Disclaimer: Still don't own anything.
Formatting note: Italics in this chapter and going forward will either denote lines sung in English or lines spoken in Norwegian, as indicated. Be advised, though, that the lines are being 'translated' into English by Anna- since it's in her POV- so, to some extent, she's guessing or clueless as to how certain words are translated and doing her best to keep up. Not super important; just thought I'd share. There are some instances of Anna speaking in untranslated Norwegian; for the lullz.
Two days later, Anna got a call from Rapunzel, who seemed equal parts amused and concerned during their conversation.
Apparently, Eugene had locked himself in a closet and refused to come out due to the 'unrelenting, white-hot, pants-pissing fury' of a certain blonde. Elsa, apparently, had meant it quite literally when she said she would turn the city upside down, and quite adamantly refused to back down on the issue. Although most topics brought up during their first real fight were dropped, her girlfriend refused to let the words and actions of the mystery woman go, and Anna eventually accepted that on the condition that the blonde apologize for terrifying Eugene.
Anna and Rapunzel had to personally oversee Elsa's apology and the truce meal that followed, which actually counted as their first double date as well, though Anna wished it was under better circumstances.
In the end, Anna had to admit her outlook on the situation was very similar to Rapunzel's.
Elsa and Eugene then settled into a... well, Anna wasn't sure what to call their relationship after that. Frenemies seemed too juvenile but was probably most accurate; when the two weren't hurling insults at the other, they were doing their best to show the other up. Eugene admitted he needed to reclaim his 'man card' after the closet fiasco and that calling out the blonde at every turn would accomplish that. Elsa merely stated that she would keep their strange rivalry going until he was able to answer her questions.
Anna and Rapunzel eventually agreed that their respective significant others were entitled to their bouts of childishness and allowed the 'hostilities' to continue, provided they never turned violent.
Meanwhile, Kristoff- who, like Eugene and Rapunzel, was only vaguely aware of why Elsa was so adamant on finding this woman- laughed himself hoarse over the whole ordeal.
Their trip to The Netherlands was right around the corner and Anna was freaking out just a tad bit.
Okay, a fair bit.
A lot.
"Would you speak English, woman?" Eugene groused from the couch, groaning as Kristoff scored another goal against him in NHL. "I can't concentrate on your gibberish and playing the game!"
"Seems like a personal problem," Elsa replied for her, nursing her soda from the floor beside Rapunzel. The women had yet to take their turns and Anna was already feeling sorry for the boys whenever they switched over to Super Smash Brothers after Eugene's inevitable rage quit of NHL. Elsa turned towards Rapunzel, a small smirk on her lips. "Does he often find it difficult to concentrate when faced with more than one task? Or is he using that as an excuse to cover his lack of gaming skills?"
"Oh, it is so on, you Scandinavian fish wife!"
"I highly doubt it, you inbred American redneck."
"Hey, I'm not a redneck!"
"So, you are inbred."
"Anna! Control your wo- oh, for fuck's sake!" Eugene stomped his foot as the period ended with another goal against him, setting the score at seven to two in favor of Kristoff. "This game is rigged!"
Anna rolled her eyes, shedding her coat and hanging it up before entering the living room, stooping down to place a kiss on Elsa's lips before heading back towards her bedroom to change. As soon as she'd opened the door, Anna had greeted the group in Norwegian, which caused the whole scene to unfold.
For some reason, while her secondary language skills were improving by leaps and bounds, she couldn't get the hang of switching between them as easily as Elsa did. Seeing as the drive back to her and Kris' apartment was spent listening to a Norwegian soundtrack, of course those would be the first words out of her mouth.
"Kjæreste?" Anna turned, noticing that Elsa had abandoned her verbal battle with Eugene in favor of following her back to her bedroom. It was a little funny, now that Anna thought about it; they hadn't spent much time in Anna's room or apartment over the past few months. It was almost like going to her old room at her parents' house, something that was instantly recognizable as hers but... not really, not anymore. "Is everything alright?"
"Ja, jeg er bra," the redhead replied, frowning slightly. This was exactly it; while Elsa could pepper words from half a dozen languages into her speech without a problem, Anna kept getting stuck in one mode or the other. "I mean, yeah, I'm fine."
Elsa smiled, stepping forward and undoing her tie. "You're letting your nerves get the better of you, Sunshine, and there's no reason for it."
"Not true." Anna bit her lip, sighing as her tie was slipped from around her neck. She sat down heavily on her bed, scrubbing at her eyes. "I really need to impress your parents, Snowflake. I've got a lot of work to do." She furrowed her brows, trying to switch gears again. "Jeg vil at de skal se at jeg er verdig deg."
"That's not their decision to make," Elsa replied in a patient tone, taking the spot next to her and pulling the redhead into a fierce hug. "I decide who is and is not worthy of my love, and you've already proven yourself to me time and time again."
"De er dine foreldre-"
"And they'll be my parents no matter what." The blonde drew back, fixing her with a soft smile. "I believe it was you who told me that 'those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter', Sunshine, so, either they won't mind, or they won't matter."
"Men-"
"No buts. You're not getting rid of me that easily." Elsa smirked. "I believe those were your words, too, and I intend to hold you to them."
"Ikke rettferdig." Anna grumbled, tipping her head until she could rest her forehead on Elsa's shoulder.
"All's fair in love and war," her girlfriend replied, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "And I'm just reminding you of what you already know."
Anna sighed, a small smile coming to her lips. "Jeg elsker deg, Snøfnugg."
"Jeg elsker deg også, Solskinn."
They stayed like that for a few minutes, Elsa's hands running soothing patterns along her back while the redhead dropped the Norwegian, switching back to English. "I'm sorry."
Elsa chuckled. "Don't be, Sunshine, and don't stress yourself out over this either."
A knock startled them, drawing their attention to the doorway as Eugene poked his head in, favoring Elsa with a petulant glare before directing his attention towards Anna.
"So, we're thinking of having a party next week, to celebrate our last chance at good ol' college fun before the dreaded cramming for finals hits." He waved a hand in Elsa's general direction. "You may want to confer with your dungeon master before giving a yea or nay." He almost ducked back out of the room but paused, sincerity flashing in his eyes. "And I promise we'll be more selective when it comes to the guest list this time."
As Eugene left, Anna sighed and nuzzled into her girlfriend's embrace, waiting for-
"Do you want to go?"
