Anna looked up happily at the terrified blonde. Elsa was standing in front of the mirror, wearing a full length blue dress, with black leggings, and the same heels as before. She had practiced about twenty different variations on the same introduction. "Hi, Anna's parents," she muttered, "I'm Elsa. I'm sure she's told you about me?" She shook her head. "Hi, I'm your daughter's girlfriend. Ugh! Hi, I'm the older woman who's banging your daughter, you should like me."
Anna hugged the older girl. "It'll be okay. You're amazing. They'll love you."
"My parents didn't even like me enough to keep me, why would yours?" she snapped, on the verge of tears.
Anna held her tighter. "I love you, that will be enough for them."
Elsa looked down at Anna, still holding back tears. "I've never had to do this before. I've wanted had anyone I'd want to do this for before. I want your parents to like me."
"They will, snowflake. I promise," Anna held Elsa's chin, looking reassuringly into her eyes.
Elsa gathered herself. "All right. I've put it off for long enough. Let's go." She released a shuddering breath, and escorted the redhead to her car. She couldn't help but admire the younger girl, as she dragged her small pink suitcase behind her, covered head to toe in sweats, a green cardigan, snow boots, and her pink coat. She was not accustomed to the colder weather. Elsa only had to throw on a jacket over her dress.
The old blue Corolla rolled along the highway, in rigid adherence to the speed limit. Elsa stared straight ahead at the road, knuckles white against the steering wheel. Anna watched her drive, taking in her every feature. "Elsa, relax, they're going to love you. You are the most amazing, beautiful, brilliant person I have ever known. They'll take one look at you and go 'damn, my daughter has good taste.' Then they'll give you eggnog and cookies, because that's what you do for guests at Christmas. Besides, I'm sure your present will placate them even if for some strange reason they find you anything less than amazing."
Elsa wasn't so sure. She felt that the fancy perfume for Anna's mother and the sports memorabilia for her father were not likely to do her any favors. "You don't think it's a little sexist? And really shows that I have absolutely no idea what to expect? Like it could just be a gift for any two parents and that it sounds like there's not really any thought put into it?"
Anna grinned; she loved how Elsa over thought things. "My father collects those little baseball bats from every team, and he didn't have that one yet. That's my mother's favorite perfume, and I know for a fact that she's almost out, and that my father didn't get it for her. You aren't trying to prove how well you know them, you're proving how well you know me, and I know them. They're going to love the presents, they're going to love you, and everything will be perfect."
Elsa gazed into her girlfriend's teal eyes for a moment, wanting desperately to believe her, before turning back to the road. "You really talk to them that often?"
"Huh?" Anna asked.
"You know exactly what they don't have. I never really notice you on the phone with them, I didn't realize you talked that much."
"Oh, yeah, we generally talk two or three times a week. They always want to know how my classes are going, if I'm eating enough, if I'm getting any sleep, they don't even expect enough sleep, just any. They care about me."
"You talk to them three times a week and you only told them about me last week?"
Anna searched for words. "I was terrified, I'd never dated anyone before. I didn't know what they'd think. I mean I didn't think they'd disown me or anything, but I didn't know. It's not every day you tell your parents about your first love. I wanted to tell them so many times, and I almost did, almost every single time. And I didn't tell them last week, I told them a month ago, I only told you last week!" she finished, promptly realizing that that only made things worse.
Elsa's grips on the steering wheel tightened even further. "Wait, you've known that they wanted me to come for Christmas for over a month, and you only told me the week before break? What if I had plans. Every year Kristoff and I make eggnog and marathon Christmas horror movies."
Anna looked confused. "There are Christmas horror movies?"
"There are lots, actually. It's almost a genre itself. Krampus was pretty good, Black Christmas is a classic. My favorite is probably Jack Frost though, I just can't resist a killer snowman. Hey!" Elsa glared at the younger girl, "Don't change the topic. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was terrified of that too," Anna chuckled nervously. "I know you don't exactly have the best history with parental figures. I didn't want you to feel like I was rubbing in that I have parents that care enough to want to meet you. Oh my god that sounded terrible. I just mean I didn't want to upset you by making you think about your parents, or lack thereof. I just didn't want you to freak out. You always get so emotional about the subject, I wasn't sure if you could handle it. Not that you're not strong, you're the strongest person I've ever met, it's just your Kryptonite. Not that I think my parents will kill you! I-"
"It's okay," Elsa interrupted. "You know I can't stay mad at you when you do your adorable little rambles."
Anna noticed an exit for a burger chain on the right. "Want to stop for food?"
"I'm not hungry," Elsa answered.
The redhead stared at her in astonishment. "Elsa, you're always hungry. Even when we just ate you're figuring out what to make next."
"We can stop if you want food. I just can't eat when I'm this nervous. I'll have something when we get there."
Anna withdrew a chocolate bar from her suitcase. "It's okay, I'm not hungry either," she lied, taking a big bite out of it.
They drove in silence for almost half an hour, Anna going through two more chocolate bars, before Elsa finally said, "I need to stop for some gas."
"All right, I'll go in and get us drinks," she responded happily. "Root beer?"
"That sounds great," Elsa said, cracking the first smile Anna had seen since the road trip started. Her heart melted at the sight.
Anna jumped out of the car as soon as Elsa pulled up to the pump. She had to rush to the restroom before she could buy their drinks. Elsa stood at the side of the car, reaching to her pocket for a cigarette before remembering that she had neither pockets nor cigarettes. It was the first time she'd wanted one in years, she must have been even more stressed than she had thought. She started to fill up her tank, and felt a pair of eyes follow her.
