Chapter 3: War

Elsa opened her eyes, blinking rapidly to ease her weariness. She looked around and saw that she wasn't in her usual place of solitude. She wasn't in her bed, she was on a couch. It wasn't daytime either, instead it was still dark. There wasn't any books on the floor, instead it was clean. Her surroundings became more transparent as to where she was as her thought process kicked into gear. She had fallen asleep in the game room. She looked over the edge of the couch where she lay, cuddled in one of the blankets she remembered seeing in Anna's room, and saw the coffee table that lay in front of the television set, as well as her younger sister, who was asleep in a leather lounger adjacent to the table itself. She looked back down to the table, and saw the spoils and losses of the game of "War" that continued the long and language-ridden path that the siblings started weeks ago. She smiled, remembering what all happened last night.

Getting my ass kicked huh? She studied the decks even longer. Looks like the tables have turned, my oh so humble sister. Elsa felt her eyes start to become heavy again, and yawned, stretching her back, which caused it to pop a number of times. "Ugh," came an aghast report from her sister, who was now awake due to the effects of Elsa's stretching. "You know I hate when you do that."

Elsa let a tiny laugh leave her mouth, "I'll stop breaking my back in half when you learn to finish someone off in a card game."

Anna, now noticeably excited, jumped up from her resting place, causing Elsa to jump a little in her seat. "How was I supposed to know that I'd lose two aces in one stand-off!"

Elsa, remembering how easy it is to mess with her sister, took advantage of the situation."Well, you wouldn't have lost them if you could have had better cards!"

Anna's face became noticeably more red, despite making it hard to see with her freckles that were dotted all over her cheeks. "I can't control what my cards were worth!" Anna said, a little more frustrated.

Elsa smiled, "Apparently you can't control a game of 'War' either!"

Anna opened her mouth, as if she was going to say something, but then closed it, and let her head down, causing her hair to drape over her face. Elsa ran through a million responses to a million comebacks that she contemplated Anna would say, but wasn't prepared for what happened next. Elsa heard sniffles. Not any sniffles, but the short and solemn sniffles that she knew only as Anna's. Elsa immediately got up, and ran to her sister who was no more than four or five feet away from her position on the couch.

"Anna, I was kidding, you know there is no way that I'd ever mean anything like tha-"

Anna looked up suddenly, grabbing her sister. "Psyche," she said, inches away from her sister's face, causing Elsa to feel the warm breath of her younger sibling. Elsa didn't even have time to react to Anna's ruse before she was picked up by her younger sibling, and was thrown on the couch, her sister landing on top of her.

Anna grabbed Elsa's sides, remembering where she was ticklish at the most. She felt Elsa tense up, and then tightened her grip on her sisters hips, causing Elsa to curl into a ball of laughter.

"How are you able to pick me up?!" Elsa said through laughter, finding it difficult to move as Anna's fingers sent impulses through her whole body by tickling.

"You think I go to the gym to just get out of the house?" Anna asked jokingly. Elsa couldn't take much more. She had already started to feel tears well up behind her eyes, and any attempt to throw Anna off of her was pointless. Anna had her held down by pinning Elsa's arms with her legs, and sitting on her stomach, all while hitting every single spot Anna knew Elsa was ticklish at. Elsa looked up at her sister and saw no sign of mercy. Ah, fuck it.

Elsa rolled over, causing Anna's legs to slide up slightly, but just enough so to where they were within striking distance. Elsa then bit Anna's thigh tight enough to where she had to stand up.

"OW!" Anna exclaimed, holding the spot on her leg where she thought Elsa had taken a chunk out of. Elsa then knew that this was her moment to strike. She leaped from the couch where her sister had thrown her, and grabbed her sister around the waist.

Elsa lifted with all she could muster, and crashed her sister down on the lounger. Elsa pinned Anna using the same technique that was used against her moments ago. Anna looked up at her sister, shock in her eyes. "How…" Anna grabbed her sister's arm. "How did you get so strong?"

Elsa smiled devilishly, "You don't think that me and Punzel just go to the mall every day we spend together do you?" The smile on Elsa's face turned into something even more diabolical. "We don't just go to the gym to get out of the house, you know…" Elsa then slid down Anna's body, lifting up her shirt. Elsa forced both hands onto her younger sister's abdomen, and tickled Anna relentlessly.

Anna sputtered something at first, but was drowned out by a sea of laughter and jerking movements. Elsa didn't let up, letting Anna feel exactly how cruel she could be when she was messed with. But the older sister noticeably eased up on the torrential volley of tickles that she bequeathed on Anna, as she felt how toned Anna's abdomen was. She felt with her very own fingers how every muscle in her sister's midsection was formed, how they tensed when they were provoked by Elsa's warm, long fingers.

Anna noticed her sister's momentary withdrawal from her tickle assault, and acted quickly, lifting Elsa with her legs, causing her to lose balance, and falling to the floor with her, pinning Elsa's hands by holding her wrists to the floor.

