisfied with tired roll of blue eyes, Anna then dashed away toward the group, too excited to wait any longer..

Elsa watched with an amused smile as Anna's deep aqua dress swished around her heels, flowy movement reflective of the girl's excitement. Even if this size of celebration was the last thing the older woman would choose to attend, wishing to keep a solid 6ft distance from everyone around her, she did have to admit that she couldn't get enough of Anna's exuberance. It surely was the most, if not only, interesting part of the night. She'd never be able to survive such a grand social gathering alone, no matter how short she was promised it'd be. She wasted little time to follow in the direction which the freckled teenager had ran off in, deciding it may be good to be present as backup for any disastrously flustering situation that could happen secondary to Anna's excitement when coming face to face with her idols.

"Elsa?"

The blonde halted mid-step at the way too recognizable voice; that alto voice which always held the most feminine politeness, sending a reverberation down her body.

She turned around carefully, eyes widening at the sight before her. The brilliant gold gown almost caught her eye before the person in it. Almost. The tall brunette stood with her head tilted to the side, a pleasant smile gracing rich lipstick colored lips. Those chocolate eyes were warm, filled with a distantly familiar affection.

Elsa's hands trembled at her side.

"Belle.."

…

Barely stifling the giddy squeal from her lips, Anna bumped and nudged her way through the many muscular bodies, who were all surprisingly as hard as tree trunks, eyes set on the tall cluster of women. Her heart was hammering, harder and harder, with each step forward, trying to make sure her sloshing fruit punch remained as steady as possible in her energetic and quaking hand.

Hurriedly she spun, hand reaching behind her. "Els-" She stopped, realizing that the woman was not with her, forgetting that she'd dove into this adventure by herself with the promise to return with a drink. Wow, she'd already forgotten the fact like 30 seconds in. Her focus was both everywhere yet nowhere right now. And she was all on her own.

Her nervousness suddenly climbed as she noticed how close she was to the group. She swallowed. Uhh.. Maybe I'll just grab Elsa her drink now.. and then come back.. just so I don't forget her drink! Definitely not because she was absolutely acting like a star-struck fan regarding potentially talking to her heroes or anything.

She had turned around, hurrying to fill another glass at the nearby punch bowl, and she took a moment to check where she'd last seen her Double's partner. A quick scan brought her straight to the platinum blonde hair a short number of meters away. Only.. she wasn't alone.

What the Hell..?

Blinking, attention grabbed from her task, Anna's spine stood straight, eyes acutely trained on the familiar brunette currently talking with Elsa; to see the interaction play out before her.

Belle had started stepping closer to Elsa, definitely invading her personal space, which Anna knew Else greatly prided. And what really set Anna off was that notable nervous expression, still visible on Elsa's side profile.

How dare Belle approach her partner in such a way! Somehow, though it was a mystery to herself, Anna restrained herself. Mentally, she had barged straight in to the confrontation, telling the tall rower to back the fuck off, grabbing Elsa's hand and swooping her into a dance where the blonde fell into step with her majestic waltzing skills without the threat of leaving, even if she didn't want to dance, and Anna's valiant moves would make her swoon.

Unfortunately, no matter her brain's wishes or vivid imagery, she knew she couldn't rush in and interrupt what was probably an important interaction of some sort; the aura radiating in the room feeling like the meeting of some powerful earthly spirits. Besides, the strong woman had demonstrated how good she was at shutting down conversations she wished to avoid. And even if Elsa actually was in need of any assistance, wouldn't she search Anna out in the crowd? Anna hoped that would be the case. Instead of looking around for help, Elsa had just stood her ground in the presence of the brunette legend.

That-a girl, Anna proudly thought, silently hoping Elsa would soon march away, or slap the brunette, maybe a punch even. Any of the above would be acceptable. Anna had witnessed the consequences resulting from an angry Elsa, even if not there in the moment, the after effects were obvious. For a rower, she could sure land a solid punch.

Some noise beside her began to stir, and she was completely unaware of it until she heard Elsa's name dropped some ways off. And then again. And like a domino effect of murmurs, she realized that she was not the only person who had laid eyes on the pair. Instantly, interest seemed to soar among the onlookers near her, even feeling rustling resulting in her shoulders getting bumped aside. She squeaked in surprise, pushed behind some taller people while these strangers all moved to get a vantage point. Seriously, what the Hell?

Frustrated, Anna turned around. Maybe a small break from observing the scene was a good idea, lest she just begin to worry excessively. Her eyes happened to look back to the group she had once been so excited to meet. When she did, all of the indiscernible chatter suddenly turned into small gasps and squeals. Anna's cerulean eyes looked up at the familiar Olympians when she heard the distinct Scottish-born coxswain raise her voice in the loud manner she was known for.

"Och me good heavens!" Her voice was sharp. "Dae me Scotty eyes deceive me?!"

Another rower beside her spoke up, her dark eyes confused. "It can't be.. They haven't so much as spoken since last year."

"Jasmine's right. After all of that, why's Belle even giving her the time of day?" voiced the tall blonde Stroke seat, face curling into a menacing scowl as she alluded to the controversy. "That disgrace shouldn't even be allowed here."

"I heard there was some inside cover-up things.." whispered the thin brunette woman at her side, mirroring the judging expression.

The tallest woman in the group leaned down to their level, voice less opinionated and more middle-ground than the rest. "What if the rumors had actually been true?"

"Oh whatever, guys," piped up the smallest bluenette rower standing closest to Merida, voice absolutely giddy and way too joyous. "They have always looked so pretty together! It's like they're a celebrity pair!"

Again, more and more words flowed in to Anna's ears, positive and negative regarding the duo, although neither comments actually brought any peace to her heart; the positive simply stinging in a whole other way. It was painfully distracting and growing harder and harder to ignore.

Finally, "I wonder if they'll get back together?" was the question that sent Anna over the edge.

When she took in the facial expressions of the numerous rowers around her, she noticed that all their eyes were fully focused behind her back, turned toward her, but looking completely past her.. all toward the view which she was desperately trying to avoid.

With a fixed glare and firm mindset, she turned around again, not particularly wanting to see the two rowers talking again. She still felt the anger boiling in her chest from the various anonymous speculations, and she clenched the dark aqua fabric of her dress, her knuckles squeezed nearly white. She forced her eyes toward the two, although narrowed, preparing herself to see the two still standing in uncomfortably close proximity talking.

But what she laid eyes on made her release her grip on her dress. The anger in her cheeks slowly washed away, and instead, she felt her stomach heave. She suddenly did wish she could still see them talking.

Out on the dance floor, she watched as Elsa was all but swept off of her feet, twirling around, being held close in Belle's arms. The two gorgeous woman danced in a waltz like fashion with the most enviable elegance and grace. Yet it looked so.. wrong; the powerful yet stoic rower, the leader of their Double, the strongest person Anna had ever known, always in control, being led effortlessly this way and that with an almost professional ease by someone else.

Together, the two performed exquisite movements, delicate swoops and gentle spins. Elsa's long braid swung like a gentle pendulum against her toned shoulders while Belle's stayed tucked up in a gorgeous up-do. Both gowns glistened under the bright ballroom lights. Belle's gold, satin dress shone as bright as the sun under the chandeliers, while Elsa's crystal lined dress shimmered and twinkled like the sea. Together, the nearly complimentary color palates worked near flawlessly.

All in all, the couple looked absolutely heaven sent, statuses among the general crowd basically establishing that 'celebrity' idea as a fact. Like one of those supermodel couples that the world adored and would probably impatiently wait on baited-breath to hear the birth of "Baby Bellsa"… they just looked that stupidly perfect.

It was nauseating on every possible level.

"Maybe Belle forgave her?"

