"It's beautiful," Elsa said, lifting up a sparkling blue mini-dress and holding it up to her body. "But it's a little much don't you think?"
Honeymaren stared, trying to imagine her best friend in that dress. Throat dry, she shook her head, "No. I think it's perfect. Let me buy it for you."
"You really don't have to," Elsa said. But she looked at the dress with a thoughtful expression that told Maren she actually liked it. "Where would I even wear it?"
"Too late." She snatched it from Elsa and slapped it down on the counter. Maren didn't even let Elsa look at the price tag; getting to see her in this would more than make it worth it.
It was a delicate game she was playing, one where every day felt like one step closer to her stumbling and falling and ruining everything between the two of them.
She paid for the dress before she could second guess herself and back out of it. Turning around, she held the bag out to a flustered Elsa. "Besides, you can wear it for your birthday! I'll take you dancing or something."
"It'll be just below zero and you want me to wear a slinky dress?" Elsa asked, quirking her eyebrow in that way that made Maren's knees weak.
"Since when did a little cold bother you?"
"Never." Elsa laughed and held her arm out for Maren, "Lets go before you spend any more money."
"You're always treating me." She leaned against Elsa, soaking up the closeness, "It's only fair to turn the tables every now and again and trust me when I tell you you'll look beautiful in that dress."
?
Much to Maren's distress, it turned out she was right; Elsa looked absolutely fantastic in that dress. It had an asymmetrical, knee-length skirt with a slit up almost to her hip on the right side, and the navy fabric shimmered and sparkled in the light. Her back and shoulders were exposed to Maren's touch if she dared and it would be a simple matter to undo the clasp at the back of her neck and allow the entire thing to slide off her. Honeymaren tried not to let herself think about that too much.
As for the bare back, she dared, keeping close to Elsa once they arrived at their destination, hand on her back as often as she thought she could get away with.
The thought of anyone else dancing with Elsa made Maren's insides twist, so she maneuvered her through the club, which gave her that excuse to keep her hand on Elsa's back.
Elsa seemed to lean against it, drawing closer as they moved and Maren frowned a little as it occurred to her that a confined space with lots of people might not have been the best place to take Elsa on her birthday.
"Maybe we should go," she suggested. "I wanted to take you to dinner anyway." It almost sounded like she was suggesting a date but it was too late for her to take it back.
"No, it's okay I think. We should at least do one dance," Elsa said, eyes locked onto Maren's.
"Are you sure?" Maren asked, but she was already dutifully following Elsa through the crush of bodies.
"I've never done this before," Elsa said, glancing around before copying a couple nearby and looping her arms around Maren's shoulders. And then the only body Maren was able to focus on was Elsa's.
"Follow my lead," Maren breathed. Elsa smiled and did so, their bodies pressing together in a way that made it hard for Maren to focus. The club felt like it was too hot as Elsa's hips moved against Maren's and her fingers toyed with the hair on the back of her neck and too soon but still an eternity later the song was over.
She stared at Elsa, hands shaking with need, but she needed air more. So she took Elsa's hand and led her outside and down the street a ways. The cold air nipped the heat away from her sweaty skin, but she could breath at least.
"I kind of want to keep dancing," Elsa said, her thumb rubbing across Maren's knuckles. "Just… there were way too many people."
"I'm sorry. I wasn't really thinking." Sometimes even shopping could be stressful. It said a lot that Elsa had been willing to go in, just for her. And on her birthday even.
"It's okay," Elsa assured her, again. She leaned against Maren, "I can handle a crowd for a little while every once in awhile, and it was worth it to dance with you. Honestly, you could get me to try just about anything once."
"Yeah?" Maren was dubious, but she trusted Elsa's word. "Next time I'll come up with a better idea."
"Besides, Anna did tell me to have fun today when she called me this morning so I wanted to give it a shot." Elsa squeezed Maren's hand. "So let's go back to my place. We can dance there, just us."
?
Elsa tossed her purse onto a table near the door, then closed it. Maren shrugged her jacket off, watching as Elsa moved into the living room. She'd always liked Elsa's apartment. At first glance it was a little spartan, but just like Elsa once you got to know it you could see all the little touches of home and family.
There was a rat cage behind the couch and Maren stopped by it, opening the door and sticking her hand in for the boys to lick her fingers. She didn't understand why they did that but they really seemed to like her and Maren always took that as a good sign.
She snuck them some treats then closed the cage before Elsa noticed.
"Mare?" Elsa's voice drew Maren's attention and like every other time she said her name it filled her chest with a warm, tingly feeling. Only her brother had ever been allowed to call her 'Mare' until the first time Elsa had. It had all been over after that.
