As it turns out, Elsa does dance. Just… kind of stiffly, with very constrained movements, and big eyes knit together in concentration. She's not a butt-shaker, or an arm waver, like Anna, but she seems to be slowly loosening like a stiff machine back in commission. The important thing is she's smiling, and it's beautiful.

'Relax,' Anna says, taking Elsa's lovely soft hands in her own, and swaying them by their sides, 'No one's judging.'

'Sorry.' Elsa says. 'I'm used to a more formal style of dance.'

'Oh, really?' Now Anna is imagining Elsa in a leotard, sheer fabric stretched over her lean form, a mental image she definitely doesn't mind at all. 'Like ballet or something? Can you show me?'

'Not quite. Um…' Elsa frowns and looks down at her feet, considering the question, 'Okay, so, you take your left hand, and place it here,' She takes Anna's left hand - and boy does Anna appreciate having hands right now - and guides it to her own shoulder. Her own right hand comes down under Anna's armpit, and rests on her shoulder blade, sending a shiver through her as it brushes past her ribs.

'Then you take my left hand…' Elsa holds her hand up, and Anna takes it, with a whimper caught in her throat. The space between their bodies is so small now, filled with electric tension and breasts pressing against each other. Even though she's just been basically bathed, and has enjoyed more than one very snug ride inside Elsa's jumper, this is a different kind of intimacy. It feels fragile, somehow, like a leaf floating on the wind.

There's lots of bumping and stepping on each other's bare feet, because Anna has never waltzed before, has no idea what a box step is, and it feels super unnatural to step backwards. Also because the kitchen isn't exactly huge. The dance definitely doesn't go with the upbeat acoustic pop emanating from the laptop, either, but Anna doesn't want it to stop.

'I feel so fancy, like I'm at some kind of fancy ball in the 1800s. I've always loved that era. I just think there's something so romantic about it.'

'Oh yes.' Elsa chuckles, 'Nothing gets me swooning like being forced to marry a man I hate to secure my family's social position and then dying of dysentery because an ox died in the water supply.'

'Okay, oddly specific, but fair.' Anna rolls her eyes, 'I just like the clothes and the houses and stuff.'

'Yes. It was…' Elsa bites her lip and looks down, lowering her voice, 'very pretty.'

When the music slows, a warmth swells in Anna's chest. A strange mix of gratitude, admiration and something else that feels vaguely like protectiveness? 'Can I… hug you?' She asks.

Her answer comes in the form of two arms wrapped around her and Elsa's soft hair against her cheek. It's so warm and sweet, and she can't help but let out a wistful sigh. 'I've really missed this, you know? When you're… small and fluffy, everybody wants to pick you up and cuddle you, but you can't really hug them back. It sucks!'

Elsa doesn't respond, just holds her securely, with her head heavy on Anna's shoulder. When she does break from the embrace, it's to wipe tears from her eyes.

'Oh, I'm sorry!' Anna's heart thuds in her chest and she springs backwards, bumping into the table. This wasn't meant to happen! 'I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I can be… a bit full on. Not everyone's a hugger - that's okay.'

'No, no.' Elsa smoothes down her hoodie and wipes her eyes again, pulling her face into a hard smile. 'It's not you. It's just… It's been a while. For me. As well.'

Well that's… kind of heartbreaking. Anna's curiosity bubbles, urging her to probe more. Why has it been a while? Why is Elsa out here all alone? Where are her friends? Her family? Did something happen? But Anna recognises fragility when she sees it, so she turns the attention back to herself instead. 'I had a dream this morning that you came to see me, and asked if I was okay.'

'Yes.' Elsa has composed herself already, standing tall, sprinkling herbs into the chocolatey concoction in her cauldron, carefully, with a sweet smile as though she wasn't crying two minutes ago from a lack of hugs. 'I wasn't expecting you so soon, though.'

'Wait, so that was real?'

'Of course.'

Anna seats herself at the table, wondering why the crystal ball is covered in a black cloth today, wanting to touch it but restraining herself. Wondering if Elsa has been watching her crawl through filthy roofs, collecting rat skulls, eating cat treats, getting pushed off her sleeping spots… How humiliating! 'So uh… what did you mean by, am I okay?'

Elsa's face is sceptical, with a raised eyebrow, heavy lids and half a smile. So, she probably has been watching, then. 'Anna.' She says, and that says it all. 'Do you think you're the first young familiar to get excited and bind your soul to an exploitative corporate jerk without reading the fine print?'