The commentary just rolled on behind her, these other world renown rowers, and others, so interested in this stupid novel development. It grated her. Not just the situation, but how she'd sorely underestimated the reaches and notoriety the Ex-pairing had obtained. Anna had anticipated she'd be fielding negative comments on Elsa's behalf, righteously coming to Elsa's aid at any time her honor was at risk, but to encounter people who thought the two women had a relationship worth talking about: at best, how they shouldn't be together though only on Belle's behalf; at worst, fawning over them. This was a miserable awakening.

"No way. You'd either need to be crazy or a living saint to forgive someone from hurting you so bad!"

"Come on, Meg. Love makes people do some crazy things!"

Ugh.. Just stop. Stop. Stop it all!

She couldn't stand here any more, or she was going to break, in one way or another, and she had no clue what that would look like at all. Blocking out the gossiping words, Anna had to tear her eyes away from the image, finally feeling the reverberating pain in her chest become too much. She had to escape, anywhere other than here, lest her sanity soon fail her.

With no set plan, and absolutely no urge to socialize with anyone now, she figured she'd slink off toward the floral print wall. There, she could hide her embarrassment and hoped with the slight floral patterns running up her velvet sleeves, to blend in to the silhouette background as nothing more than a wallflower. At least that'd be a perk.

With a heavy heart, she looked to the two glasses held in her hands, apparently no longer needing to deliver it, and raised one to her lips.

At that moment, a passing body maneuvering through the party, very tall and large, most likely a rower from the men's team, accidentally bumped into her shoulder. Hard. Eyes widening at the directional force perpendicular her own movement, Anna stumbled back; a single step in her sneakers likely to have rectified her balance, but in these damned high-heels.. She felt the adrenaline reflexively pump through her veins the instant she felt a quiver from the thin stilt beneath her ankle, soon followed with a near inaudible 'pop' as her shoe's only support splintered out from under her.

Body completely flailing now, no ability to stop herself from falling backwards, she bumped in-between the all-star group's Stern Pair; throwing her hands forward, feeling the splash of liquid coating her fingers, heightened sense of awareness in trying to avoid any additional casualties getting dragged down with her impending doom. Next, along with more and more of the ceiling expanse, she saw her hands tipping back with the fruit punch sloshing toward her face-

Oh.. oh no! No no no no-!

Two hands from behind had landed squarely against her shoulder blades, shoving hard, the counter force enough to send her somewhat forward, momentum allowing for the young rower to stabilizing her foothold in the awkwardly lopsided shoes. Blinking rapidly, heart absolutely in her silently screaming throat, Anna sputtered, half of the red juice having remained in one cup.. the rest falling over her face and chest.

The two sets of surprised eyes, staring down from skyscrapers, fell on her and she lifted her head.

"Och, lassie! It be too early for you ta be drunk of yer arse already."

Ah.. huh?!

Th-th-th-that sounds like...

She felt the hand on her bicep from beside her and she rigidly craned her neck, then, meeting the vibrant blue eyes completely contrasting the fiery hair and freckled constellations; face so familiar from its places in magazine clip-outs covering her bedroom and dorm room walls. Merida had just caught her crashing body, literally… all while she looked like some drunken floozy!

Face exploding into a brilliant crimson under the gaze of her idol, she shook her head, hands raising in front of her. "I-I-I'm not.. I tripped!" She hurriedly looked up at the tall Stern rowers, bowing her head. "I'm sooo sorry for the trouble!"

She noticed the other bodies standing around her, merely by her bowing eyes seeing all the toes pointed in her direction. She was starting to sweat profusely. With a large inhale, she lifted her head, daring to look around, all of a sudden realizing she was the center of a tight-knit circle of 8 women, all staring down at her hunched and cowardly form; even if she were standing at full height, the shortest Bow seat rower in that boat still had 2 inches on her.

"Are you okay?" Anna lifted her head to see two kind dark eyes bending down to look at her. She felt faint. The tallest rower, Nani, had leaned down to her level, inspecting her. Anna had deja vu vibes of her old Captain giving off such a similar air of kindness.

Finding her whereabouts, Anna nodded quickly, giving a smile and perking up her shoulders. Doing so, she felt a wetness drip from her nose and she remembered that she'd not been super lucky managing her drink (as unfortunately predicted, honestly). But the instant she went to mumble something about it, she saw a hand already extending a napkin from her other side. Glancing up, she saw a lankiest rower, hair a deep dyed red, nothing like the two natural redheads, but her brilliant freckles were all natural: the boat's 4-seat, and well known powerhouse of the Bow-4, both physically and with confidence, Jessie.

"Here ya go, dry that right off, there," she said with a charming drawl. "Ya'll gonna need some good fixin' up after that."

Anna realized at that point that she did feel off balance, physically along with mentally, even just standing still. She began shifting her feet and.. oh yeah. That's what that 'pop' was. Her stylish stiletto had, in one troublesome instant, become a flat. Well, she was halfway to what she'd originally wanted at least..

She felt the hand from earlier pat her shoulder, and she looked at the redhead. "Come with us. Joy is excellent at fixing this kinda stuff." It was like a whirlwind with the coxswain gently guiding her elbow off toward the side of the crowded room, the mentioned blue haired rower hitched at her side with a hovering hand up, offering supportive energy and a big blinding smile.

Anna tried to look over her shoulder, to take a glance back at the party, to see if she could find Elsa once more, but the crowd was too big and their steps were too hurried. In her mind, she just hoped that Elsa would be alright.

...

In the luxuriously decorated bathroom, almost on par with the incredible architecture found at the Winters' Stavanger home, Anna hopped a seat up on the long row of sinks, hooking her thumb in the backs of her shoes; her bare feet dangling free while the blue haired bow seat rower went on inspecting the clothes. Merida came over with another paper towel, instructing Anna to clean up her skin from the red liquid, warning of the staining risks.

Anna chuckled as she turned her torso to look at herself in the mirror. "Is it weird to say this is not the first time my face and chest were covered in red liquid?" Two very concerned sets of eyes shot to her reflection in the mirror, but she quickly shook her head. "No, no. Just I had a terrible nose bleed once and it sorta reminded me of this.." There was something welcoming about hearing the laugh come from the Scottish athlete.

"Has anyone ever told you that you make quite the first impression, lass?" the eldest of the group asked in her heavy accent as she leaned up against the sink, arms crossed.

"Oh.. I've heard it once or twice.." Anna muttered while adding some water and soap to her wipe as she tried to get the ruby splashed stain from her pale skin, thanking the universe's higher powers for letting her choose to wear a black sweater top over her dress; the velvet fabric having beaded off most of the liquid's droplets.

"So what sport are you with? Or are you a guest?" happily chirped the blue haired rower who currently sat cross-legged on the floor, assessing the damage of the shoe and trying to figure out the best path of solution.

Anna looked down to the tinkering rower and then to the expectant look from the coxswain. She felt her face start to redden to the point that when she looked back, she couldn't even distinguish the fruit punch stains anymore. Of course they'd ask! And she was always proud to say it, elated to share, but so ungodly mortified right now. What would they think..? "Erm.. rowing, actually. Lightweight Doubles."

The two older woman looked up sharply, two sets of ice blue eyes going wide before looking at each other in equal shock. Anna could instantly tell they were psychically communicating something between their stares; the coxswain, heading the stern, and the petite bow seat, farthest from her physically, likely dependent on such a psychic bond. And then the two.. just began to laugh in a simultaneous stricken awe.

"Wow, Meri, amazing save!" The rower jumped to her feet, giving the curly haired woman a high five, to which the decorated coxswain accepted with a smug smirk, pretending to dust her shoulder. "That coulda been big," she added with the alumnae nodding.

Staring in confusion at the act, Anna lifted a brow. "Umm..?"