Maren looked up in time to see Elsa bending over a speaker to turn it on. Her mouth went dry and her mind went blank and she only came out of it after Elsa straightened and paired her phone to the speaker. "...yeah?"
"Catch." Elsa tossed her phone and Maren nearly fumbled it.
What kind of crazy trust exercise was throwing an expensive phone across the room to your friend? "You want me to pick?"
"Yes. Pick whatever you want. We can hop around like maniacs if you want."
Maren looked through Elsa's playlists at first, mostly because she was interested in what sort of music her friend actually liked enough to own, before switching to Spotify. She found a mix of romantic songs to dance to, and another mix of songs that would have fit right into the club.
"What if we didn't?" Maren hit play and set the phone on the back of the couch
"Hop around like maniacs?"
"Mmhm." Maren moved to the beat towards Elsa, until she was close enough to grab her by the hips and pull her flush against her.
Elsa slid her arms around Maren, swaying with her as the music played. Her hand slid up Maren's back, then trailed a slow circle over her spine, between her shoulder blades.
Maren stopped hearing the music, then. There was only Elsa's warmth against her body, and the scent of her perfume and those perfect, pouty lips. Her hand slid down Elsa's hips, until her fingers felt the skin of her leg where the slit of the dress was and making Elsa inhale sharply.
"I really want to kiss you," Elsa whispered and everything just kind of stopped.
"I don't … I don't want to ruin our friendship," Maren felt like she was on the edge of something and yet was terrified of taking that leap. But, then, she had taken a risk with buying Elsa that dress because she'd known the moment Elsa put it on she'd want to tear it off of her. You didn't buy someone a dress like that if you only wanted them like a best friend.
"We won't."
It sounded like a promise and Maren just nodded her head.
Maybe she moved first, or maybe Elsa did, but they met in the middle, lips brushing softly before a hungry need need overrode common sense and Maren pressed into Elsa, deepening the kiss. Elsa didn't shy away, instead pushing Maren back until she was pinned against the couch.
This was a very new and very interesting side of Elsa that Maren desperately wanted to see more of.
There was a lot of Elsa she wanted to see more of and if she was going to ruin a friendship she might as well go all the way. Maren dragged her hands down Elsa's back and then grabbed her ass and squeezed.
Elsa squeaked into her mouth, breaking the kiss as nervous laughter overwhelmed her. Maren froze, though she didn't move her hands as she waited for Elsa to compose herself. "Too much?"
"Felt nice," Elsa replied, before very slowly and very deliberately sliding her hands into the back of Maren's pants and dug her nails into her ass.
Maren knew four languages but each one of them failed her just then. A sound came out of her mouth, a question and a demand both. She kissed Elsa again, quick and hard, then pulled her head back and gasped, "Bedroom?"
Elsa's face grew heated, but she nodded and stepped away before offering her hand. Maren took it, allowing herself to be led into the bedroom and hoping some air might help her collect her thoughts.
"Elsa?"
"Yes?" Elsa turned around and smiled at her, teeth worrying at her lower lip. She looked, somehow, both adorable and incredibly hot and it took all of Maren's willpower to say what she needed to say.
"Is this okay? Is this something you want? We don't have to do anything if you're not really feeling that comfortable." They should take it slow, though Maren's body protested at the very idea.
"Mare, I wouldn't have let you take me out if I didn't want it," Elsa said, reaching behind her neck. "I wouldn't wear this dress for anyone else."
The dress fell open, sliding down Elsa's body in a single smooth motion and hitting the floor with an audible thwump. The first thing Maren noticed was the way Elsa's blush extended across most of her body and the second thing she noticed ... "Never knew you owned undies that fancy."
Elsa started to cover herself, then dropped her hands and walked close to Maren. "I didn't until you bought me that dress."
"I'm a genius," Maren murmured, grinning. To her delight, Elsa had more freckles that had been hidden by her clothing and she imagined playing a very naughty game of connect-the-dots.
"Maybe I should gag you." Elsa reached for Maren, working at her blouse until she could push it off, her eyes roaming appreciatively over Maren's chest.
"Maybe next time," Maren countered, earning a little laugh from Elsa just before she leaned in and kissed the hollow of her throat. Tilting her head back, Maren groaned.
Elsa's fingers insistently fumbled with the fastening on Maren's pants until she'd gotten that open. Fingers tangled in Elsa's hair and pressing her head against her chest, Maren's other hand helped Elsa with the buttons. Or tried too; Elsa swatted it away, seemingly determined to strip Maren without any help.
