Tell Me How To Fix You
Chapter 35
By: The Duchess of Arendelle
AN: Not a long chapter but I wanted to update, plus this is more of a set up for what is to come next chapter. Sorry for any and all mistakes. Enjoy!
"Wohoo, hello! Welcome To Wonder Oak- Anna? Is that you?" Oaken spoke up from behind the wooden counter. Anna turned to him and smiled. "Oaken, hi." she said happily in return. The giant man stepped out from behind the counter to engulf the girl in a crushing hug. Anna laughed and returned it. "It's good to see you, you haven't visited the café in a while, ya." he told her as he released her from his hold. Anna nodded her head.
"It's good to see you too. Actually, we're just getting back from the café." She told him. At the word 'we're' he looked over Anna's shoulder and noticed the shorter brunette standing there. "Wohoo, hello. Are you Anna's friend?" he asked her kindly, holding his hand out for her to shake. Rapunzel took his hand and squeaked in shock when he pulled her into a hug, albeit, not as tight as the one he gave Anna.
"I'm… Anna's…cousin…" she gasped out. Anna laughed and grabbed Oaken's shoulder.
"You have to let her breathe Oaken! She's not used to your bear hugs." She laughed out. Oaken let Rapunzel go and smiled apologetically. "Oh Sorry. Oaken still doesn't know his own strength." He laughed at himself. Rapunzel took a deep breath in and smiled back. "It's fine, I love air restricting hugs." She reassured with a laugh of her own. Oaken smiled brightly at her then turned to Anna.
"I like her. Where have you been hiding this little darling?" he asked the redhead, pointing at Rapunzel. Anna rolled her eyes. "You obviously haven't spent enough time around this devil." Anna joked. "Hey!" Rapunzel protested and stuck her tongue out at Anna. Anna stuck her tongue out in return and Oaken laughed as he interrupted their little fight.
"So what brings you here this evening?" he asked as he went back to the counter to ring up a costumer who had been watching the whole scene with an amused smile. "Oh, Punz here wanted to meet you. I talk about you all the time." She told him.
"All bad I hope." He joked with a wink.
"Oh you know it." Anna joked back. She then turned to Rapunzel as Oaken began to get busier with a few more customers in line. "Come on, let's pick up a few things while we're here." Rapunzel nodded and waved to Oaken as they started to disappear down an aisle. He smiled and waved back, then went back to talking to the customer he was ringing up.
The two cousins remained quiet for a while as they walked down the aisles, silently putting things in their basket. Finally Rapunzel spoke up as Anna began to pick up a carton of milk.
"So… about that decision?" Rapunzel asked quietly.
Anna sighed and closed her eyes, gently placing the milk in the basket. She waited a beat before turning to look at her cousin.
"I- I don't want to break up with her Punz…" Anna started. Rapunzel opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when Anna held up a hand. "…but, I realize… that maybe a break from dating would be what's best for her… for us. Maybe… maybe we jumped into this too fast?" she asked Rapunzel, looking at her brunette cousin with a sad frown. Rapunzel shook her head.
"No, I don't think you guys jumped into your relationship too fast. I think you two are meant for each other, just not yet. You both have a lot of maturing to do… and a lot of scars that need healing before you can love each other fully." Rapunzel responded in a gentle voice. Anna looked down at the polished floors. She was trying to hold tears back. She looked back up when she felt a warm, reassuring hand grip her shoulder. Rapunzel gave her a soft smile.
"I'm here for you Anna, for both of you." She told her cousin, pulling her into a hug when a tear escaped the redhead's eyes. They stood like that for a long moment, just embracing each other, until they heard someone awkwardly clearing their throat. They both turned to look at the fidgeting middle aged man standing behind them.
"Um… could I get to the milk please?" he asked. The two cousins quickly broke apart and apologized. "Oh, yeah, sorry." Rapunzel spoke, backing away from the fridge.
Leaving that aisle, they hurriedly made their way to the check out. Standing in the short line, Rapunzel spoke up again. "So, tonight?" she whispered to Anna as they moved forward and waited for Oaken to ring up the elderly lady in front of them. Anna looked at her frightened. "What? Tonight? No way… I-I don't think I can." She heatedly whispered. Rapunzel shook her head. "Anna, tonight. The longer you put it off the harder it will be." She tried to reason with her. Anna stayed quiet. She knew Rapunzel was right.
Silently, they loaded their items onto the counter. Their solemn mood did not go unnoticed by Oaken, but years of experience taught him that now was not the time to but in. He rung them up while keeping a casual, friendly conversation up with Rapunzel. Handing them their brown paper bags, he smiled brightly at the two and bid them a farewell. But before Anna could exit out the store, he waved her back over, pulling her into an unexpected gentle hug and whispering in her ear before waving her off again.
"True love only comes once in a lifetime ya? Never give up on it."
At Oaken's words Anna steeled her resolve. He was right. Even though she was terribly burned and tricked by the concept of 'True Love' before, she knew what she and Elsa had was definitely true love, the real deal, and you don't give up on true love. No matter what it comes down to. She just prayed that Elsa would see it that way too. And that was her whole worry in a nutshell. That Elsa would take it the wrong way. That Elsa would think she no longer wanted her when that couldn't be further from the truth. Anna stayed lost in thought as she and Rapunzel made their way back to the building.
When they stepped inside the complex, that's when Anna's nerves kicked into overdrive. She spoke to no one, not even the neighbors that she would usually stop and have a causal chat with. When one of the older ladies from the third floor stopped to say hello, Rapunzel had to quickly think of an excuse as to why Anna had kept walking towards the elevator and didn't stop to speak.
"She's not feeling too well Mrs. Baker. She's trying to get home ASAP. You know… stomach bug." She told the woman as she looked back and saw Anna pressing the up button. Mrs. Baker looked very concerned. "Oh my, the poor dear. You better get her to bed quickly then. I'll get Mr. Baker to send some fresh goods up to you two later." She responded.
Rapunzel felt guilty for lying but nodded her head politely. "Thanks Mrs. Baker, I'm sure Anna will appreciate that. I should go, take care now." She told Mrs. Baker before sprinting towards the elevator Anna was stepping onto in a trance like state. The redhead spent the entire elevator ride fidgeting, the bags rustling in her restless arms. Rapunzel watched Anna watch the elevator numbers go up. When 5 lit up she could see the despair cross the redhead's face. Anna took her time stepping off the elevator and walking to Elsa's front door.
After a few minutes passed and no attempt was made to open the door. Rapunzel leaned over and whispered. "You got this Anna." The redhead took in a deep breath and turned to her with scared eyes.
"No I don't. I don't got this Punz." She responded in a shaky voice.
"Well you better get it now." Rapunzel told her as she quickly unlocked the door and shouted, "Elsa, we're back!"
Anna could have strangled the girl in that very moment but it was too late. Elsa was already rounding the corner with a small smile on her face. That smile quickly faded when she looked at Anna. She could instantly tell something was wrong with the redhead from her flushed face and slightly puffy red eyes. Her suspicions were increased when Rapunzel took her and Anna's bag and left them on the counter, excusing herself to Anna's apartment. Anna watched the brunette leave. 'So much for being there for us.' she thought, but knew this was a talk that she and Elsa had to have alone.
Stepping further into the room to come face to face with Elsa, she cleared her throat and spoke barely above a whisper.
"We need to talk…"
Elsa's heart began to plummet.
AN: So I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Warning: a lot of angst and feels coming up so get ready. Thanks for reading this and for all the reviews and support! Your feedback helps me become a better writer and it's much appreciate, criticisms and all! :) See you soon, I'm already working on the next chapter.