Joy turned to Anna, eyes sparkling. "You're that newcomer we've heard about. Elsa Winters' partner. Anna, correct?" Abruptly taken aback, Anna felt her heart stutter. The members of the Great Eight have.. actually heard of her. And by name. Oh God, oh God.. She ended up just nodding stiffly, she assumed at least, not really aware of what her body was doing after that realization, attention fully on the two women. "Your fall coulda been an instant headline going into tomorrow. We're all representing a big name now, but also, we represent our peers in our sport. Gotta look out for each other."

Sea green eyes blinked in surprise, previous embarrassment worsening, blood in her cheeks draining, leaving her with an ashen complexion. Definitely toeing that low-profile line. "S-sorry.." Her gaze fell, looking down to her hands. Not only an embarrassment to her sport, she was a burden to her rowing peers (Hah, "peers"? "Superiors" felt way more accurate!); this was not the first impression she wanted at all.

The smallest woman tossed a look to the subdued form beside her. Her hand patted the smaller redhead's lowered head. "S'all good, wee lass. Just tell that blonde bonnie hen she owes me one for watchin' out for you while she's too busy with that.. feartie."

Although not at all sure what the slang word choices meant, Anna managed to gauge a sense that maybe, just maybe, Merida wasn't a big fan of Belle either; surprisingly, serving to represent the only sane member of the gossiping group from earlier. Especially given how casual and light the first part of her sentence had sounded.

A thought struck her. That's right. "You know Elsa.." she ended up saying while watching the redhead. She recalled Elsa mentioning this before, back when the extent of Anna's idolism had been revealed by all her magazine clip-outs.

Not missing a beat, the small coxswain nodded with a side glance. "A wee bit. She's a quiet one.. Funny enough we both come from the same university." Her toothy smile was then bright under the bathroom lights.

Anna felt her smile lift in the corner. "Yeah, I'm at AU now, too."

Joy, at some point, had ripped the remaining heel off the shoe, handing the two makeshift flats over to Anna. "Seriously? That makes you, like, the 4th one here tonight. Serious kudos to your rowing program! That D3 program really needs to be upped a tier," she ended with an impressed whistle. Anna slid the shoes on, and hopped off the sink area.

"Yeah. It's pretty cool," she said while inspecting the fit of the shoes. It was much nicer to feel the stability underneath her heels now. "Thanks for your help."

The smiling Bow seat gave an 'OK' sign. "No prob! I'm gonna head back, but it was awesome meeting you, Anna. I can't wait to see your debut." She then winked, raising her hand to the side of her mouth, as if sharing a secret. "Plus, keep us posted on any romantic development with your partner and Belle!"

"Ah.. yeah.." she mumbled uncomfortably, blushing under the athlete's exuberant compliment and trying not to overtly focus on the reminder that she really was still a nobody here; cast in shadows of the three powerful monarchs born of Arendelle's waters. A forced reminder that one shadow in particular engulfed her completely, leaving only another soul to be highlighted at Elsa's side right now.

When the blunette left the duo, Merida shook her head.

"Oye. I can't go mouthin' off with any of 'em here.." Anna looked at her with a raised brow to which the older crew member clarified. "I'm sure you've heard at least some of the stuff that went on with yer partner, aye?" Anna swallowed, hopefully discreetly enough, but nodded, eyes falling aside. Merida kicked her ankles together with a dull click from her heels, leaning her hip against the sink. "Yeah well, majority of people here think Belle shouldn't go near her; that Elsa shouldn't even be here. It's a wee hostile. While then there's others, like a few of me boat-mate's, who think they're the darnedest thing."

Ugh.. Anna wanted to gag at that. For obvious reasons primarily, but also at herself for thinking that, had she been a removed onlooker like these other rowers, never having met Elsa, only ever hearing of their abilities through media and seen how unfairly attractive both women were, well, yeah.. She assumed she would have seen the appeal to put a couple like that on the highest of 'shipping' pedestals. Yeesh. She was utterly grateful that had not been the case, for countless reasons.

"Personally I dinnae like it," continued the coxswain, causing Anna to turn her attention over from where her gaze had fallen to get testing hands. "From what little I got ta know of Elsa and their relationship.. nah, she could never 'ave done such a thing." Her freckled hand came to her chin as she weighed her lips. "But maybe I'm biased. Belle's not exactly the same as the sweet pretense she gives off from what I've experienced. But that's just me opinion."

"So you know them both," Anna couldn't help but let slide. Of course the three AU National turned Olympic rowers all met each other at least once, likely multiple times. It would have been a crime to have not. They were a trifecta of awesome rowing power! Though she still felt a bit of sadness at that fact, dumbly misplaced, she understood, not like she knew any of them back then.

Seeming to pick up the down undertones in the newcomer's voice, Merida made a face, pursing her lips to the side. A second later she let her shoulders sag. "It wasn't under the best circumstances, so nothing ta be excited over." Aqua eyes blinked up, curiosity rising. Merida lifted her arms in a shrug. "When Belle was new ta the circuit, I ran her orientation group. Hard ta remember details, but stuff happened, and we.. well, we hooked up that night."

Anna felt her body stiffen, expression becoming shocked as she processed the information. It wasn't just the idea that her idol had succumb to that absolute nuisance of a woman either. It was that timeline. Belle arriving at Nationals.. She would have been dating Elsa. That meant.. Belle had..!

"Biggest mistake of me life, that was," continued the girl in clarification with an eye roll. Anna just stood trying to catch her racing thoughts up with the conversation. "I found out soon after about her relationship. And I ain't a home wrecker," she stated hotly with conviction.

"I.. I can't believe she'd do that to Elsa!" Anna bit out in a voice higher than normal, eyes darting to the floor, as if looking for something that would give her answers of any sort. The shorter redhead sighed.

"When I met Elsa, she was the shyest hen; unbelievably quiet. I couldn't believe she was actually the one she was dating." Merida gave a sympathetic look. "I immediately told her what happened."

Anna's head popped up, surprised.. although maybe she shouldn't have been. Merida was definitely a loud, straight to the point kind of person.

"And that didn't break them up?" she whispered with a disbelieving wonder. How could news like that, your girlfriend straight out cheating not be grounds for instant separation? The mere idea was one of the biggest, most devastating things she personally could ever imagine happening in a relationship! It would have spared so much heartache to have simply ended that relationship then and there.

"I thought that too, but that blonde lass already knew."

.. what? Anna didn't even realize she had inaudibly breathed the question until Merida nodded.

"Apparently it was fine. Normal for them. But, didn't get much out of her ever again." She gave that sympathetic expression again when Anna's own had turned to look nearly wounded. "I probably shouldn't 'ave shared all that, but.. as her partner, I think it's important you look out for each other."

Hah. Anna didn't know how to process any of that. Clueless of where to even begin. The fact her idol slept with Anna's self-proclaimed nemesis? How Belle blatantly cheated on her sweet, loving, and innocent girlfriend? How Elsa let Anna talk on and on about how awesome Merida was, all while having this blip in her relationship history? The fact Elsa knew about the hook-up event and it didn't bother her at all? That all of this time, where Elsa had been alluding to a totally regular toxic relationship, the two actually had a relationship like this? Her head was spinning. Dizzy, she turned to hold onto the sink behind her.

There was a shuffle. "Sorry if that made you uncomfortable-"

"Ah! No! I-I really appreciate the information," she quickly stammered, trying to convey how, despite the awfulness of the news, she truly appreciated it. "It's a lot to take in. But I'm.. I'm really glad I know it all now.."

It was the truth. Sucky truth. But truth all the same. She needed to know this stuff. She felt she should have known it sooner..! All this stuff about the enigmatic brunette who swayed the hearts of literally everyone she met with welcoming smiles and a fun personality. Apparently, there were parts about the relationship which Elsa never talked about. This stirred another wonder. Why had Elsa never openly mentioned this part?