After a while, she turned around to see who was watching her. "Hey there, sweet stuff," an older man, wearing flannel and a trucker's cap shouted. "Where you headed? You look like you could use some company." Elsa ignored him, focusing on refueling. "What's the matter, you deaf?" She heard heavy foot steps coming towards her as she replaced the nozzle. She turned to look at the man, cold blue eyes locking onto flat brown ones.
"I'm good, thanks," she said calmly.
"Oh come on, it's not safe for a pretty thing like you to be traveling all alone," he continued, moving closer to her. "How about I keep an eye on you?"
"How about you back away from my girlfriend!" Anna shouted, exiting from the building, a soda in either hand. Her diminutive frame looked almost intimidating as she glared daggers at the man. Elsa had never seen her like this before. It was kind of hot.
"Whoa, I uh, sorry, didn't know you were a," he turned red. This was not the response Elsa had expected, normally someone like this learning you had a girlfriend only made things worse. He seemed to be genuinely scared of Anna. "I'll get back to my truck. You girls have a nice day," he retreated, almost running back.
"Wow," Elsa breathed, staring in awe at the warrior goddess that apparently was her girlfriend. "That was incredibly sexy."
Anna blushed. "I didn't do anything," she mumbled. Elsa responded by kissing her. When the kiss broke, she grabbed her drink and the two returned to the car.
"I've never seen you like that before," Elsa marveled, pulling away from the gas station. "You scared the hell out of that asshole. He thought you were gonna beat him up."
Anna beamed, "Well yeah, that's what he gets for messing with my girl," she flexed her imaginary muscles. "I mean I have to protect you, that's my job."
"And you're so good at it. I feel so safe knowing that I have this gorgeous amazon looking after me."
Anna kissed the blonde's cheek. "I'll make sure of it. Not a scratch shall befall my fair maiden, I swear by my," she searched around for something to swear by, "chocolate wrappers!"
"You didn't throw those out?" Elsa teased, trying to hide her concern.
By the time they arrived at Anna's childhood home, Elsa was substantially more relaxed than she had been when they left. She was still convinced that this was going to go poorly, but it couldn't go too badly when she had the most amazing girl in the world with her. "I love you," she informed her, as they exited the car and collected their bags.
"I love you too!" Anna giggled, clinging to the older girl's arm as they walked up to the door.
They were promptly greeted by a graying couple. The man's once impressive physique had started to turn to fat, under a hideous Christmas sweater and a grey pair of sweats. The woman wore a matching sweater with a pair of corduroys. Elsa couldn't help but feel that she had seen them before, but she couldn't quite put her finger on where. The woman pulled both girls into a giant hug. "Oh my baby girl, I'm so happy to see you. So this must be the girl you've told me so little about. I don't even know your name."
Elsa attempted to fix her hair or any other imperfection she might have. "Hi, Anna's parents, I'm Elsa. Her girlfriend. It's nice to meet you."
Both of them hesitated for a moment, looking almost shocked for a fraction of a second. "Elsa? That's an unusual name," the man took her hand in a bone-crushing hand shake. "There can't be too many of you?"
"I've never met another Elsa," she allowed, hesitantly.
"Well it's great to finally meet you," the older woman added nervously, leading them inside. "Please, come in, take your shoes off, have some eggnog," she poured herself a large glass and handed another to each of the girls.
Anna grinned, not noticing any of the awkwardness. "So, isn't she as beautiful as I told you? And she's the smartest too, she's gonna be the most amazing doctor. So you like her, right? I knew you would." She sipped her eggnog. "Are there cookies?"
Her mother hesitated, "Of course, dear, she seems like a charming girl, and of course there are cookies. Chocolate chip, your favorite." Anna dragged Elsa over to the living room, with a large plateful of cookies, and sat before the open fire place. The home was lavishly decorated. Whatever Anna's parents had done before they retired, they apparently made good money. Elsa had never seen so many fancy things since she was a child. The living room was full of matching furniture, all of it leather. Intricate carpets covered the floor, stockings and tinsels hung everywhere. A giant tree stood in the corner, undecorated.
"You saved the tree for me?" Anna squealed. "I love decorating our tree, I thought I'd missed it!"
Elsa squeezed the younger girl's hand. Nothing had yet assuaged her fears, but the eggnog and cookies were amazing and decorating a tree with her girlfriend sounded strangely wonderful.
"Your mother wouldn't let me start without you," her father explained.
"Can we start now?" Anna asked, barely able to contain herself. She devoured another cookie and jumped to her feet, finishing her eggnog in a single gulp.
"I don't think you'll let us wait," her father chuckled, setting his drink down. The four spent the next two hours covering the tree in the contents of three large boxes of decorations. There were lights of every imaginable color and dozens of different creatures that Anna had made throughout her life.
"This one's an iguana," she said, holding up, a green blob.
"Ah, yes, the famous Christmas iguana," Elsa joked, eliciting stares from everyone else in the room.
"It has a Christmas hat," Anna pouted. "This one is a panda!"
"I love them," Elsa agreed, kissing the younger girl. She promptly ended the kiss looking around in fear. Anna's parents looked uncomfortable, but they didn't say anything. Anna dived back into the nearest box of decorations, looking for the next item she had to add to the already overloaded tree. Elsa watched her, smiling. Maybe this wasn't so bad.