-that.
"Maybe," she mumbled in reply. "Knowing Eugene, there'll be a party after finals too. I'd rather not do both." She cracked a grin. "I can only take so much excitement."
In truth, she was mildly concerned about becoming an alcoholic; it had occurred to her more than once throughout the day that a stiff drink might settle her nerves and her friends were nothing if not encouraging in that regard. Part of the reason she volunteered for the designated driver position more often than not.
"I'd like to go, too." She tilted her head, catching sight of Elsa's smile and glittering eyes. "Your friends are wonderful people and very... animated. I'd like another chance to enjoy their company."
Anna smiled, leaning forward to tap a few kisses to her girlfriend's lips. "Then I suppose it's settled. We'll have to look at our schedules, see if we even have the time off."
Elsa nodded, pressing another kiss to her cheek before heading back to the living room. "I'm sure we'll find a way. Come out when you're done changing." She paused at the doorway, throwing a grin over her shoulder. "I'd rather curl up with you than beat Eugene at Smash Brothers. Again."
Anna smiled and sat down on the bed, slowly unbuttoning her shirt as she tried to accept Elsa's reassurances. Maybe she was working herself up a tad bit, but she really did want to impress the blonde's parents. Whether her girlfriend wanted to admit it or not, losing her parents would take a toll on her emotionally, and Anna really couldn't bear to the be the cause of such suffering for Elsa. Not after all they'd been through.
Shaking her head, she resolved to listen to her mother's advice- because of course she'd ask the love experts rather than take a stab in the dark, given the consequences- and simply be the best girlfriend she could be.
Which meant getting her butt in gear and back out into the living room before another war began; she could already hear the telltale grousing from Eugene echoing down the hall mingled with distinctly feminine laughter interspersed.
By some stroke of luck, it was Eugene and Kristoff cursing. The four had defaulted to Super Smash Bros- guys against gals- and the women were destroying them.
"'Punz, I swear, if you take a dive right now, I'll do whatever you say for the next week." Eugene huffed, down to his last life while Kristoff had only two remaining, compared to Elsa's and Rapunzel's four each. "Chores, homework, sexy times- you name it, your wish is my command!."
"Yes, sell yourself in order to secure a victory, I'd expect no less from such a chivalrous gentleman such as you." Elsa drawled, momentarily distracted once Anna reappeared, though it didn't give either of her opponents enough of an opening to do significant damage. "Welcome back, Sunshine."
Anna smirked, summoning her Norwegian again as she leaned against the back of the couch and draped her arms over Elsa's shoulders, taking care to keep her voice loud enough for the others to hear. "Would you like to play a trick on them?"
"What kind of trick?" The blonde grinned, replying in Norwegian as well, much to the annoyance of Eugene.
"There you two go with that gibberish again."
"Focus on the game, Eugene; they're still winning."
"Pretend I'm saying something sexy." Anna spoke a bit softer, allowing a her voice to take on a slightly husky tone. "Make them think I'm tempting you."
"You mean, like you usually do?" Elsa chuckled but hummed in delight as Anna started peppering her neck with soft kisses. "How is this tricking them, exactly?"
"Quick, while she's distracted, smash her!" Eugene whispered loudly.
"I'm trying!" Kristoff grumbled, both of their characters trying to take out Elsa's while Rapunzel just hung out on the far side of the stage.
Anna furrowed her brows briefly. She couldn't quite remember how to say 'false sense of security' or something along those lines, so opted for what she could convey. "Let them think they can win, then make them lose. Pretend we made a deal."
Elsa stopped playing, paying no heed as the guys capitalized on the opportunity and cheered, her attention focused on Anna. "Really?"
The redhead smiled, noting the switch back to English. "Really really."
With determination glinting in her eyes, Elsa refocused on the screen just as her character respawned. Their little distraction had cost Elsa two of her remaining lives but, given Kristoff had lost one at some point as well, the battle was surprisingly even.
Well, for a moment.
"Oh, come on!" Eugene whined as Elsa began playing again in earnest.
Less than a minute later, the game was over, Elsa knocking both of her opponents clear off the screen to secure the victory.
"Girls win!" Rapunzel chirped, throwing a smirk at her boyfriend. "So, does that week start today or tomorrow morning?" Before Eugene could protest, she held up a finger to silence him. "You promised me a week if I took a dive and I stopped playing. Elsa beat you two on her own, so I'm holding you to it, Mister."
"She's right." Kristoff added, a smirk on his lips as he turned his attention to Elsa. "And I assume Anna promised you something for beating us?" He suddenly frowned. "Does it involve me leaving the apartment for a few hours?"
"You can leave if you want; I truly don't care." Elsa got up, walking around until she could wrap her arms around Anna, holding her close. "Now, I believe someone promised me a song." The redhead narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend, though she found it impossible to not return the embrace. "You said you'd sing for me if I finished the match in under a minute."
She so very badly wanted to shoot the blonde a look that conveyed 'I said no such thing' but found the pleading in those beautiful blue eyes too much to protest. With that thought, a song lodged itself in her head, so she started humming the tune much to Elsa's delight.
"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream." Anna moved from holding her girlfriend to the start position for a simple waltz, something Elsa had shown her a few months back after she admitted to not knowing how to dance. "I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam."
For her part, Elsa had started humming the tune once Anna had started singing, allowing herself to be swept up in the moment as the shorter of the two lead the dance.
"And I know it's true, that visions are seldom what they seem." By some miracle, she was actually doing pretty well on the dancing front. She hadn't tripped, despite keeping her gaze fixated on the woman in her arms. "But if I know you, I know what you'll do, you'll love me at once, the way your did once, upon a dream." Anna smiled as Elsa picked up the melody, leading the blonde into a spin that allowed her to step forward, pressing against her girlfriend's back with her chin resting on one shoulder.
Elsa tilted her head slightly so their heads were touching, singing the next verse while Anna hummed the melody. "But if I know you, I know what you'll do, you'll love me at once, the way you did once, upon a dream."
They hummed softly, swaying gently and launching into the last verse together.
"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream. I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam. And I know it's true, that visions are seldom what they seem. But if I know you, I know what you'll do, you'll love me at once, the way you did once, upon a dream."