Merida stood then. She gave a pat to Anna's shoulder. "Yer partner is a good one. And so are you. Make sure she sees that," she ended with a wink.

Anna didn't realize how much she needed to hear that. And from Merida of all people. She gripped the sink with her hands, hearing the redhead giving a passing comment about heading out again.

Jaw tight with emotion pulling at her muscles, Anna quickly forced out, "Ah-!Thanks! For your kindness tonight, your words.. that information.."

"Aye, it's no biggie. Glad to be a service," she called out.

She steadied her breath, turning her head, watching the girl retreat. "A-and also..!" Though the coxswain would never know the immensity of what her recently passing words held, Anna couldn't help but let her thoughts out in their entirety, at this point not even caring if she sounded like a dumb groupie. "..for inspiring me over the years." She heard the echoing of the other woman's low-rise heels stop, and she had a feeling the decorated Olympian was looking at her now. But Anna pressed on. "In high school, you gave me inspiration to pursue crew to its fullest, and even now.. Sorry if I sound like a fan, but I originally wanted to tell you that tonight." After a quiet second, she willed her cerulean eyes to look up, seeing the icy blues staring her down. "Really. Thank you."

There was a moment of silence between the pair, Anna feeling the gentle warmth spreading on her cheeks while the opposite woman began to proudly grin.

"I can tell you 'ave a kind heart, Anna," she said in sincerity. "I'm glad our fates aligned tonight. May we meet again."

Nodding, feeling herself beam openly at her hero, Anna felt her heart soar was the other famous competitor left the room. Of the two people she'd crashed into tonight, if important things were to come alight from her usual fated entrances, with everything Merida had shared, everything Anna's eyes had been opened to, perhaps this was a real collision of fate after all. She prayed that indeed such a meeting would come again.

…

Once she'd been all set with her outfit rehabilitation and the generous athletes had left the young sculler to escape to the call of the wild once again, she did her best to keep her mind focused on the party. Definitely not an easy task when she just had a bombshell dropped on her. But what could she do with the information tonight? Hell, what could she do with it at all? It wasn't like she could outright ask the blonde. It was like when she learned about Elsa's history from Flynn; a regrettable thing, knowing it should have come from the other rower herself.. but would Elsa have ever told her any of this?

Shaking her head, refusing to let her mind wander down that route, she fixed her eyes on the only thing that could possibly bring her any satisfactory distraction right now.

Anna soon found herself sneaking away a couple chocolate truffles from the refreshment table. She knew if Elsa saw her diet of choice right now, she would be chastised; that work-out PDF explicitly stating the no chocolate rule. But it was still their secretly shared comfort food, the sweet taste barely being enough to settle her nerves. There was nothing else she could do besides up and leave the party. That idea didn't sit well with her either; guilty of leaving Elsa behind, alone. The blonde had made it very clear that she was only there because of Anna's insistence in the first place.

Ugh. Why did I have to insist? Had we just stayed in and watched a movie like Elsa suggested, then the whole scenario could have been avoided and maybe.. maybe we could have had some type of cuddling time! And there never would have been any interaction between those two! Her imagination was definitely winning and making her joy-meter crash even further.

Although, the idea of leaving Elsa, not just alone, but alone with Belle sat the worst of all in her options. Anna grumpily chewed another truffle, swallowing it down hard, not even trying to guess the flavor. That's when she caught a glimpse of familiar platinum blonde hair peeking around another person.

Finally! she thought with relief. She hadn't seen Elsa for the past 30 minutes, ever since the brunette beauty swept her away and Anna had been removed from the party for outfit maintenance. Anna cringed momentarily at the memory's visual and began maneuvering her way through the throng of athletes, cameramen, guests, and coaches, trying to get to the blonde. Then she heard a lower feminine voice talking near her partner. She noticed the tuft of brown hair and heard Elsa's characteristic, albeit quiet, chime-like laugh. With a prick in spine, Anna realized that her partner was still talking to Belle. After all this time..?

Anna quickly turned her back when she approached Elsa, grateful for that nearby narrow pillar to tuck behind. The two almost stood back to back without Elsa the wiser of her new presence covertly hiding behind her. Anna pried her ear towards the conversation, peaking her head around the column. A little eavesdropping wouldn't hurt. Not like Belle would recognize her from what little of herself was exposed.

The brunette rower's attention was far too focused on her Doubles partner, which did not help the boiling under her freckled skin. Anna did her best not to physically lean into the conversation, but to train her ear just right above the noise of the room

She heard Belle speak first.

"..I really wish we had the chance again." She didn't hear any immediate affirmation from Elsa, so she assumed that the woman either shook her head or nodded.

"It could be nice," said Elsa slowly, voice not sounding as near as prying as Belle's, confirming that she had probably nodded during the pause. Was that a hint of disappointment in her voice, actually? Anna couldn't tell if her brain was playing tricks on her, manipulating fact into fiction.

Then Belle spoke again, a little smoke in her presentation. "Well, are you free tonight?"

Anna felt her breath hitch at the proposal. Free tonight to do what exactly? What were they talking about? She felt her stomach tighten even more as she waited on baited breath for Elsa's severely delayed response.

"That sounds.. fine," the blonde finally settled on after some deliberation, though her tone seemed a bit dulled, and it conveyed that ever practiced formality she used with most other people. Anna rarely heard it anymore, and it always surprised her when it did occur. It was a pleasant surprise to hear it now; some sort of defense still put up against the brunette. "Let's just meet after this is done. I'll just need to tell my roommate.." Her voice trailed off.

Anna looked toward her shoulder, unable to help herself from grabbing at least the tiniest of peeks at the blonde behind her. Roommate? Wow. And she thought that 'teammate' had been the worst thing they'd called each other. Yeah, she understood the reason behind the title. Keeping their relationship a secret was one thing, but damn, having to say it to her Ex.. Anna wished they could at least let Belle explicitly know. Maybe then she'd back the fuck off..

Belle immediately responded, teeth showing in a brilliant smile from where Anna could see. "I'm glad you said that. I'll text you, Snowflake." Instantly, Anna felt her cheeks redden and her anger's surge. There was a mixture of annoyance and disappointment with the pet-name Belle chose to use, as well as Elsa's aggravatingly polite response.

"See you then."

After a few seconds had passed, sufficient for Belle to have vacated the area and make it totally not look like she'd been at all listening in, Anna took the time to school herself back into a controlled state; inhaling and exhaling slowly, deeply. Finally, she turned on her heel, and as soon as she was looking at the taller woman, she nudged her arm with a forced laugh. "Hey!"

Elsa jumped a bit, hand landing on her heart at the startle before she let it fall onto Anna's forearm for a short second, relief washing over her as she looked upon the familiar freckled face. The petite rower tried to ignore the warmth she felt emitted from cool fingers tips; tingles ready to spur an army of goosebumps to bubble up her skin.

"Oh, goodness Anna," she said in a slightly admonishing tone, although her smile undid any true scolding. "Don't scare me like that." Quickly, she took a stride closer coming into Anna's personal space; a place she never minded having the elegant woman invade. "Where have you been?" she asked quietly, expression growing concerned as her tone sounded weary, eyes dancing up and down the freckled rower's face and body.

It caused her to blush a bit under the analysis, enjoying the attention. "Um.. I may have had an accident." Dark blue eyes snapped up from their inspection, wide and locked with Anna's own. Anna waved it off. "All good. And I got to meet Merida out of it!"

Elsa appeared to open her mouth, ready to inquire, but she stopped, looking at the girl's height next to her own; blue eyes falling to Anna's now flat feet. With a questioning raised brow, Anna just shrugged, glad no other signs of her clumsiness had remained visible.

There was a pause, taking a moment to process all that Anna was implying, before the blonde leaned back with a sigh, mostly concerned although there was a hint of amusement present as well. "You'll definitely have to explain this to me.."

