Hans barely slept that night, tossing and turning between visions of green and blue flames consuming everything, including his family. Elsa couldn't even overcome the ravenous fire. Hans kept running from the hungry flames, but couldn't. They were too fast and swallowed him whole. Each time, he jolted awake, dripping with sweat.

Even when he chose to give up on sleep, he didn't get out of bed. He couldn't face his family, knowing they were right about him being a freak and a monster. He couldn't bring himself to face Elsa, either, after what he had done to her. The Snow Queen was probably long gone, having packed her bags and slipping off at dawn on the first Northbound ship. Here, only to vanish again, like the moody tides or a teasing breeze. He wouldn't blame her if she had.

Later that afternoon, while the sun was high in the sky, he heard a strange knock at the door.

"What?" he snapped.

Pause. Then the unique knock came again. Tap tap tatap tap.

The rhythm of it was unfamiliar to him, so he slipped out of bed, put on a pair of trousers, and answered the door. "What do you-"

Hans froze when he saw Elsa standing there, and she didn't even have to lift a finger. "What are you doing here?"

Elsa was relaxed, albeit a little concerned. "Checking on you. You weren't at lunch."

"Not hungry," he said, trying to close the door.

She flicked a finger, and an ice barrier rose to block it. Hans narrowed his green eyes, but she cut him off before he could speak. "Too bad. It was wonderful. Awkward without you, but delicious, nevertheless."

Hans scratched his head, but the movement only made him hyper aware that he was shirtless. He modestly tried, but failed, to cover his torso with his free hand. Bare-chested or awkwardly twitching, neither seemed to faze the Ice Queen. "Sorry for leaving you alone with my family. How bad were they?"

Elsa took a step forward, but he remained in her way. "Oh...not too bad. It was eerily quiet for a while, then Nikolai asked where you were. When I told him you had a long night, Brandt tried to insinuate other things. Hagen had to mediate. Queen Freyja was even there."

Great. Hans would get an earful about that later. "Glad to hear she's doing better," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Hans, about last night..."

"I don't want to talk about it," he said, again attempting to close the door, despite the frozen blockade. "Why are you even still here?"

She stormed into the room, her fierce expression scaring him back a few steps. With a wave of her hand, the block of ice disappeared and a gust of cold wind blew the door shut. "Because I care, damnit!"

Hans blinked at her, wondering if he was still dreaming. Any moment now, Elsa would erupt into blue flames, and he'd jerk awake in bed again.

"How thick are you? I'm trying to help you, Hans. I know exactly what you've been through. I know how you feel, but you need to trust me. Look!"

She pulled up her sleeve, revealing the mark Hans had made. Instead of an angry red, it was only a shade or two darker that the rest of her skin. It had taken years, not hours, for Jakob's chest to look like that.

"How did you do that? You didn't go to-"

"I did it myself. I have ice powers. I'm tougher than I look," she said, playfully punching his arm.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked, a finger hovering over the mark.

"Not at all," she replied with a smile.

He cautiously touched the damaged skin. It felt nearly healed.

"Jakob wouldn't stop crying until we got the mermaid tears. My fire isn't natural."

"That's why you have someone just as supernatural to teach you."

Hans' temper flared. "Absolutely not. I will never use my powers again."

"Intentionally," she muttered.

Hans took a deep breath to calm himself, but his hands glowed orange. He growled in anger. "You don't get it."

"I do!" she yelled, trying to get him to understand. "I hurt my sister and felt guilty, just like you. We got past it...eventually. I know you think you hurt me, but I'm the only one who could handle an injury from you."

He stepped back with a hard look on his face. "Just because you're capable of taking a hit, doesn't mean you have to," he snapped.

"If I'm the only one who can take it, then it's my job to-"

"Your job?" he laughed. "Your job is running Arendelle. My job is to keep you safe, but I can't even do that right. How am I supposed to protect you when I'm the one hurting you?"

She put her hands on her hips. "You don't have to protect me. I am-"

"Yes, I do, because I love you!"

Elsa stopped mid-sentence. "Wh-what?"

"There, I said it. Don't make me say it again," he said, running his hands through his hair and pacing. He was so stupid! He should have just kept his big mouth shut. His anger really did get the better of him.

What shocked him was her blank response: "Why?"

"What do you mean, 'why?'" he snapped.

"Why?" she said, more forcefully.

She was sharp as a tack. After first falling in love with her sister, only to be mind controlled into committing treason against her, he understood her reservations. At the same time, did she really not see how beautiful and amazing she was?

"Why? Why not? You're intelligent, kind, strong, gorgeous! You gave me a chance when no one else would. I can never repay you for that."

"You don't have to," she said, approaching him and placing a cool hand on his flushed cheek. "I never saw you as a monster because I've been called one. I know how it feels. No one deserves to be treated like that. I see a lot of myself in you, which is why I don't want you, or anyone else, to feel as low as I did."

She didn't specifically say those three words, but there was no mistaking Elsa's intentions by the way she kissed him then. Hans felt her love, like a cool breeze, wash over him. Her lips were soft, tender. A tear escaped his eye and sizzled on his cheek.

Hans wrapped her up in his warm, strong arms, pulling her close. She slipped a hand into his hair, sending a chill down his spine. The raging fire inside and her icy hands contradicted and overwhelmed him. He pulled away, their breath mingling and creating mist.

"Can we try again tonight?" Elsa asked, breathless.

Kissing or accepting the gift? Hans couldn't tell or care. He was elated. He smiled and kissed her porcelain forehead. "Of course."