Anna placed a kiss just beneath Elsa's ear before nearly jumping out of her skin, startled by the sound of clapping. She'd totally forgotten about their audience.
Rapunzel was smiling widely, Eugene begrudgingly clapping along with his girlfriend while Kristoff gave them a wry grin.
"I suddenly wish I wasn't single," he said, getting off the couch and heading towards the kitchen. Anna watched him with a small frown, slightly concerned for her best friend.
"I suddenly wish I was a lesbian." Rapunzel joked.
"See, I've always been one."
"Eugene!"
"Snowflake? Think you could loosen up a bit?" Elsa lightly wheezed, calling the redhead's attention to how tightly she'd squeezed her girlfriend as a result. She immediately loosened her hold, mumbling an apology into her neck. Elsa chuckled, pressing a kiss to her temple and lightly trailing her fingers along Anna's arms still around her waist. "Thank you, Kjæreste."
"Noe til deg, lys av min liv," she replied, flashing her friends a smile as Elsa ducked her head to hide the blush creeping into her cheeks. She didn't expect 'light of my life' to elicit that reaction but it was definitely worth learning.
Anna smiled, cracking open a bottle of water as the party got in full swing. It was slightly smaller than usual as far as Eugene's parties went but no less animated for the lack of people. Elsa was once again teamed up with Kristoff playing Beer Pong, though she was a bit more reluctant to drink on her partner's behalf. Anna had a sneaking suspicion her girlfriend was trying to avoid attaining any level of intoxication. In fact, Elsa hadn't even bought a bottle of wine to replace the one she'd drank.
She was beginning to think the blonde was taking her self imposed sobriety a bit too far. Anna actually wouldn't mind an opportunity to hang out with a mildly intoxicated Elsa. Though, she wasn't sure if she'd prefer that experience in the comfort of the blonde's apartment or at a party. She supposed it would depend on her level of self restraint.
"Hey, Feisty Pants. Why're you hanging out on the sidelines?" Anna turned, favoring Eugene with a smile. "Shouldn't you be playing Pong alongside your Ice Queen?"
She rolled her eyes, though glad he'd at least taken her warning to heart. Although she still found their rivalry childish, Anna drew the line at allowing Eugene to refer to her girlfriend as 'Frigid Bitch'. "I'm DD tonight, and while I appreciate the offer, we're not sleeping in one of your extra rooms."
"What? Scared someone might try to sneak a peek at the HLS?" He grinned, laughing when she shoved him playfully.
"You're such a lecher. I honestly don't know how Rapunzel puts up with you."
"It's the smolder; chicks always dig the smolder." They laughed, stopping only when Kristoff appeared in front of them, the utter horror on his face putting a stop to their amusement. "Dude, you okay?"
Anna immediately looked around. "Where's Elsa?"
Kristoff raised his arm, pointing off towards the front of the house. Anna and Eugene followed his indication, all the way to where Elsa was standing with her back to them and facing a woman who had just entered the house. Given the look of abject terror on the woman's face, Anna had a pretty good idea what she was facing. It almost motivated her to feel a little bit of pity for her.
"Wonder what Vanessa's doing here." Eugene mused, shrugging. "Don't see what Ice Queen's interest in her is."
"That's the woman who, uh..." Anna ducked her head, fingering one of her braids subconsciously. Eugene had to be at least somewhat aware of what transpired last time but she had only told Kristoff in passing. The specifics of it though, she wasn't sure.
"Wait. Vanessa was the reason..." Eugene's jaw dropped open a moment before he furrowed his brows and started marching towards the front of the house, shoving the beer he'd been holding into Kristoff's chest.
"I'm not really sure what's going on," Kristoff said, shaking his head slightly. "But damn, Feisty Pants, your girlfriend's scary when she's angry."
"Yeah. Yeah, she is." Anna sighed, following Eugene and hoping she wouldn't have to break up a fight.
The tension was thick as most of the partiers started drifting away from the women when the confrontation initiated, making their full escapes once the host appeared, standing beside Elsa and crossing his arms.
Anna arrived just in time to catch the tail end of Vanessa's apology. "S-sorry, I just- I wasn't thinking straight that night-"
"Enough." It was a single word but Elsa's tone was more that enough to demand utter silence. Come to think of it, someone had even turned the music off. Vanessa hunched her shoulders, terrified, as the blonde continued. "I should have you arrested and charged with sexual assault. Drunk or not, what you did was deplorable, and you should be held accountable for your actions. In fact..." Elsa pulled her phone from her back pocket. "It's not too late-"
"Elsa." Anna stepped forward, around Eugene until she was in front of the blonde, acting as a buffer between her girlfriend and Vanessa. "Stop."
For a moment, she could very easily see the familial resemblance between Elsa and her father- the set of their jaws, the glint in their eyes, that innate ability to look so threatening without even doing anything. Perhaps 'Ice Queen' was a bit more apt a title than she initially though, if only for the latter half.
"I know you're just trying to protect me." Anna moved closer, embracing her girlfriend and pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "But I'm asking you to let it go. Let's put this whole incident behind us." She turned her head, looking at Vanessa over her shoulder. "I believe her when she says she's sorry."
"I am, I swear." Vanessa instantly voiced, apparently more than grateful for Anna's intervention. "I get stupid when I have too much, but I'll stop, I swear, from now on, n-no more."
"See?" The redhead buried her face in Elsa's neck, smiling slightly as she felt her girlfriend return the embrace. "Please, Snowflake."
"Alright," Elsa said, her voice soft. She tightened her hold on Anna, raising her voice and obviously talking to Vanessa. "Because she forgives you, I won't call the police. But if I find out that you so much as breathed on anyone without their consent, I will make you regret it." Her tone was firm, laced with venom in a way Anna couldn't even imagine ever hearing from her girlfriend. And then, the venom doubled. "And if you ever call her a 'freak' again, I'll bury you in red tape and drop you into such a deep financial hole, not even the economic strength of Qatar and Luxembourg combined will be able to bail you out."
"And believe me, she won't be the only one watching and listening." Eugene added, a stark departure from Elsa's cool tone, though no less forceful. "I get that Anna's forgiven you and I respect that... but that doesn't wipe your slate clean with the rest of us." With her head still buried in Elsa's neck, the redhead couldn't see who all was paying heed to the scene, but given the chorus of grunts, she had to assume their audience had grown considerably in the past few minutes. "While you're under my roof, you're on your best behavior. When you're not under my roof, you're on your even better behavior. Or else. Got it?"