The rest of the night went by slowly, the two Doubles partners seeming to have switched their initial opinions of the party. Elsa had been talked to by a sparse couple of people; the literal handful who had seemed to maintain a semi-fondness with the blonde, even some newer to the circuit who just wanted the chance to meet the household name, if nothing more but as polite acquaintances, providing a positive glimmer in words amid the dark swaths of shadowed whispers.

It did bring her relief seeing Elsa receive this kind of attention for the first time. But Anna's overall brightness had been dulled, as if too much eagerness would put a lapse in her attention again, and she couldn't lose focus. She tried to enjoy herself, really, staying glued at Elsa's side for the majority of the second half. 'Majority' meaning in its entirety. And although the National team's magnificent Poster Child never revealed herself to them again, it didn't lessen her wariness.

It wasn't until the music started to slow down and people started trickling out of the room that Anna realized that the final quarter of the hour had ticked near, meaning the ceremonial night would be nearing its end.

"Anna, you've been rather quiet for the last hour," mentioned the blonde as they went to grab one more drink at the long side table. Anna looked up from her vantage point of the slowly emptying hall, seeing the rower's curious eyes on her. "Are you feeling alright?"

After taking a second before nodding, Anna shuffled her hands awkwardly. She could just let this question slide. A simple 'I'm tired' may have sufficed to reassure the question. Following the older rower in step, she wondered if this prompt was the opportunity to bring up the events from earlier; that dance she'd witnessed, too annoyingly beautiful, and the conversation she'd overheard.. the way Elsa had sounded talking to the brunette. Ughhh. Anna would have willingly traded a red fruit punch stain on her dress and face over the awful stain in her memory.

Elsa had stopped at an empty spot near the table's edge when the petite woman stepped up behind her, gaze down, a cautious sigh opening the words weighing heavily on her mind. "I thought you said you wouldn't dance.."

The blonde stopped her task mid-motion and turned around, looking at her partner in confusion before a split second realization came over her features. She frowned, dark eyes darting to the side.

"Ah.. You saw us, huh," her quiet voice said distractedly before looking back at the freckled girl. Elsa reached her hand out, fingers briefly grazing down the girls black sleeve causing the small woman to look up. "I'm sorry. She pulled me into that when I wasn't expecting, and by the point my bearings caught up, I could tell people were already staring." Yeah, basically the whole room was watching and enjoying the gossip the little duet provided. But Elsa sounded far from enthused. She rolled her eyes, voice becoming a bit frustrated at the memory. "Too many people crowded us afterwards. Too many questions, no break. Honestly, it felt like I was almost being paraded around. Worst was that I couldn't see you anywhere.."

Anna's expression grew apologetic. Had she not tried to run away and ended up in a brilliant bodily blunder, had she stood her ground where she was, ready to actually be that exact knight in shining armor for the blonde, perhaps just merely being an excuse for a polite escape it sounded like, then neither woman would being feeling at such a loss right now. She was supposed to be brave. Everyone kept telling her that. Elsa had told her that. And she thought she had been doing a great job of it. But seeing the two dancing.. seeing Belle in that position.. for some reason, it was shaking her. It shouldn't.. but it was.

Sighing with shoulders drooping, the redhead breathed an apology.

But Elsa wasted no time in letting the young bow rower rest in her woe, shaking her head. "Do not apologize. It was.. for the better that we kept our distance at that time anyway."

Anna knew what Elsa was referring to, of course. It was the irking reason their sparse touches had been so achingly few and far between. Especially under the active eyes and interest everyone took in the elite rowers' dance that Elsa had described. Still. She hated it nonetheless.

Following the short bout of silence, Elsa stepped herself in front of the shorter girl, bringing the solemn teal gaze back up. "Hey," she said softly. "If I had to get dragged into any dances tonight.." She reached out, taking the tan-skinned hand in her own. There was only a millisecond of hesitance flashing over her face, before she steeled herself with a kind smile. "Let me at least have saved the best for last.."

Staring into cool blue, yet oh so warm eyes, feeling her heart lurch in her chest, Anna let a small 'really?' whisper past her surprised lips. The second she saw the nodding motion, she knew her smile, which had been way too subdued for this last hour, suddenly sprang to life. A mix of emotions spilled together, excitement and elation at the agreement to something she had hoped to happen paired with the possessive undertow that had reared its ugly face seeing some else stealing Elsa away for this very hope.

This was more than a dream come true. It was also a chance where she could show herself to be just has amazing as the brunette. To prove she herself could be just as cool. An opportunity she couldn't waste.

In a blink, practically grabbing the pale wrist in a whirlwind blitz, the two were suddenly in the center of the emptied dance area, dark blue eyes wide with surprise at the rush of the redhead's movements, staring into to aqua eyes full of determination. If Belle could woo her partner by dance alone, sweep her off her feet with a strong lead, Anna would damn well try too!

Anna had placed Elsa's hand immediately upon her shoulder, her own hand upon Elsa's trim waist. Perfect pose for a formal dance, leader and follower, totally opposite their normal boat roles, ready to set off in a synchronized step much like their matching strokes on the water.

Yet, it was also in that same moment of blazing courage, even with visuals in her mind and lively music playing above, with partial horror, that Anna realized she had absolutely no idea how to actually do a waltz. Sure, she could get by dancing in a nightclub with some self-proclaimed awesome moves, but anybody could basically dance there. However, she would be damned to let Belle show her up in this style; the dance so traditionally associated with formality, royalty, and romance.

Awkwardly, but no less determinedly, Anna started to lead, taking her first step forward, trying not to step on either Elsa's flowing gown or her feet. But damn, this excessive height difference of 6 inches made that quite difficult, and when she felt the tip of her foot brush over Elsa's toe, she dropped her gaze, frowning, muttering an apology. Now hyper-aware of her movements, she over-stepped to the side, breaking the already poor excuse for rhythm, feeling the opposite body stumble a little, pulled down while trying to right their stances.

A soft laugh breezed lightly over her face and it caused her to look up from where she was staring down at her toes. She saw into two bright blue eyes filled with mirth. And she heard that happy chime like giggle.

"You don't know how to waltz, do you?"

Anna felt her cheeks heat for the millionth time that night and she immediately took a step back, hands falling tightly to her side in embarrassing defeat.

This was a such a stupidly impulsive idea. Why hadn't she learned her lesson from when she suggested they go ice skating? Elsa was so good at everything and she was just a fumbling fool. She had just been so happy to get a dance with the woman, the chance to experience one of the most special sort of activities shared by actual couples; her pride wanting nothing more than to show up the brunette, to establish herself as the woman who's rightful spot was here with Elsa. She should have known the plan to accomplish this via something she had no clue how to do would fail. Jealousy really could get the better of somebody's rationality..

As she went to take another step to leave the dance floor, already cycling through thoughts of how it didn't matter if she didn't succeed (it wasn't like they were dancers anyway), she heard a step. Then she felt Elsa's hand land in hers with a tug, and another falling on her waist, instantly pulling her back into an embrace; space between them momentarily disappearing as they stood much closer.

"Let's try it this way."

Immediately, almost reflexively, Anna's hand flew to Elsa's shoulder for support and felt her other be lightly squeezed in Elsa's cool hand. Her wide eyes looked up into oceanic pools and accepted the realization that they had switched the roles; Elsa now in the familiar lead and Anna to follow in beat.

"Y-you know how to waltz..?!" she gasped in surprise, not really meaning to sound as flummoxed as she did. It was more from the abrupt shift in the situation than anything, although Elsa's formal upbringing could easily mean she was just as adept at this traditional piece of dance, perhaps even a debutant in her younger days; it shouldn't be surprising that the amazing woman could also perform this way. What was definitely more surprising was when she was met with a hearty, unbidden laugh as the blonde shook her head.

