A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing:)
WarriorQueen 14-I'm glad you liked it:) After I wrote it, I was wondering if it was too similar to bholley's story (I happen to really like that story actually), but I swear I really did come up with it myself:P Hopefully it wasn't too much the same...:/
bananas-rule-2015-Glad you liked it!:) I think Anna is smarter than some people give her credit for; surely she had to have figured out a little bit about why Elsa acts the way she does.:P
Guest-Thank you!
On to the story!:)
"Elsa, what d'you want for breakfast? We've got, uh…cereal and chocolate down here. That's it," Anna said. "Wait, what kind of choice is that?! Chocolate, of course!"
Elsa giggled, then clapped her hand over her mouth. Would their parents get mad at her for sharing a joke with Anna? "Chocolate, please," she said politely.
"You two cannot have chocolate for breakfast," Idun scolded. "I think you're addicted to it. Chocolate disappears out of the kitchen so fast you'd think there are ten princesses in the castle instead of two!"
Elsa and Anna exchanged guilty, knowing glances from the opposite wall as they sat in separate corners. Anna had come up with a compromise (which she thought was lame to her and Elsa): she and Elsa could have this half of the cellar to themselves, but they had to stay in their respective corners. This was just fine with Elsa; all she wanted was to talk to Anna in the first place anyways.
"Uh…we're growing girls and need some sugar strength!" Anna announced.
Elsa couldn't hold in her giggles this time. "You're on a sugar high if you really believe that!" she told her sister.
"I am always on a sugar high," Anna responded in a serious voice. "Mom, I'm not eating that cereal!" she added as Idun brought her a bowl of cereal. "It's that icky plain wheat kind!"
"A-a-nna's a-always on a sugar hi-i-igh!" Elsa sang in a silly voice on purpose. She tensed up for a moment when her mother set a bowl of cereal beside her. Too close… (Elsa had no intentions of eating it any more than Anna did. She didn't like it either.)
Anna laughed and pretended to clap her hands over her ears at Elsa's goofy song.
"Especially when cho-o-colate's ni-i-igh!" Elsa added another line to her song.
Now Anna joined in with, "Super A-a-nna and Super Elsa-a must fetch the choc'late from where it li-ie!"
"A-a-nna's offended the Grammar Queen and made her di-ie!" Elsa replied, barely able to sing through her held-in giggles.
Anna made a face at Elsa and stuck out her tongue. "I couldn't come up with proper grammar for a rhyme."
"Elsa will come up with one every time," Elsa replied with a slight smirk. I like the rhyme game…I'm good at it!
Anna was a bit irritated with Elsa's quick rhyming replies, but she was very, very happy that Elsa didn't seem particularly scared or upset anymore. She could see a shadow of the mischievous, happy little girl Elsa had been years before. Anna recognized that sassy little smirk on her sister's face. It meant Elsa had just done or said something she was quite pleased with herself about. I hope the hurricane lasts for days and days so I can help Elsa be happy. "You're silly-go eat a lime," Anna came up with.
Elsa giggled. "I can't do that; I'm being a mime," she replied, and acted out eating a lime and thinking it was sour.
"Let's stop all the racket, shall we?" Agdar asked as he came down the ladder into the cellar. "The storm is over, so we can all head back upstairs."
Elsa's face fell. I'm actually having fun with Anna right now…and wait! That hurricane isn't over! Elsa closed her eyes, thinking hard about the storm. She wasn't sure why she was absolutely certain the storm wasn't over, but she knew it wasn't. Actually, I know exactly what it is. Hurricanes are like a swirling circle with a calm center in the middle-the eye. The first half of the storm bands are over, and the eye of the storm is over Arendelle now.
Anna looked with concern over at Elsa. The smirk and giggles had disappeared, leaving behind a disappointed Elsa who was evidently thinking hard about something. "Elsa, what are you thinking about?"
Elsa glanced at Anna. "Storm's not over," she muttered.
"Hey, Mom, Dad, Elsa says the storm's not over! So that means we can stay down here longer!" Anna announced.
"She said what?"
Elsa flinched and made herself as small as possible in the corner. Why did I tell Anna that? Now I'm going to get in trouble for 'predicting a storm' again, even though this time it was mostly scientific deduction, not my powers.
"She said the storm's not over," Anna repeated. "So we can stay down here together longer!"
"Elsa, did you say that?"
Elsa slowly got to her feet and looked her father straight in the face. "Yes, I did. It's a hurricane, and right now the eye of the storm is passing over us. I know that's what it is. Please believe me…"
"How do you know this?"
"Because of this." Elsa quickly scribbled out a rough sketch of what she was talking about on the paper she'd brought down with her. "See? There are, like, storm bands, then the center is calm, and then another set of storm bands. Then the hurricane is over." I can't be any more logical than that. Elsa gazed hopefully at her father as she held out her sketch.
"I suppose that makes sense."
"Makes sense to me," Anna said, quick to defend Elsa. "Hey, she's definitely right…" Anna added as a loud crash of thunder reverberated loud enough that it reached their ears in the cellar.