"Y-yes, I understand."
"Good," Eugene said. "Now... back to the party everyone!"
As the world around them filled with the sounds of typical college fun, Anna focused on feeling Elsa's heartbeat. Her girlfriend was still tense, still primed to do... something, but slowly relaxed as time wore on.
"She left?"
"Someone invited her to play a round of Beer Pong," Elsa replied, her voice barely audible. "She accepted provided he would drink all the cups."
Anna pulled far enough away to flash a smile at her girlfriend. "Thank you, Snowflake. For sticking up for me."
Elsa pressed her lips to Anna's forehead. "I should've done that the first time."
"Shush." She smiled, a weight lifting from her chest. "I want to move forward from this, okay?"
"The past is in the past." The blonde sighed, gently brushing one of her plaits back over her shoulder. "As you wish, Sunshine." She frowned. "But I meant what I said. If she ever pulls a stunt like that again-"
"You'll do what you feel is right. I understand. But I'm willing to give her a second chance."
That brought a smile to her girlfriend's lips. "What did I ever do so right to earn the love of such a kind heart?"
"You gave me a chance to earn yours," Anna replied, swooping in for another kiss and laughing as she pulled away. A tap on her shoulder prompted her to look and find her best friend standing by, a grin on his lips. "What's up, Kris?"
"Mind if I cut in for a minute? I mean, not trying to ruin the lovey-dovey moment here..."
"It's fine. I'll be right back, Snowflake." Anna stepped away, only to be pulled into one heck of a bear hug the moment later. "Kris, what are you-"
"You said someone got too close to you and it made you uncomfortable." He started off softly but ended with a growl. "You didn't say you were sexually assaulted or that she dropped the 'F' bomb on you!"
"Sorry, Kris, I-"
"Feisty Pants, you don't need to explain. I get it." He pulled back, frowning at her. "But next time, talk to me, okay? I know you have Elsa now and things aren't going to be like they were but you shouldn't bottle things like that up."
"Kris, you're still my best friend. Not telling you had nothing to do with Elsa." She fixed him with a frown of her own. "It had everything to do with the over-protective big brother routine that you pull whenever someone drops 'the 'F' bomb', as you put it."
"I do not- okay, nevermind, I totally do, but it's because I care!"
"I know." She smiled, hugging him. "If something like this ever happens again, there's a lot I'll do differently."
"For your sake, I really hope that never happens."
"Me too." Anna leaned around him, grabbing his arm and dragging him towards Elsa. "Now that that's over, let's bury the hatchet completely."
"And how do you propose we do that?" Elsa raised a brow, allowing herself to be pulled along with Kristoff towards the Beer Pong table as yet another game finished.
"Simple; you two play the next game. Best two out of three!" Anna beamed, waiting a moment for Kristoff and Elsa to notice their opponents. She didn't know the guy's name, but it was his partner- Vanessa- that drew their attention, and she merely smiled wider at their curious glances. "Just remember, good sportsmanship you guys. I'll be watching."
"Uh, I dunno if I can last one more game, let alone three," the man said, backing away warily.
"Open spot's mine, then." Eugene sidled up next to Vanessa, flashing her a smile. "But you're pulling your weight on cup duty."
"O-okay." Vanessa nervously nodded. "Not sure if I'll last all three rounds, though."
"You won't learn your limit otherwise," Elsa said, her tone a bit cold. A quick look from Anna encouraged her to offer the woman a small, tight smile. "Just let us know if you want to stop."
Anna leaned back against the wall as the cups were set up, Rapunzel joining her after a few moments.
"Leave it to Eugene to always host an interesting party, right?" Anna laughed, nodding while Rapunzel shot her a wicked smile. "Wanna mess with them a bit?"
"Absolutely."
Rapunzel stepped forward, declaring 'House Rule #27' and encouraging Anna to help her swat the pong ball back towards the shooter's side. Apparently, if they managed to sink a ball that way, both sides lost and Anna and Rapunzel would be declared 'Queens of the House' so they could make up a new house rule to add to Eugene's growing list.
In actuality, it just added a ridiculous amount of time to each game, keeping all the players from over-indulging. It did give the whole lot of them pretty severe stitches in their sides from laughing, though, and more than one red mark each from getting hit by one of the ping pong balls.
By the time Anna drove the two of them home, the redhead was certain the storm had passed completely. She just hoped meeting Elsa's parents went as smoothly.
Anna sighed, shutting her suitcase and zipping it, trying to shake the nerves that were slowly working their way under her skin. There was nothing to worry about; Elsa had told her as much several times already.
Okay, she was going to meet a significant other's parents for the first time, ever. So what? Said parents were perhaps some of the richest and most financially influential people on the face of the planet. So what? Said influential parents lived in another country, spoke another language, spoke multiple languages, were raised with different values, different manners, and she needed to make a good impression on them... by being... her.
Okay, yeah, this train of thought wasn't helping her nerves any.
"Sunshine?" Elsa's voice drifted into her room from down the hall. "Are you ready?"
"Almost!" Anna threw over her shoulder, smoothing her hands against her pants leg, trying to dry them. Her palms were abnormally sweaty. "Just, uh, finishing up!"
Considering she'd just packed her suitcase for the fifth time, that was mostly true.
"Why am I freaking out about this? I can't be freaking out about this." She ran a hand through her hair, out of her usual twin plaits. The style was too childish, way too childish to be meeting the CEO of IKEA. "Get it together." She bit her lip, turning and nearly jumping out of her skin when she noticed Elsa leaning against the doorway. "Oh, hey, Snowflake! Uh, r-ready to go?"
"Almost," the blonde replied with a gentle smile, heading over to the redhead's vanity and picking up a brush. "Come here."
Anna shuffled over, trying to stuff her nerves into a tiny box and bury it at the back of her mind. It certainly wouldn't do her any good and became considerably easier once Elsa started running the brush through her hair. She allowed her eyes to close, enjoying the pampering, but snapped her gaze to the mirror a few moments later.