"Anna, you know I'm a God awful dancer." No, that wasn't it. Anna vividly remembered Elsa being quite a cute and downright sexy dance partner once before, if not a bit awkward to warm-up to a nightclub's environment, and there definitely being alcohol in her blood back then. This was different though. Seeming to interpret the doubt, Elsa shrugged. "Honestly. I've just read up on the mechanics.. I've never led, either." She let the tension in her arms lax, suddenly giving space between them again, almost appearing to gain a similar air of uncertainty that Anna had experienced a moment earlier.

The embarrassed dusting blush on pale cheeks was telling of the sincere admission, Elsa's normally proud stance, her ability to be practically perfect in every way, let down to level the two equally in a way that Anna hadn't felt since basically arriving at the Convention Center today. It had her swooning in adoration for that alone.

But she sure as Hell couldn't ignore the confession's content as being super adorable too. Because of course the studious woman knew the 'mechanics', as she had put it; the woman was excellent at concrete instructions. Seeing the inner nerd appear before her eyes, dressed to the nines and looking nothing less than drop dead gorgeous royalty, was probably the sweetest thing she'd witnessed all evening.

She smiled, feeling herself melt into the moment. "That's okay," she reassured, squaring her body and squeezing the hand in her own, showing she was ready to give it a try regardless. Her lips slid into a playful smirk. "Let's see if your Stroke Seat pacing skills help at all." Feeling the secure hold of her hand returned, Anna watched the much taller woman slightly roll her eyes at the pun, amusement evident.

A gentle melody came through the speakers, slower than the recent tunes, more than likely the last song of the night. It was a gentle tempo to move to, she noted, as Elsa stepped off. Anna instantly recognized the old pop song's delicate guitar strings, familiar from her Owl City obsession during her high school days. She gave a short hum to the tune without even thinking, feeling her cheeks warm when she caught Elsa looking at her with interest.

To her surprise, Elsa's eyes momentarily glanced up toward the speakers with a blink. Then, as the lyrics began to appear, she gently started mouthing the words along with the melody, a tiny smirk on her lips. The action, merely the fact Elsa recognized this obscure pop song, accompanied with words only caused Anna to blush a furiously deep rouge, perhaps darker than the shade of tomato red she'd become back in the hotel.

Take my hand, I'll teach you to dance
Spin you around, won't let you fall down

Anna's eyes were on her feet again, taking the time to cool her heated cheeks, carefully stepping around Elsa's steps at first before eventually giving up and trusting Elsa's lead, much as she did in their boat, confident, calloused hands holding and guiding.

Her eyes lifted to the opposite sapphire pools, seeming amused with motioning along with the following lyrics.

Would you let me lead, you can step on my feet
Just give it a try, It'll be alright

Even within those first few beats, it was instantly hard to believe that the blonde had never practiced this before. To the gentle sway the music still playing, Elsa carefully led them across the empty floor, every step placed appropriately, every light tug from her palms guiding just right. It was so smooth and graceful that Anna almost couldn't believe that she was actually dancing.. like, really dancing. A true waltz. The dance of lovers.

The room's hush hush, Now it's our moment
Take it in, feel it all and hold it

Without the flashes of cameras, or the hissing whispers, it was easy to relax into the soothing motions. She felt Elsa step to the side, extending her arm and slowly tugging Anna around in a guided twirl, both giggling with the notably stiff attempt of an intended fluid motion. Coming back together, both were smiling brightly as the gentle laughs encircled them, stepping off together in time again.

Eyes on you, Eyes on me
We're doing this right

Both cheeks flushed from the enjoyment in the moment, feet bouncing a bit with a pep, the silly lightness bubbling inside of the pair along with the guitar instrumentals, the world slowly drained away around them, eyes only on each other.

'Cause lovers dance when they're feeling in love
Spotlights shining, It's all about us
It's all about us..

The two danced without even hearing the music until, eventually, they took a look around to see the room had almost all emptied out, staff beginning to tidy up the outskirts. It was only then the two slowed their dance stop. They looked at each other for a long moment before the world around them came back. Both broke away, flushed cheeks a comfortable warmth. Elsa stepped back rubbing the back of her neck barely able to conceal her still smiling face. The sheepish behavior made Anna give a similar expression in return.

"With a bit of guidance, you are actually a very good dancer," she complimented, somehow not sounding nearly as stupefied as back when learning about Anna's cooking skills. Still a bit flustered by the course of the evening, Anna couldn't help but bashfully tuck a stray hair behind her ear, slightly cursing the nervous tick. She knew Elsa knew it too, seeing the little amused grin grow while looking at her.

"Ah, uh, thank you," she chuckled bashfully. "Right back atcha."

By the lack of garnered attention, both at the beginning of their little spin and now in the near empty hall, Anna wondered if their light take on the dance had come across as regular friends having a good time out on the floor; it was the perfect disguise, enjoying themselves without any prying eyes thinking the wiser.

Without alert, a yawn was drawn from her lips.

"I can't believe you are finally getting tuckered out," commented the older woman, already turning and indicating that they head to the door, ready to make their way back to the temporary hotel room. The glow had followed in their steps, like an aura of the previous emotions wrapped around them, although they walked normally side by side; the small birth of space noticeable to herself, but a safe measure for any public eyes. A little smirk was pulled over her red tinged lips. "So, was the party everything and more than you expected?"

Looking down a little, Anna simply nodded, while inside she was screaming how 'more than you expected' was the ultimate under statement of the century in countless regards.

Ending the event as the two had had been picture perfect; splendid. Meeting her idol and a dance with Elsa were all she'd been hoping for in the days leading up. But, the rest of the night.. She'd all but forgotten everything that she'd seen and heard up to that moment, completely lost in a world all their own; no thoughts except those surrounding one another in their perfectly imperfect dance. It was blissful, and already dearly missed now that the cold gusts of reality were billowing at her feet.

Each step they took, bringing them farther and farther away from their lovers embrace, brought back more and more bits of the evening; like a jig-saw box, haphazardly spilled across the table of her mind, one piece at a time, but so completely disorganized. The general silence that had settled between them only let the thoughts chatter louder.

But the one thing that still stood out, shouting loudest of everything, was that final conversation shared between the exes, among the crowd of anonymity and one known eavesdropper. Everything else she'd learned or even subjected her retinas to witness was essentially 'in the past'. This discussion, though.. this was something still yet to come. And it bothered her that she had no information on what it meant; what the two had meant. She stole a side glance to the other girl.

Even though their walk back took over a good 10 minutes, the blonde still made no mention of that little exchange. Elsa had flat out told Belle that she would have to talk to her 'roommate' (urk!) anyway before she could do.. whatever the Hell it was. That's why the lack of discussion now didn't make sense. Anna had told her about her run-in with the National rower the very second they had been freed from the orientation seminar. So why wouldn't Elsa bring this meeting up, already? Give an explanation of any sort? It's not like there was anything to hide..

Peaking another subtle glance at her partner, she sort of distantly wondered if, had she not directly confronted Elsa about the dance with Belle, seeing the dismayed surprise in her eyes, would she have not mentioned that either..?

Her breath felt heavy at the thought, heart stuttering.

What was this sensation in her chest..? Jealousy? Sorta, just.. different. She knew jealousy and its tactics. Quite well, sadly. She'd seen the green-eyed monster rear its head talking with Belle and fielding her totally unwarranted questions earlier. Looking at Belle, hearing about the woman, seeing pictures of any sort, all fostered various feelings of it inside of her. And this now, tucking her gaze down to the tiled floor in front of her, as they engaged in the most mundane sparse discourse actually conducted by Elsa for once, almost feeling the tiniest bit of stretching to arms length (another unfortunate thing she'd learned to identify during the cold months of winter and spring), she knew what was causing a gradually growing ache in her soul. And it wasn't that of jealousy. It was not at all the same..