'I…' Yeah, she kind of did. It's not like people are really open about these things. Badmouthing one's mage is such poor form. Not to mention there's not much you can do once your soul is bound, as far as Anna is aware, except make the best of it. 'It's not that bad. Well, it wasn't like this at first…'

Once Anna begins, she can't seem to stop herself. It just flows like a tapped vein. With her family, her mother, her non-magical friends, she can't really be fully open. They wouldn't understand. She doesn't want to feed into those negative stereotypes about mages being manipulative or deceptive. About magic being dangerous. She doesn't want to look like an idiot for getting involved in the first place. But with Elsa, none of those concerns apply. Well, at least, most of them don't apply. Her poor character judgement is still quite apparent.

She tells Elsa how dazzling he was, the tricks and illusions he did in her interview. How he told her she was gifted, promised to grow her skills, take her to mystical places, introduce her to all sorts of famous witches and wizards. How exciting it was. How it started out like any other casual job, with shifts, set finish times… And then how the work piled up and she began to fall behind. Further and further behind. The tasks cycled between tedious and terrifying. All the mind numbing hours manning the counter of the shop. All the disgusting things she's put in her mouth.

She talks about how she kept putting in more hours, trying to catch up. How she began to fall behind in university because she was always working, how she felt too awkward to tell him, because nothing is ever good enough and he's never pleased with her, so she quietly deferred her studies, semester after semester.

Elsa listens quietly, without judgement, with her chin on her palm. When Anna mentions that she hasn't checked her email, phone, or any social media accounts for six months and is kinda worried her friends might think she's dead, Elsa just spins her laptop around, wordlessly, with an incognito window open.

Amongst the endless event invites, messages, and tagged posts are about a million messages from her brother. He really, really needs to know if she's coming to his graduation celebration. All seats need to be reserved and paid for.

Anna types her answer, and deletes it. Types and deletes. Types and deletes again. It's not fair to leave him hanging without a straight answer. She doesn't want to let him down, but she doesn't want to miss out either.

'Something the matter?' Elsa sips on the spiced chocolate and pushes an additional cup toward Anna. It helps immediately. It doesn' solve her problem, but she feels less torn up about not having the answer.

'Oh, yeah, I'm supposed to go to my brother's graduation on Friday but I don't think Hans will be agreeable… my family sure don't want me there with whiskers and a tail.'

'That sounds important, Anna.' Oh, god, she's going to offer to help. It's building in her tone. 'I could assist you.'

'I couldn't, no way, you've done so much for me already, and I haven't done anything for you.' Anna wishes more than anything she could just say yes, and accept all Elsa's help like an eternal spring. But the world doesn't work that way. It isn't right. She won't be a charity case. 'I can't repay you.'

'You could repay me in hugs and dances.'

Anna looks at her sceptically. Hugs and dances don't pay the bills. Elsa probably doesn't have bills, but she must need something to subsist on out here. She shakes her head. Her dignity reserves are running too low to endure a one way friendship. Not with somebody as special as Elsa.

'If… repaying me really matters to you-'

'-it does-'

'-Well then there is something you could help me with…'

Anna sips from the mug and looks up, not daring to hope. Expecting some tokenistic gesture, a made up need. Either that or some kind of super complex magic that she wouldn't have the first clue how to do.

'There's supposed to be a pool out here. Part of the springs system. Very unique, um, important magic. I've been looking since I moved here, but I think it might be hidden with some kind of ward. I'm sure it's right under my nose. Your senses are obviously much more attuned to these kinds of things.'

Anna can barely speak through the excitement bubbling in her chest. This is perfect, almost too perfect. Finding things is what she does best. And identifying pockets of very special and important magical energy? Well, that's kind of her whole thing, isn't it?

'You bet they are! My senses are top-notch, I can see those little quartz stones shimmering a mile away!'

'-Anna-'

'Pesky spirits trying to hide? Not a chance! I can hear them fluttering around in the walls-'

'-Anna-'

She's carried away on her own enthusiasm, not even just for seeing her family, but embarking on such a mysterious trip. A magical adventure, if you will. 'And don't even think about stealing my sandwich, because I'll smell it-'

'-I'm running out of mana.'

'Oh,' Anna tries not to panic at those words, because when Hans' mana drains, his temper rises. 'Oh my god, I'm sorry. You can let go now… let me change back or however it works. I don't want to drain you-'

'No, it's okay.' Elsa doesn't seem irritated, though. Just a little subdued, like Anna's brother Oskar after he's smoked a joint. 'You don't need to be sorry. It's been so lovely to see all of you. I mean, not see all of you, like that, not that that was unpleasant! I mean…' Elsa drops her head into her hands, though it does very little to hide the pink shade spreading across her face, 'Ugh, oh dear…'

As much as she feels sorry for Elsa right now, it's nice to not be the only flustered dork, for once. She has to leave soon, anyway, but for now Anna takes a big, deep breath, and savours the moment.