"Shush." Elsa shot her a look, dividing her hair and braiding it back into Anna's usual twin plaits. "For the first time in my life, I'm taking someone to meet my parents. I want to introduce to them the woman who holds my heart so completely and so tenderly." She finished with one and moved to Anna's other side, speaking softly as she worked. "I want them to see the same beautiful individual I get to- adorable freckles, brilliant smile, cute braids, and all." She pressed a kiss to Anna's temple as she finished. "You don't need to change a thing to impress them, Sunshine."
"Do you really think they'll like me, Snowflake?" The redhead frowned, fingering one of her braids. The combination of her girlfriend's soft touch and the familiarity brought her some solace but it was still difficult to take herself seriously, never mind expect a CEO to do the same.
"Sunshine, they'll love you. Not as much as I do, of course, but they'll try." Elsa walked over to the bed, grabbing the handle of Anna's suitcase. "So, ready to go? I'm sure Kristoff's getting impatient."
"He's probably happy for the delay." Anna laughed, shaking her head slightly and taking the bag from the blonde, heading towards the door.
"He did seem a bit... emotional."
"Yeah, he'll probably cry at the terminal. Hey, don't judge; he's going to miss us." She slipped her hand into Elsa's and squeezed. "This also leaves him at the mercy of Eugene and the crew for a solid month."
"A fate worse than death, I'm sure." Elsa's lips quirk up is a wry grin. "We'll find a way to make it up to him."
The two women left the small apartment, hopping into Elsa's beat up truck that Kristoff is driving. Seeing as he didn't have a vehicle of his own and they'd be out of the country for a while, Elsa had left an extra set of keys to both her vehicles, the truck to use for transportation and the Jetta to check up on, just in case. At the blonde's insistence, Anna had left her Mini's keys behind as well.
At the airport, Kristoff pulled Anna into a crushing hug. "Be safe over there, okay?"
"I will, promise!" The redhead wheezed, laughing as he loosened his hold. "But you be careful too, okay? I don't want to come back to America and find out you got arrested playing along with one of Eugene's stupid schemes. Again."
"There's a difference between 'arrested' and 'detained' I think you should learn," he replied, scrubbing at his eyes quickly. "Look, just... call me if you want, okay? Doesn't matter what time, with classes out for the summer and all, so really, you can wake me up or whatever, it doesn't matter." He sighed, offering her a watery smile. "Take care of yourself, Feisty Pants. And Elsa."
"I will, you worry wort." She gave him another quick hug before pulling away, starting for the terminal, following Elsa's lead. "Don't burn the apartment down while I'm gone!"
Kristoff laughed, watching them go until they disappeared into the terminal. Anna's nerves were still rather touchy as they went through security. She'd actually never flown before, much less over an ocean. By the time they made it to their gate, her eyes were practically glued to the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching massive airplanes taxi along the runway.
"It's going to be okay, Sunshine." Elsa's voice was soft in her ear. "I'm right beside you and I've flown plenty of times. We'll be fine."
Anna turned her attention to her girlfriend, heaving a sigh of relief. "Yeah. Yeah, we will."
Anna wasn't exactly sure what sort of welcome she was expecting.
This was not it, though.
Flying into Amsterdam was an interesting experience in and of itself- Anna was suddenly bombarded by more languages and cultures than she could rightly shake a stick at- but getting out of the airport's terminal brought with it a whole new surprise parked right out front.
For some reason, she really thought stretch limousines were... an American thing. Especially... Hummer limos. They just seemed to ostentatious for... well anyone, in the redhead's opinion, but certainly given her current location. Weren't all Europeans supposed to be, like, all for recycling and stuff, saving the planet and all that?
Or was that a stereotype?
Crap, was she being insensitive? If she hadn't been so distracted trying to learn Norwegian, she would've done some research on The Netherlands. She probably looked like an idiot gawking at a stupid limo, of all things.
"Chase away those clouds, Sunshine." Elsa pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You're getting nervous again."
Anna gave her a weak smile and nodded, trying to swallow her anxiety. She was all set to head towards what she assumed to be the cab line when her girlfriend nudged her towards the Hummer limo. "Is that for us?"
"I suspect so," Elsa replied, chuckling softly as the driver hurried around to open the back door but didn't make it in time, the occupants pouring out and rushing towards the pair.
Elsa had mentioned, over the past three week especially, the select few friends the blonde claimed from the world of the rich and powerful: Merida DunBroch, daughter of the CEO of Clydesdale Bank, one of the three main banking institutes in Scotland, and next in line for the company; Olaf Fossen, eldest son of the CEOs of Orkla, a Norwegian conglomerate spanning forty countries, and next in line for the company; and Marshall Fossen, youngest son of the CEOs of Orkla and prospective next in line for the position of Axis Communications CEO. She described them as being energetic, outgoing, and entirely bored with the role they were expected to play in their parents' businesses. In other words, Elsa's polar opposites, but they somehow got along. Anna had originally thought the blonde was describing their quirks in comparison to herself.
Nope.
Not at all.
Because being 'energetic' in comparison to Elsa wasn't hard. In comparison to Anna on a sugar high? Much more difficult... unless you're Olaf, apparently.
"ELSA! YOU'RE BACK!" A scrawny young man shouted in Norwegian and raced towards them, throwing his arms wide and nearly tackling the blonde to the ground, knocking his glasses askew in the process. "We missed you so much!"
"It's good to be back, Olaf," Elsa replied in English and hugged him, casting a glance at Anna. She was warned about the shorter man's tendency to be overly- and almost inappropriately- affectionate, but her girlfriend had explained that he was genuine in his gestures and rarely meant them as anything more than platonic displays. Thankfully, the redhead was able to keep a handle on her jealousy, cracking a smile at the warm welcome.
"Ye cou'd stand ta visit mair than once a year, ye ken." A redheaded woman grumbled, hands shoved in the pockets of her faded, torn jeans. Anna nearly laughed out loud; while Olaf was wearing a suit and tie, minus the jacket, the woman she could only assume to be Merida was wearing an outfit resembling those Elsa wore at the beginning of their relationship, right down to a grubby jean jacket over her shoulders. Juxtaposed with the limo almost made Anna laugh, though she managed to keep her amusement to herself. "We kin barely git a word in wi' ye when yer parents are aroond. Ah'd say they're mair than eager ta blether ta ye than we are."
"Hey, we're lucky Her Majesty came back to grace us with her presence at all this year!" Marshall laughed, the sound deep and rich, the younger of the two brothers standing head and shoulders above everyone else. "Goes off to another country, gets swept off her feet by some American." Chestnut colored eyes fell on Anna, his gaze intense though Marshall's smile remained kind. "And this must be the lucky woman, yes?"
