"Elsa and Olaf are already asleep."
"A hard day, huh?"

Olaf's little adventure, which had kept us all busy late into the night, had ended well, thankfully, but that didn't make it any less exhausting. The shock and uncertainty on our part, Olaf's disappointment, Elsa's guilt, the rush, the surprises, the feeling of loneliness, everyone's teamwork…

"Are you kidding me? These are being the best Christmas of my life!"
"Really? Are you okay?"
"Of course I am! Why shouldn't I be?"
"Well, I thought you might have relived the feeling of abandonment when you realized that you had no memories of a family Christmas."
"Opening old wounds?"
"No! It wasn't my intention! I was… worried about you… Whatever, I'm sorry."

Anna led me to the sofa with a smile and we both sat by the warmth of the fireplace.

"I'm great, thank you. It is true that at the beginning it's been a bit hard, but, above all, for not knowing how to make Elsa don't feel guilty… But today I've discovered more about us and we've made Olaf happy; plus we've been celebrating together, and it's been fun and warm. If we don't take into account the huge amount of ice and snow, of course."
"I'm glad to hear that," I said with a short laugh.
"Also, I'm looking forward to exchanging Christmas presents!"
"You'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"But, you will give me a hint, won't you?"
"No way. You would guess instantly."
"You are so mean…" she said pouting.
"And you are so clever."

I gave her a chaste kiss on the lips and we both settled down on each other. The silence that accompanied the moment was welcoming and familiar, and it made me feel that, even surrounded by luxury and smells recently discovered by me, that place was my home. Wherever Anna was, it was home.

"And how are you? She asked me, pulling me out of my thoughts."
"Me?"
"Yeah. In the end, I haven't had time to taste your… stew."
"And you feel absolutely sorrowful for that," I replied laughing. "I'm not going to deny that the idea makes me a bit shivery, but I'm also curious. People ate it at ease. Are you upset?"
"I'm fine. It's not so bad, you know... I'll do another one next year."
"Yippee…" she answered with ironic enthusiasm.
"If there's something that is bothering me it's not having been there to support you when you need me most."
"You couldn't know it. Also, I am a quick fix woman. Instead of letting myself sink, I have put myself to looking for a solution."
"And you've found it."
"Yeah… you can admire me."
"I do."

Anna leaned up slightly to give me a deep, captivating look.

"Ehrm… and your sleigh…"

"Oh, yeah, that thing… Why does each one of them end up on fire?"
"I am so sorry. You liked it so much… But we'll replace it, you know it."
"Anna, with what I'm gaining right now, I can pay it myself. You're not responsible for what happened. Also, if I liked it so much it was, above all, because you gave it to me."
"Really?"
"Although I must admit it was really impressive."
"Then, don't you feel frustrated?"
"No, don't worry. I mean, I'm not exactly excited about it, but I'm fine."
"And sad?"
"Why?"
"This may sound arrogant but, it was the first gift I've given you and, well, I thought you would be more fond of it and that it'd have made you more... unhappy, I don't know."
"Anna…"
"Not that I want you to be sad or anything! Just… if I'd lost or, you know, got burst into flames your hat, I'd be terribly sad."
"My hat?"
"Yes. The one you put me on when we were coming down the mountain while I was freezing and stuff."
"You still keep it?"
"Of course I do! What do you take me for?"
"To be honest, I didn't think it was important to you."
"You must be joking. That hat is the first thing you've given me and, in addition, it reminds me of how loved and cared I felt at that time."

I blushed right in front of her eyes remembering everything I felt that day, how obvious I was, and everything I had felt since then. It had been barely half a year since that, but that trip had given my life a 180º turn.

"Come with me," I said jumping up and dragging her with me through the castle.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To the stables. There's something I want ya to see."

Anna followed me silently to where Sven was sleeping soundly and watched with curious eyes as I rummaged through my things.

"Do you know what was the first thing I bought after Elsa's winter?"
"Carrots?" she said quite sure of her answer.
"A pick and a rope."
"So shattered turned out Oaken's trading post's ones?"
"No, Oaken's are here."

I showed her the bag I had just recovered from my things. Exactly the same bag that she threw at my gut the day we met.

"I couldn't use them. I didn't want to risk spoiling the first thing my feisty pants had given to me."
"Oh…" Her tone became clear that she felt flattered. "And how would you feel if they got lost or something like that? What would you do?"
"I'd move heaven and earth to find it."
"You wouldn't."
"Yeah, I wouldn't. But just because what is really important is here in front of me. But I would deeply hate losing it: it's a very special keepsake."

I could see how Anna suppressed a smile, biting her lip carelessly while her eyes shone even in the gloom of the stable.

"You know what?" she said then. "I think next year I'll lick that gross troll's forehead."
"You will? You don't have to. If it's for me, don't do it, it doesn't bother me. Rather, thinking about it now, I'm surprised that you still want to kiss me."
"I do it for myself: I want to make my wish."
"What wish is it?"
"You'll know when the time comes."
"You're so mean…"

She gently caressed my cheek and my hair and lost her lips to mine invading my senses with her touch and her scent. After that, gently sliding her hands down my chest, she fixed her eyes on mine making me almost lose my mind.

"Merry Christmas, Kristoff."
"Merry Christmas, Anna."