Elsa, noticeably stunned, looked at her sister inquisitively. "How are you gonna do anything when your holding my hands down?" Anna chuckled, but not a happy chuckle. It was almost sultry, cocky even.

"Remember the time I tried to tell you a secret in your ear in elementary school, and as soon as I said one thing you jerked backwards and stated laughing?" Elsa's eyes widened with realization, as she met her sister's gaze. Anna leaned her head down, brushing Elsa's cheek with her own as she went by, letting her messy, red hair drape over her sister's face.

"I do," Anna whispered breathily into Elsa's ear, causing a huge smile to spread across the older sister's face. "A-Anna!" Elsa sputtered, trying to hold back laughter. Anna showed that she had authority over the situation by leaning in even closer to Elsa's ear.

"What's the matter sis," Anna whispered deeply, causing Elsa to burst out with laughter, "Can't keep it in anymore? Go on and laugh Elsa, you'll just be making this harder on yourself."

Elsa was about to cry from laughing too much. She knew it wasn't long before she couldn't take anymore. Elsa struggled intently to escape her sister's submission hold, but to no avail. Squirming and writhing only seemed to do little to none. "Just give up Elsa," Anna breathed. "We know who's gonna win this war."

Elsa, feeling a tear run down her cheek, finally gave up. "Okay, okay! I give! You win!" Elsa panted, unable to draw breath very quickly. Anna released her sister's arms, and fell to the floor beside where she lay, struggling for breath as well due to Elsa's excruciating struggle. Both sisters laid on the hardwood floor, struggling for air. Elsa, hearing her sister's deep breaths, turned around and faced Anna, meeting her deep blue eyes. "You may win at this tickling thing," Elsa gasped. "But I'll still take you to town in cards."

Anna released a single laugh in between inhales, smiling and patting her sister's head. "Yeah, keep talking shit sis."


Elsa and Anna sat outside on the balcony, bundled up in a coat and blankets, looking up at the stars. Anna had snuck downstairs to make her sister and herself a cup of hot chocolate, passing her parents' room, which brought a smile to her face as she heard her father let out a gruff and violent snore. Elsa sipped her hot chocolate, all the while staring at the cold December night that had set around their New York home. Anna looked over to see her sister staring intently into the darkness of their quiet, secluded neighborhood.

Elsa's hair blew gently with the faint wind, causing her signature single braid to dance lightly as it fell down the back of her rocking chair. Anna noticed that she was staring, but only too late, as her sister turned her head to meet Anna's gaze. Elsa smiled, closing he eyes as she did so, causing Anna to return the gesture. Elsa leaned her head back, letting out a groan as she pulled the blanket up farther on her legs.

"It's been WAY too long since we did anything like this," Elsa said as she ran her fingers through her hair, reaching the ponytail that held her braid intact, and pulling it out, letting her blonde hair fall three-fourths of the way down her back. "Woah." Anna's eyes were wide open with amazement at the length of her sister's hair. "When did your hair get so long?"

Elsa smiled, "It's the magic of coconut oil." Elsa stood, and made her way to Anna, turning around to sit where she could lay her head in Anna's lap, allowing her to play with her hair. "It also makes it super soft," Elsa added.

Anna sat there, unknowing of what to do. She looked at Elsa's face, seeing her eyes were closed, waiting. Suddenly, Elsa's crystal blue eyes opened, meeting Anna's. Jesus. Anna's eyes searched deeply into her sister's. They never look this blue. "It's okay," Elsa said, grabbing Anna's right hand, pulling it to her hair. "I like having my hair played with anyway."

Anna meticulously ran her fingers through Elsa's hair, feeling the softness and smoothness that her hair had to offer. Elsa's eyes closed shut again, as she let out a noise of pleasure from the back of her throat. The younger sister moved her other hand to her sister's tresses, and continued to bring her hands all the way through to the end, and then repeating the process until all of Elsa's hair spanned Anna's lap. Anna looked down at her sister's expressions as she slowly laced her fingers to and fro in the sea of blonde hair that belonged to her sister. Good God, what I'd give to have hair like this. Or at least to have my hair played with like this.

Minutes passed, and Anna hummed as her fingers made waves in Elsa's hair. Anna looked back down as she heard a faint breath emit from Elsa that sounded a little more out of the norm. Anna felt herself smile, and couldn't hold it back even if she tried, as she saw her sister had fallen asleep. She continued to stroke Elsa's white-blonde hair, and leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Elsa's eyes blinked slowly, opening them gradually and smiling when she saw her sister and realized how she had been woken up. "Jeez, it's been forever since you've done that," she slurred through sleepy speech. She yawned, and stood up, leaning backwards, causing her to expose her abdomen to her younger sister. "I've missed it a lot."