Elsa nodded, detaching from Olaf long enough to wrap an arm around Anna's shoulders. "Marshall, Merida, Olaf, allow me to introduce Anna Andersen." The blonde leaned closer to her, whispering into her ear: "Just a reminder, all's fair in love and war."
Before she could puzzle over the cryptic message, Anna was shoved forward much like she'd done to Elsa during their first visit to the Andersens' home. She hardly stumbled a step, suddenly caught in a vice-like grip that threatened to shatter a few ribs if things continued.
"You give such warm hugs!" Olaf laughed, having switched to English for her benefit, apparently.
Which, of course made the redhead feel guilty, so she responded in Norwegian and returned the embrace as best she could. For a tiny guy, Olaf could put some wrestlers to shame! "Thank you. Your hugs are good, too."
Though it was as basic as two sentences could get, Olaf lit up like she'd just recited Shakespeare backwards or something. "You speak our language!"
"Only a little; I'm learning." She smiled at Elsa. "But I have a wonderful teacher."
"Och stoatin, anither garbled fankle fur me ta caw a deaf lug ta, lik' ah wantit mair o' that!" Merida tapped Olaf's shoulder, prompting the man to move away and allowing the two redheads to stand face-to-face. Merida was uncomfortably close in Anna's opinion but, judging from the aggressive set of her jaw, that was exactly where the other woman wanted to be. "Ye'r juist comin' along ta speil th' part o' a lapdog, aren't ye?"
"Excuse me?" Anna frowned, furrowing her brows. She didn't really catch all that but the tone definitely didn't bode well.
"Dae ye actually care aboot Elsa or are ye juist 'ere fur th' dosh?" Merida spat, leaning closer and trying very admirably to strike some fear into Anna through the force of her gaze alone.
"Dosh?"
"Aye, th' money."
It took a moment for Anna to string the words together. Though mildly insulted, Anna could easily see where Merida was coming from; what she couldn't agree with was the other woman's method of addressing the issue. While she expected some sort of interrogation from the blonde's friends, she could see her girlfriend's expression out of the corner of her eye and this particular method was not appreciated. Gritting her teeth, Anna matched Merida's expression with one of her own, growling out her reply. "I'm here because I love her."
Both redheads were silent before Merida leaned back a few inches, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ah'll gie ye three million, American, an' buy yer ticket if ye leave by the end o' today, wi'out her."
"Merida-"
"Dinnae interrupt, mukker; this is atween me 'n' her."
"Wait, what?" Anna blinked in surprise before clenching both hands into fists. Being insulted, Anna could handle. The tone Merida just used to address Elsa? Calling her... whatever she just called her? Oh hell no. Leaning forward, Anna jabbed a finger into the other woman's chest, lowering her voice to a menacing rumble. "Look, I don't know who you think you are, but I'm here because Elsa wants me to be here, and if she changes her mind, I'll abide by her wishes. No amount of money or threats from any of you are going to persuade me to disregard her wants and needs, and you can fuck right the hell off for even trying that shit." She drew back, mirroring Merida's pose. "You don't like me, that's fine, but for Elsa's sake, let's play nice so we don't embarrass anyone. Unless you'd prefer a bloody nose to match your hair."
There was a moment of silence between the five of them before everyone- except, of course, Anna- busted out into laughter. Olaf, Marshall, and Merida were doubled over and holding their stomachs, while Elsa was busy pulling Anna into her arms, holding her close.
"I gotta admit, Your Majesty, you found yourself a real American Firecracker!" Marshall gasped, laughing harder as he slapped Merida's back. "You shoulda seen the look on your face, Wildfire! Priceless!"
"Ah totally didnae expect tha'! Did ye hear her? Lassie's git guts!" Merida chortled, her accent shining through much more forcefully than before. "Yer Majesty, ye hae tae let me indroduce her tae mah mither sometime! it juist micht mak' her heid explode!"
Anna blinked a few times, turning towards Elsa. "I feel like I missed something."
Elsa leaned in and kissed her cheek. "She was just testing you, Sunshine, and you passed."
She frowned. "I still don't like her calling you a... muk.. mukker?"
"Lassie, 'mukker' means 'friend'."
"... oh." Anna gave a helpless chuckle and shrugged. "I can barely manage speaking English and Norwegian... not sure if I can manage Scottish too."
"Ye'll do fine." Merida grinned, clapping her on the shoulder. "Welcome ta th' Court o' Importance!"
"Court of Fools, more like." Marshall chuckled, nodding towards the awaiting limo. "We'd best start heading back, before Mr. Aren sends out a search party for us."
As they started towards the limo, Anna leaned over to her girlfriend, speaking in a hushed voice. "Court of what?"
"It's a silly joke from when we were kids." Elsa explained, a small grin on her lips. "Raised to be the leaders of large companies, it's like we were royalty next in line for thrones. I suggested we band our nations together, so we became the 'Court of Importance'." At Anna's curious look, she shrugged. "I was the oldest at eight; we weren't exactly the most imaginative group back then, okay? If I'd known the word 'pretentious' at eight, I would've worked that in somewhere."
Anna laughed, loading their luggage into the back of the limo, much to chagrin of the driver. After sheepishly apologizing, the two joined the three already inside the vehicle, the friends catching up on news as they left the airport. Anna listened to the conversation, mildly amused at the different accents alongside each other. While Olaf had- what she guessed- a true Norwegian accent, Marshall's was slightly different, likely an influence from the Swedish business tutors. Elsa's held shades of Norwegian, though that was coming out the more she spoke, still affected by her time in America. Merida's was... well, a pretty stark contrast all around.
And then, there was Anna. While the redhead had plenty of time to properly freak out about meeting the blonde's parents, she hadn't really been given any time to freak out about meeting her friends. Once they pulled her into the conversation, though, it was like they'd all grown up together. Marshall and Olaf were interested in her- admittedly, very limited and probably poorly informed- views on cross Atlantic relations and Merida was more than willing to rant with her about the silliness of proper manners and etiquette.
As they pulled into an expansive estate on the edges of Amsterdam, the five were deep in conversation about global social trends and social media in general. Elsa kept shooting Anna grateful smiles, able to keep up with the conversation thanks to Anna's explanations from months ago.