Having absolutely no problem with that, Maren instead traced her fingers along the band of Elsa's panties, lifting it up just enough to get the tips in. The contact made Elsa shiver and lift her head, lips capturing Maren's.
Shuddering in turn, Maren shimmied out of her pants and kicked them aside, letting her hands wander as she did so. There was so much of Elsa's skin to touch, to feel, to caress. But then Elsa caught her by the wrists, breaking the kiss to gaze at her with a lustful expression. Slowly, she was pushed towards the bed until the backs of her knees hit it and she fell onto it.
Elsa unhooked her bra and tossed it aside, before pushing her panties off. Maren watched her as she got closer, feeling as though she was about to catch fire. She couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful Elsa looked. And god, god she was in love with her and maybe this would be a mistake, something that would hurt them both in the morning but Elsa wanted her and she wanted Elsa and right now that was the only thing that mattered.
As quickly as she could, Maren pushed her own underwear off and then frantically removed her bra, just in time for Elsa to crawl on top of her. Long, elegant fingers traced up Maren's abs, palms brushing over her breasts and nipples, and then back down again.
Electricity rippled through Maren, stealing her breath and her words and leaving her body humming. Elsa's breath came in quick little gasps as she stared down at Maren.
Slowly, Maren lifted her hand to cup Elsa's face and pull her down. She kissed her deeply, groping at her breasts and moaning as Elsa returned the favor. Again a jolt of electricity shot through Maren as her body responded to Elsa's touch and with an almost desperate sound Maren rolled them onto their sides and dug her fingers into Elsa's thigh.
Then she slid her hand up her thigh, slow enough to give Elsa an out if she wanted. But Elsa's fingers trailed down Maren's stomach and they touched each other at the same time.
"Oh god," Maren gasped, pulling her head back and then watching as Elsa's tilted against the bed. She moved her fingers, studying Elsa's face and the way her body shook or shivered and reacting in turn.
Elsa was so lost in what Maren was doing to her that she had seemed to have forgotten about the hand she still held between Maren's legs. Maren rocked her hips and smiled when Elsa got the hint and started to caress and explore.
It was a different kind of electricity, a kind of slowly building warmth that Maren lost herself in. Lost in the feel of Elsa under her hands and fingers, the warmth and wetness, the way their bodies moved together and the taste of her mouth. And most especially lost in the whimpers and wordless moans that fell from Elsa's lips like the most exquisite kind of song.
It was the way Elsa said her name that pushed Maren to the edge; a plaintive, emotional plea as a spasm rippled through Elsa, her nails digging into Maren's shoulder.
Maren's fingers curled inside Elsa as she tried to draw out the orgasm and the nails in her shoulder dug in harder. Elsa's hand and fingers moved erratically between Maren's legs, finding a rhythm helped by the way Maren moved her hips.
Elsa suddenly stiffened, gasping as she came again and Maren followed suit, pulling Elsa close and clinging to her as her release claimed her.
For a second or a century, Maren wasn't sure which, the only thing she could hear was the thundering of her heart and Elsa's ragged breathing. Her skin was too warm, the room too cold and the only thing she wanted more than a drink of water was to have Elsa's body on hers for the rest of her life.
As sense returned to her, Maren drew Elsa in closer, trailing her fingers up and down her back and refusing to let her go. Lazily, Elsa kissed her nose, and then her jaw and her neck.
"I love you." Maren bit her lip hard enough to taste blood, going very, very still as soon as the words had left her mouth.
Elsa buried her face into the crook of her neck and Maren felt her lips flutter against her skin.
"Elsa, I-"
Her voice was barely a whisper, "I love you too."
"Oh." Maren laughed breezily, gently taking Elsa's head and pulling her back so she could see her face. "I've been … I mean."
"I know." Elsa touched her forehead to Maren's, "I've been crushing on you for months. Are you busy tomorrow night?"
"No?"
"Good, I want to do a real date with you." Elsa's eyes twinkled, "I might even wear that dress for you again."
?
All of this silence and patience, pining in anticipation
My hands are shaking from holding back from you (ah, ah, ah)
All of this silence and patience, pining and desperately waiting
My hands are shaking from holding back from all this (ha, ha, ha, ha)
Say my name and everything just stops
I don't want you like a best friend
Only bought this dress so you could take it off
Take it off (ha, ha, ha)
Carve your name into my bedpost
'Cause I don't want you like a best friend
Only bought this dress so you could take it off
Take it off (ha, ha, ha, ha)
Inescapable, I'm not even gonna try
And if I get burned, at least we were electrified