They'd reached the room just before she could discern the emotion's name, the duo soon going about their evening routines; a brief respite to distract herself. Although, Elsa choosing to disrobe in the bathroom could have been a waste of a wonderful distraction in of itself, but Anna didn't know how she would handle her heart pounding that hard at a time like this when its beat had already been stumbling in the hallway. Unremarkable routine was safest right now.

Elsa, although normal in behavior to the naked eye, and quite possibly even the sleep ridden disoriented gaze of a freshly awakened Anna, had gone about gathering items with an unusual look in her eyes. Every now and then, seeming almost at odds with her thoughts, unsure of something. Recognizing that expression from multiple times earlier tonight, Anna was willing to bet her Olympic boat seat on what, or rather who, had brought it to the woman's face now, too.

It was barely 5 minutes later when Anna had thrown herself onto the hard mattress and the older woman came out of the bathroom, completely changed into shorts and a loose t-shirt, dress folded over her forearm.

"Hey, um. I'm feeling a bit pent up from everything this evening."

Anna's attention was on the quiet woman instantly, watching her almost blank stare. She sat herself up a bit from where she had tossed herself among the scantly pillowed headboard. Offering a smile, she lifted her brows in concern. "Wanna talk about it?"

Shaking her head once, she sighed, running a hand through her bangs, fluffing them free from the previously released styling. Her attention was in the closet, where she went about zipping the shimmering sequined dress in the clear transport bag, hanging it properly in the closet for the night. "I think I'm going to go clear my mind; run it off.."

From her spot, Anna blinked, gaze falling away from the terribly obvious lack of eye contact. She felt her heart start to thud a little harder.

Wait. Elsa was seriously making an excuse to her, just like she had told Belle she would? Anna wasn't sure why, but she had be hedging, holding out the winning bet, that Elsa would tell her about the situation when it all came down to the wire. There was no reason to keep secrets from each other. This was hard fact between them. The had friggin' agreed! Open doors!

Trying to give an opening, a chance to remind the blonde about this very important open door policy, she cleared her throat, noticing how it felt a little dry, a genuine worry in her careful question. "This late? By yourself..?"

Elsa was sliding her white sneakers on beside the door. "I'll be fine, do not worry."

Anna felt her heart constrict, again, tighter. I can't believe it. She couldn't lift her gaze as she came to terms with the situation. She's really lying to me right now..

The blonde lifted her wrist, checking the time on her watch. "I'll try not to be out for long." She bent to begin lacing her sneakers. "You should get to sleep soon."

I should be saying the same to you, Anna thought with an internal grumble, knowing her dejected feelings were going to be souring her mood for the rest of the night. "Yeah, 'kay," she said shortly instead, spreading a forced grin across her cheeks, hoping she sounded as neutral as she had intended, and not letting the bitter snap she wanted to add sound any alarm. "I'm just gonna play my Pokemon Black, here til I fall asleep. Maybe reset my game even; pick a grass-starter for once.." Eyes still lowered, just rambling to herself, she slipped what looked like a metallic blue rectangle out of her bag; touch stick sliding out with it.

Elsa finished tightening her shoe laces before shrugging her lips, looking at the handheld device.

"I didn't know you played The GameBoys."

Flipping open the dual screen, Anna incredulously grimaced with a poorly stifled snort, unable to stop from casting her eyes across the blonde's innocent inspecting look. Oh my God, what did she call it? This is like the 'Chat Snap' ordeal again. How to even begin responding to that sentence, she'd never know. Not like she really had much energy to right now.

Instead, she subconsciously let the slight scowl loosen into a tiny smile at yet another display of the refined woman's lack of pop-culture knowledge. "Sure do," she settled on saying simply, switching it on, enjoying the nostalgic comfort of a familiar high-pitched trill emitting from its speakers; comfort she really needed at the moment.

"Noted," said the blonde, an interested smirk still on her lips.

Knowing the older woman was all set and preparing to leave, having watched her slide her i-phone & room card into the shorts' zip pocket, Anna let herself pretend to be hyper interested in watching the Nintendo DS screen's intro scene; wow, such logo. Much cool.

Like a delicate breeze, she felt motion waft up to her side, and a light touch come under her chin. Turning, looking up, she was immediately met with lips falling over hers; brief and sweet, so simple yet still managing to take her breath away. She watched the blue eyes open in front of her, a smile on those lovely rose red lips, although there was something swimming in those deep oceans that she couldn't quite distinguish.

"See you in a bit."

Nodding to the plain statement, Anna watched the rower, looking so much more familiar now in her work out clothing, but no less beautiful than in her elegant gown, leave the room.

As the echo of the closed door dissipated into silence, Anna did her best to ignore the nervous energy coursing through her, only increasing once she was left alone.

She looked to her watch, noting the time before she settled against the headboard. The next time she'd glanced at her watch, a measly 15 minutes had passed in near silence. Soon, it began happening in 10 minute intervals. The same glance. The same time check. Then, it became 5 minutes. And pretty soon, following the heavy fold of an hour into the next, she was checking every two minutes.

Where the Hell was that girl?

Every passing second that she was alone, her sighs became that much heavier. Every passing second that the always responsible woman was out so unbelievably late the night before their flight, she worried her lip more and more. Every passing second that she knew Elsa was secretly meeting up with her Ex made her punch the buttons on her game console that much harder.

She just had to keep her mind busy, fighting off the call of sleep which probably would only result in her laying awake in a pool of anxiety anyway; probably drowning in it. She couldn't even indulge in recalling their shared dance to the most cliché and adorable possible song ever, the emotions so blissful then, so lovely, so absolutely stored in the most romantical part of her heart, because it only caused a physical pain right now.

Instead, her nose pressed into the boxy handheld device as she drew the touch stick around the pad, blue light plastered over her face in the dark of the room, trying to focus on exploring the old game she'd beaten countless times. Maybe it would have been best to start a new game after all..

Finally there was a click as the door unlocked.

Eyes immediately falling to her watch, Anna realized it had been nearly two hours, just 5 minutes to midnight. Elsa's jogs rarely went that long, and never so late at night. Well, at least since they had been dating, Elsa always making it a point that the pair were in bed at a sane hour.

Could it have just been an honest whim, the need to simply run out whatever stressors were bothering her this evening, true to her word, using what she used to do to calm her restlessness in the past? Anna wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe it so so badly, even if all the indicators pointed to the contrary.

Anna watched as the blonde came in, backlit from the hallway's bright light, dark ocean eyes staring at the floor; almost through it, rather, distant and in a daze. Anna's movement, sitting up, seemed to surprise her and she shot a glance toward the bed. Elsa paused, staring at the freckled rower. "You're still up?" she asked in quiet surprise, blue eyes widening; that haziness disappearing.

"Yeah," Anna began, voice a bit rough from the (damn two) hours of silence. Flipping on the small light next the bed, her shoulders shrugged awkwardly. No matter the amount of tension she'd been stewing under, all the thoughts revolving way to much on the unnamed presence she was sure Elsa was meeting with, it didn't disarm the fact that she really had been concerned about the late night. "I wanted to make sure you got back safe," she mumbled quietly, knowing that she must have had the slightest blush creeping over her cheeks.

Elsa gave the redhead a softened look before hurriedly closing the door, coming over to where she sat on the bed, and wrapping her arms around the girl's seated form, pulling her into a tight embrace.

With a startle at the unexpectedly quick motions, Anna blinked, delayed in bringing her own arms to the blonde. Hesitantly, her hands fell onto the trim waist, accentuated by the woman's turned torso. "Umm..?" she voiced after a long stretch of seconds, feeling the hot breath puffed in her collar, followed by the light shake of the woman's head, her normally cool skin much warmer against her own for once.