When the door opened, it took all of them by surprise.
"We're here already?" Olaf frowned momentarily before perking up again. "Does that mean we can start the Tournament of Champions?"
"Tournament of Champions?" Anna quirked a brow, getting out and accepting her luggage from the driver.
"Aye, we start a gam o' Super Smash Brother's Melee, max participants on th' highest damage mode. Whoever's fighter mak's it ta th' end, wins." Merida shrugged. "Guid way ta shite away some time."
Anna glanced at Elsa. "Shite?"
"Waste." Elsa smirked. "It takes some time but you'll be able to understand it soon enough. Just don't try speaking it yourself." She frowned. "I made that mistake once."
"Aye, 'n' ah'ave ne'er bin sa offendit. She didnae even offer ta buy me supper foremaist." Merida teased.
As the five made their way up the steps of the house, Anna noticed a man and woman standing beside the door, both wearing wide smiles. Had she not already seen Mr. Aren, she might've mistaken the pair for Elsa's parents, especially once they rushed forward.
"Kai! Gerda!" Elsa dropped her bag and accepted the man's embrace with a laugh, moving on to the woman once she was released.
"It's wonderful to see you again, Miss Elsa," Kai said in fluent Norwegian with a fond smile. Anna could barely keep up with his words. "The whole place is looking forward to your visit."
"And this must be our special guest!" Gerda released Elsa and pulled Anna into a hug. "She's precious!"
"Ah, thank you?" Anna ventured, noting the surprised glance Kai and Gerda shared.
"Impressive." Kai chuckled, bending down to collect Elsa's luggage. His English held more of an accent than Elsa's but it wasn't too difficult for the redhead to understand. "But, we will try to be courteous."
"Yes, dear, here, let me take that." Gerda eased the strap of Anna's backpack from her shoulder and her tote from her hand. Anna tried to protest but acquiesced with Elsa's encouragement. "Your father will be home in two hours, Miss Elsa. Your mother is in the library."
"Thank you." Elsa smiled, taking Anna by the hand. "We'll go meet my mother, then join the others for some games, okay?"
Anna took a deep breath and nodded, not trusting her voice, allowing Elsa to lead the way.
Months ago, when the blonde revealed her heritage and all that it implied, Anna hadn't really acknowledged the full extent of that information. Even after seeing the blonde's plethora of gaming equipment, nothing had really hit home. Sure, she was well aware of the whole 'wealthy CEO' portion of Elsa's upbringing, having spent the past several weeks stressing over it but...
Well, there was a marked difference between being aware of someone's financial status and walking what felt like miles through a mansion decorated with classical art and classy furniture.
How the hell was she supposed to impress these people!?
"Sunshine, look at me," Elsa said as they came to a stop outside of double doors with brass handles, caressing her cheek and squeezing her hand reassuringly. "You're anxious and you shouldn't be. My mother will love you."
"But-"
"But..." the blonde smiled, leaning in to brush a soft kiss against her lips. "... if she doesn't, then that's her loss."
"Snowflake..." Anna mumbled before pulling her girlfriend in for another kiss, harder than the last. Elsa matched her intensity, making an unspoken promise that everything would be okay. When they parted, the redhead nuzzled into Elsa's embrace. "I love you, Elsa."
"I love you too, Anna." She smiled. "No matter what."
They shared a quick kiss and opened the doors, stepping into a room straight out of a Victorian era novel. Bookcases from floor to ceiling, packed with books of every size, lined the walls and more bookcases set perpendicular to the others, creating little alcoves filled with a few plush chairs, low tables with centerpieces.
It was... definitely a little jarring.
"Mother?"
"Over here, Elsa." Anna turned her head as they passed another bookcase, coming face-to-face with the woman she'd dreaded meeting for the better part of two months.
Somehow, the only thought going through her mind was: it was no wonder where Elsa got her natural beauty from. Mrs. Aren was the very definition of grace, her chestnut brown hair done up in an intricate bun and a pleasant smile on her face as she rose to greet them.
Anna suddenly remembered the conventional wisdom that looking at a woman's mother would be a pretty good idea of how she'd look twenty or so years down the road. If that held true in Elsa's case...
Damn. Just... dayum!
"So, you must be Anna." Mrs. Aren's lips twitched slightly, though Anna couldn't tell exactly why. She hoped it was because of the language switch and not suppressing a frown. "Elsa's told us a bit about you."
"She's spoken very fondly of you, Ma'am." Anna mentally cheered at the slight surprise registering on Mrs. Aren's face. "It's my honor to meet you."
She heard Elsa smother a chuckle beside her, furrowing her brows slightly as Mrs. Aren's smile grew wider.
"I believe you mean 'ære' instead of 'ærlig', my dear."
Anna's face instantly heated up, the blush rising in her cheeks reaching all the way to the tips of her ears. She ducked her head down but, just before she could start mentally berating herself, Elsa's hand slid under her chin and pulled her into a soft kiss.
"I remember when Elsa was learning English." Mrs. Aren's voice snatched their attention away from the other, both women turning to look as Mrs. Aren seemed lost in memory. "She was absolutely convinced that someone was ill every time someone said 'that's sick' and would constantly questioned why no one was calling a doctor."
Anna chuckled while Elsa sighed, rubbing at her temple. "In my defense, I still think that's it's a silly expression and I had a legitimate concern."
"Ah, the horror of growing up in the nineties." Anna teased, wrapping an arm around the blonde's waist as she received a playful glare, turning her attention instead to Mrs. Aren. "Either way, sorry about that. I'm, uh, still learning."
"Yet doing so well! Learning another language isn't easy for most people, especially coming to it so late."
"Mother." Elsa warned, frowning slightly. "That's hardly her fault."
"I didn't mean to imply it was," Mrs. Aren replied, retaking her seat and picking up a book she must've been reading earlier. "I hope both of you will join us for dinner."
"Of course," Anna said, glancing at her girlfriend briefly before following the blonde out, biting her lip as they entered the hallway. "Why do I get the feeling she's not exactly happy about this?"
"Because she's not." The blonde grumbled, rolling her eyes. "But, she's at least trying to be nice, I'll give her that." Elsa slipped her hand into Anna's, prompting her to return the blonde's small smile with one of her own. "It doesn't matter. She doesn't know what she's missing but she'll see. She'll change her mind."