Anna felt her face increase in temperature, and tried to hide her face in her arms as she let a goofy smile slide across her lips. I've missed it too. I've missed it more than you'll ever know.

Anna felt a tug on the collar of her jacket, lifting her head up out of her arms. "Hey," Elsa said, putting her arm around Anna, keeping a sly grin on her face the entire time. "I think it's about time for me to give you that present of yours."

Anna's eyes widened. "Oh, you think it's about time, huh?" She asked jokingly. Elsa pushed her sister playfully, letting a single, girly laugh discharge. "I could just keep it for myself, but I think you'd have more fun with it." Elsa grabbed Anna's arm, and pulled in the direction of the game room. "C'mon slowpoke," Elsa jeered. Anna laughed and followed her sister into the room connected to the balcony, all the while being tugged on by her older sister.


The warm air of the house felt good on Anna's cold, dry skin. She let out a sigh of relief upon releasing the heavy winter jacket she had donned before heading outside with her sister, causing Elsa to laugh at her younger sibling.

"What?" Anna inquired, still shedding layers of clothing off her body until she reached her pajamas. Elsa brought a hand up to her mouth, biting the length of her thumb as she watched her sister peel at least two different layers of warm clothes off her body.

"Nothing," she managed to say, despite holding back laughter. "I just forgot that my sister is a total wimp when it comes to cold weather."

Anna put a hand on one hip, and stuck her tongue out at her sister, bringing up a one-fingered gesture with her free hand. "Spin on it," Anna said, jokingly.

Elsa, thinking of a witty comment to add, started laughing as they made their way out of the game room. "Don't tempt me," she said, pointing a finger at her younger sister, putting a half smile across her face. "I haven't had any kind of action in forever!"

Anna felt her face blush again, but this time in a completely different way. It wasn't out of embarrassment, it was something entirely new, unbeknownst to the younger sibling. Wait. What does she mean by "In forever?" Anna looked up at her older sister, making her way into her room, motioning for Anna to follow.

Elsa stuck her head out of her door again, looking for her sister, who was dead in her tracks. "Anna!" She whispered loudly, snapping her sister back to a state of attention.

"Coming!" Anna whispered back, careful not to be so loud as to wake her father.

After tiptoeing into Elsa's room, Anna saw that Elsa had cleared a path through her room, making it easier to navigate in and out. Elsa was sitting on her bed, and stood up quickly, hiding her hands behind her back. "Come here," Elsa said, patting the bed. "You'll wanna sit down for this."

Anna made her way to the bed, and sat down as instructed. "Okay," Elsa began, putting one arm on Anna's shoulder. "I have a hard time getting to find time to spend with you, and I'm aware of this."

Anna looked into her sister's gaze. Yeah, no shit.

"Since I'm not always around, I don't get to listen to the things that you like very much, and it pains me to say so."

Feeling the sting here too, sis.

"However, being around does give me the chance to be pretty observant."

My sister observes me?

"Seeing all the bands that are on your t-shirts, I figured a little something out for you."

Oh sweet, she probably got me some new band merch, or someth-

Anna's thoughts were cut short as a single envelope was put into her lap. Anna looked down at the paper packet, and then reacted by tearing it open, not caring an ounce for neatness. She finally got to where she could fish out what was inside the envelope, and pulled out a single ticket.

"No way," Anna stared at the ticket, eyes wide as ever. She shot her head up at her sister, keeping her intent gaze prevalent on her face. "No fucking way."

Her older sister put on a smile, and looked her sister dead in the eyes. "Way."

Anna jumped up and squealed, all while grasping the ticket her sister had given her. Elsa let out a laugh, and caused Anna to blush again. "I'm sorry for fangirling," Anna said, smiling at her sister. "But I have been looking for tickets to Issue's World Tour for weeks and they've been sold out!"

Elsa brought a hand to her chin, giving a perpetual look of pondering that was obviously fake, and then looked at her sister. "I guess it's a good thing I bought two of them then," she said as she pulled a ticket out of her pocket, holding it highly between her right thumb and index finger so Anna could see it.

Anna looked down from her sister's ticket. "Get out of here," she said, not believing what she was seeing.

"By the way," Elsa said, stuffing the ticket into her pocket again, "do you have a band t-shirt I could borrow?"

Elsa barely had any time to interact before realizing that Anna had flung herself around her sister's neck, pushing her face into Elsa's neck. Elsa could feel tears coming from Anna's eyes, and wrapped her arms around her younger sibling's torso, rubbing the upper part of her back. "I just thought that it was time for me to spend a day with my little sis."

Anna sniffled, and let out a single chuckle, causing her to have to sniffle again, spoke into Elsa's neck. "You're the best sister ever." Elsa pulled Anna off of her, and leaned in to kiss Anna's forehead, before pulling back to smile and wink at her younger sister.

"You better remember that forever, rabbit."

Oh trust me. I will.

I fucking will.