"It's nothing," she felt, more than heard, murmured into her skin, quite obviously dismissing any questions Anna could potentially have at the moment; the behavior strange and rather reminiscent of the time visiting with her family. The comparison made her stomach roll.

Okay.. Auburn brows furrowed, not happy with the continuing lack of voluntary responses. "Did.. something happen on your run?" she tried to prompt, prodding the woman for any information, hopeful that Elsa would disclose something willingly; a second chance to open the door of communication.. Anna really didn't want to be forced to explicitly ask. But dammit, she would.

There was the briefest of hesitation, which Anna hoped to attribute to the woman's spent energy, before a shake of the blonde's head was felt within the crook of her neck, lips pressed against her skin along with a gentle sigh, almost like a chuckle. "Just.. happy to see you."

There was a skip in her pulse at the line; heart pulling to swoon at the impromptu choice of words, yet also yanking away at the oddness of their placement. It was wanted but weird all the same. And they remained in this weirdness for a tense minute. Maybe longer. Maybe less. She wasn't sure at all.

But Elsa did pull back, eyes coming to linger on Anna's face; aquamarine meeting those azure orbs. They shimmered in a delicate way, and Anna could almost see herself reflected back. But why weren't those familiar orbs reflecting a true smile. Why was there a look of sadness? Or was it timidness? Stricken to some degree in a way. Why, though? Whatever it was, it was unsuited for someone like her queen to bear.

"Sorry, I really need to shower," she said with a sigh of fatigue after the long pause, eyes sliding shut as she began to stand; that damn placating smile still not reaching her eyes. Was it just from the sheer length of the day? Tired from a ridiculously long jog? Or-

Before any more words could fall from her mouth, let alone forming coherent thoughts in her off-kilter mind, the movement drew her aqua eyes down the woman's pale exposed neck and.. she stopped.

What is..?

Her brows furrowed, eyeing the blotch on Elsa's pale neck; a dark rouge, as if a stain. Painted but smudged; trickles of dried sweat having marred its still distinctive contour.. distinctive like a..

No..

Anna let out a strained breath as she realized what that shape was. Her teal eyes shot up to the blonde's side profile. Blue eyes were shut and cheeks flushed. Anna worried her lip as she dared her voice to speak, dared it to ask the retreating woman, dared to say anything at all, but not a single sound crept near her vocal cords.

The older woman had taken a step away, long braid immediately obscuring the side of her pale skinned neck as she turned. So perfectly, it was as if everything she'd just seen could have been a mirage; an image conjured by her emotionally fatigued mind.

Elsa said something then, distracted, probably about the shower or whatever again, before she disappeared into the adjoined bathroom. This just left the redhead to sit back on her knees, a heavy feeling welling in her gut as her thoughts started to race of every implication that could have caused that crimson blemish; of what caused this current, impromptu overtly affectionate behavior where the usually reserved woman all but threw herself at Anna now, but still kept a distance..?

Curling herself up, turning over in bed, she pulled the blanket over head, tightly clutching it within her fingers as her other hand drew in toward her chest, trying her hardest to stop the waves churning in her gut; to overcome the dizzying spins beginning to turn. Trying to push the potential wandering ideas aside.

She hated this. Hated feeling this unease, this physical nausea. All she had to do was voice the question, to confront Elsa right now. That would dispel all of these unknowns, quell her meandering thoughts by giving a straight answer!

But she couldn't bring herself to. Not when the weighted answer, the one she desperately needed to hear, could not be guaranteed. Not when there was a very real chance, minuscule or not, that the answer would be one she had no power to withstand; the one she'd considered an embarrassingly large amount of times in the past, before they were even close to being a 'them'.

Hell, Anna should have known better from the start. She really should have. And she should have known best as time only went on! Yet all the same, she'd fallen too comfortably and confidently into those awaiting arms of the champion, swept up in words of promise and love while in the wake of a disastrous fallout from a relationship she now realized she didn't fully understand.. all in complete physical absence of the woman's Ex.

How did she not foresee, in those initial moments following falling on her ass tonight, that she'd be teetering on borrowed time before the two elite rowers would meet again? Two exceptional athletes who shared a place in this prestigious world for so long, shared such a history of each other where Anna could only gain insight to bits and pieces, taken as word but never to amply comprehend. She had this thought before, back with the fear of Elsa originally going off, somehow clearing her name, and rejoining the National team, leaving Anna behind; an outsider looking in to a world she never deserved to be in, standing beside a woman she could never deserve.

Really. Why would Elsa even bother with some young, awkward, sorta frumpy girl 3 years her junior when she had such history with the all-star, Nationally recognized beauty? She wouldn't. The brunette was powerful, strong, tall, and not to mention jaw-droppingly stunning. Everything that Anna was not. How could Anna ever gotten the point where she was delusional enough to think of holding a candle to that?

Have I been dumb to even think that we would be..? Her heart was suddenly seized. Her eyes stung a little as the niggling worry was given a welcoming place in the forefront of her mind.

Anna had purposefully pushed aside all possible thoughts of Elsa maintaining any feelings for her past girlfriend; all of their conversations had proved time and time again that Elsa held nothing good to say. Nothing left to say. Although.. in the wake of a break-up, even if relatively benign, everyone villainizes their exes for an acute period, don't they? And it's another thing to be so far removed, a break-up ending over the phone, lacking some type of closure..

Could this be the real reason Elsa was so hesitant to be with her all along? The reason she continued to keep that arms length for so long? Was it because, in the back of her mind, despite the obvious acknowledgment of the relationship problems, buried in the depths of her heart, Elsa still maintained some feelings of amity for the brunette?

Was Anna, yet again, just.. a spare?

Frowning, feeling that ache intensify inside her, rattling her senses, Anna acknowledged that this was why she was feeling so strange. It was hilarious how Elsa could have ever thought she was brave when she was the farthest from. The name of the emotion.

Right now, she was so scared, terrified, upset by something her brain understood in basic logic yet her emotions latched onto the buried doubts spurring a pain that had no right to be here..!

But.. did it, though? Was she sure she should trust her logic, or had she been piecing together false bits of hope to form a reassuring narrative? Had Elsa looked the way she did tonight this whole entire time that they'd been together, and Anna had only now just come to the realization that, with blissfully ignorant rose-tinted goggles, she'd imagined their honest mutual feelings..? The dance tonight, had she willfully distorted the idea of love from nothing but pity?

There it was again. The swell of doubts. The pang of hollow pain reverberating inside her. Every minute that passed just rang that same solemn gong of hurt again and again, the echoing calls more and more lonely; mournful of all that could risk being lost, or what might have never even been to begin with.

Twenty minutes later, when she felt the bed depress next to her, the subtle movement, and the familiar arm falling around her midsection, a position they'd found themselves in most nights lately, she felt the tears prick at her tightly squeezed eyes as she grimaced, feeling sick; for the first time in ever, she could not want to be farther away from the one woman who had stolen her heart.

But while her soul felt caught in the tumultuous silent storm, worse than the frigid one she'd barely lived through, suffocating amid the heavy swells, cries silenced by harrowing gails, she didn't realize that she was not alone that night, drowning among these crashing waves of uncertainty..

- End Chapter 38 -

A.N. Wellllllll sorry I am leaving this on a rather heavy note.. it was definitely not what I had intended. Originally I was gonna throw an Elsa POV at the end here because (ugh) I really really didn't want to end it so dramatically :(

But, since it itself was 5k words long and this chapter just got too long, I ended up moving it into the next chapter which is another Elsa POV chap anyways since it's been like 10 chaps since we last got to have her insight. Also, from a literary perspective, every POV switch is generally associated with a growth of closeness/understanding/communication to come between the girls. So. There's that. And looks like they are in definite need of that after all of this… :)

Song credit: All About Us- He is We ft. Owl City

Also. Queen Elsa: Socially distancing before it was cool. Until next time, thanks for reading!