They walked in silence for a few minutes.
"I can't believe I got 'honor' and 'honest' confused, though." The redhead groused, shoulders slumping slightly. "So much for impressing her."
"Hey, none of that, Sunshine." Elsa pulled on her hand, bringing them to a stop in the middle of the hallway. "I already told you that you don't have to impress anyone here." She wrapped her arms around Anna. "This place? This house? It isn't home for me. Right here? In your arms? This is my home."
Anna smiled, pulling her girlfriend into a kiss. "Thank you, Snowflake. I'm just... really nervous-"
"Oh? I couldn't tell." Elsa laughed as Anna playfully swatted her arm.
"You're just going to keep teasing me until I give in and start acting like the little manner-less heathen my parents told you about, aren't you?"
"No, of course not!" The blonde pulled away, starting down the hallway once more. "I'll stop once you're the little manner-less heathen I remember eating with at Tony's. I do have standards, you know."
Anna added 'chasing girlfriend through a mansion' to the growing list of moments that reminded her just how much she loved the woman.
While Anna enjoyed playing video games for leisure, getting a group of future CEOs together to play a tournament crossed into territory that was way too competitive for her skillset. Which was fine by the redhead despite how much the others tried to include her in the game. Rather than playing, she sat in a chair with Elsa on her lap, arms wrapped around the blonde's waist while she played.
It was endlessly amusing how many times Merida, Olaf, or Marshall would offer her money in exchange for sabotaging the blonde as they played. Anna refused, of course, remaining loyal to her girlfriend up until the semi-finals. Elsa had two characters still in the game, one in each bracket. Marshall got knocked out in the quarterfinals by Merida, leaving three of the friends still in the fight.
"A'm serious, a million dollars, a yacht, 'n' whitevur motor ye waant." Merida plead as they got into the stage selection menu.
"I think it's an appropriate time for a counter offer."
"Counter offer?" Elsa raised a brow, throwing a glance over her shoulder.
"Yeah. I get cuddles and a story tonight, or else I sabotage your match." Anna nuzzled into the blonde's shoulder.
"Oh? And what makes you think you can sabotage me?" The blonde dared, prompting her to smirk.
Challenge accepted.
Anna instantly latched onto the blonde's neck and blew a raspberry on her skin, digging her fingers into Elsa's sides where she was most ticklish. Elsa instantly jerked and burst out laughing, nearly losing her grip on the controller completely as she tried to get away. The redhead wasn't that easily thwarted, though, and followed her girlfriend to the ground, keeping up her assault as Merida whooped in the background.
"S-s-stop! St- oh my! Stop!" Elsa mustered, fighting to get away. "Mercy! Mercy!"
"I demand cuddles!"
"Cuddles! Okay! Just stop!"
"And a story!"
"Okay! Okay! You win!"
Anna collapsed into a giggle fit as she ceased her assault, rolling onto her back. In a flash, Elsa was hovering over her, the controller long forgotten as she playfully glowered at the redhead.
"I would've given you cuddles and a story anyway."
Anna reached out, running her fingers along Elsa's forehead to brush the loose locks behind her ear. "I know, Snowflake. But in a world of CEOs, I have to learn the art of wheeling and dealing at some point, right?"
Her girlfriend rolled her eyes. "Oh, my dearest Sunshine... do you really want to play this game with me?"
She paused, tilting her head slightly. "I'll probably lose every time... but I'd play any game you want, Snowflake."
Elsa laughed, leaning down for a kiss as Merida proclaimed herself the winner. Neither of them were paying much attention- losing themselves a bit in the feel of the other- until someone cleared their throat. They both looked up with sheepish grins, ready to apologize to Marshall or Olaf... until they realized it wasn't either young man who'd cleared his throat.
It was Mr. Aren.
He looked just like Anna remembered, except his features were sharper in person rather than through a computer screen. In a crisp three piece suit, Mr. Aren stood just behind the couch, looking down at them with a blank, unreadable expression and...
... oh no...
...were those tears in his eyes?
"Father." Elsa pushed herself up, getting to her feet. Anna followed suit, brushing herself off quickly and straightening out her clothes. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in. How was your day?"
"Good." Mr. Aren nodded, shifting his gaze to Anna and offering her a small smile. "I hope you find everything to your liking. Let the staff know if you are in need of anything." He looked back to Elsa. "I'll see you both at dinner."
He turned and left as quickly and quietly as he came, leaving the five of them stunned in his wake.
"How long do you think he was standing there?" Anna bit her lip, fiddling with her shirt nervously. Everyone shrugged, Olaf snatching up Merida's controller and trying to lighten the mood by pestering Elsa into starting the match. Anna reclaimed her former seat, accepting Elsa's weight onto her lap with only slight trepidation. "Was... was he crying?"
"I don't know," Elsa replied quietly, shaking her head slightly. "I... can't remember ever seeing him cry."
Anna fell silent as the game continued, burying her face in the blonde's back, taking a deep breath and trying to will herself to calm down and mentally prepare herself for dinner.
As long as she had Elsa's love, she could make it through this. She tightened her hold on the blonde.
They could make it through this.
But she needed to distract herself now or else she'd work herself into a panic attack long before dinner rolled around.
"It's funny," she said, summoning a smile as the blonde glanced at her. "Seems we keep getting caught by the nearest dad. Who do you think's next? Merida's?"
Anna felt a real smile claim her lips as the other four busted out laughing, hard. She had no idea what the Scot's father was like but, if the reaction was any indication, she couldn't have picked a better hypothetical candidate. With the tension broken, conversation turned to lighter topics and Anna could feel her girlfriend relaxing into her embrace once more.
It was more comforting than just about anything else could be, in that moment.
Author's Note: Not over yet, folks. Buckle down. Oh, and to IKEA guy, yes, IKEA is a Swedish company. The corporate headquarters, however, is in Leiden, South Holland, The Netherlands, about twenty five miles from Amsterdam. Near as I can figure, the location of the headquarters is related to tax exemptions. Heck, the founder of IKEA- who was born in Sweden- has spent the last thirty five years or so living in Switzerland and only recently returned to his birthplace, so it could be just for the scenery for all I know. (But it's probably for the tax exemption.) Writing this fic has taught me a lot about global economy and businesses.