Elsa sighed in relief. That thunder proved she was correct, thank goodness. She sat back down in the corner; then immediately jumped up and grabbed her book and blankets. "Um, everyone…? I think the walls are leaking…"
Elsa was right. There was a puddle of water seeping onto the floor through a seam in the wall.
"All right, we'll have to put a bucket there," Agdar said.
"W-where do I go?" Elsa asked hesitantly. "That was my corner that's leaking." Back upstairs? The dungeon?
"You can share my corner," Anna offered instantly.
Elsa looked sadly at Anna and shook her head. "I can't…I wish I could, but it's not safe."
Anna frowned at her. Why does Elsa keep saying that? "Well…I promise I won't touch you if you don't want me to. You could still sit over here anyways."
Elsa hesitated. Could she do that? She believed Anna when she said she wouldn't touch her, but still… Elsa made her decision. She had just started walking over to Anna when she heard a warning, "Elsa, you know you shouldn't do that," from behind her. Something inside Elsa made her turn around and say with great certainty, "I'm fine right now. I won't touch Anna, and she won't touch me. But there is nowhere for me to go anyway, so I'm staying put." I really am fine. I'm not out of control right now. Then she turned back toward Anna and gave her a hesitant smile.
Anna gave her a welcoming smile, scooted over, and then patted the floor beside her. You're welcome here, Elsa. You don't have to question whether it's ok with me to come over here or not.
Elsa set her things on the floor a few feet from Anna. She still didn't feel at all comfortable being close to her sister, but Anna's happy smile told her that she was welcome here. Anna didn't care that her sister acted odd and switched moods constantly. She was willing to accept Elsa just the way she was, even if she didn't want to be touched for seemingly no reason, even after she shut Anna out for so long. Elsa still was a bit afraid that Anna would be scared of her or dislike her if she knew what Elsa's real problem was; but right now, Elsa wasn't going to concern herself about it. She'd worry about that later. Right now, she would savor every moment she had with Anna. Because the second the hurricane is over, everything will be back the way it was.
"Elsa, what book did you bring down here with you?" Anna asked a few minutes later.
Elsa glanced across the cellar at their parents, but they weren't paying the girls any mind. They were talking about something. "I remembered you liked fairy tales when we were little, so I…" Elsa's voice trailed off.
"So you brought one down," Anna finished happily. "I thought you didn't like most fairy tales 'cause they were 'mushy'!"
"That would be correct," Elsa replied. "Could I…could I read you a story like when we were little?" she whispered. "I'll understand if you don't want me to since we're not little kids anymore."
"Are you kidding me?! I'd love it if you did that! But I have a better idea-why don't we act out the story? We did that a couple times when we were little, and it was so much fun," Anna said. "Can we do 'Sleeping Beauty'? That one's my favorite!"
"It was your favorite when we were little, too. And sure, that sounds like fun," Elsa agreed. You're awesome, Anna. I'm so glad you're willing to play with me.
"Which character d'you wanna play?"
"The evil fairy," Elsa replied immediately.
"O-o-ok…I don't mind, but Elsa, why did you pick her?" Anna asked curiously.
Elsa turned her gaze away from Anna. "Because she suits me best. You can play the prince and kill the evil fairy."
What the…?! "Elsa, let's get one thing straight right this second. You can play the evil fairy if you want to, but you are not anything like her. You don't go around cackling and casting curses on people who didn't do anything to you." Something else popped into Anna's mind. Did this have anything to do with Elsa calling herself a freak and a monster? Anna didn't dare ask her sister that, but there was no way she was letting Elsa play the villain when Elsa already thought rotten things about herself. Nor was she going to act out killing Elsa's character in their game. "Why don't you play the nice fairies instead?" Anna suggested.
Elsa had her arms crossed around her middle, hugging herself as she looked down at the floor. I might as well have put a curse on someone who didn't do anything to me. I hit Anna with my powers and almost killed her! I've got a curse inside me… The logical part of Elsa's mind prodded her into remembering that her last thought wasn't true, though. My powers aren't a curse. I feel like they are, but they're not. I was simply born that way. I still wish I could be normal…
"Elsa? Are you all right?" Anna asked. Ok, so that was a dumb question. She doesn't look all right.
Elsa's pensive expression disappeared and was replaced with a neutral one a moment later. "I will be fine," she said, trying to convince both herself and Anna that it was true. You'd better be fine, Elsa, because you are not going to lose control down here and risk hurting Anna.
Anna frowned at her, knowing she was trying to cover up her real feelings again. "Elsa…you don't have to conceal your emotions around me." Then she added in a whisper, "I won't tell Mom and Dad anything if you don't want me to."
"It's not that…" Elsa gave Anna a sad smile. "It's just…just…" I lose control when I get emotional. What's wrong with me that I can't control something that's literally part of me? "Anna…I don't know what to say. I don't know what's wrong with me…"
"You don't know what's wrong with you because there isn't anything wrong with you in the first place," Anna said firmly.
"Yes, there is," Elsa whispered as she sat down on the floor and pulled her knees to her chest again. "I've ignored you for so long; I act weird and unpredictable; I'm dangerous; I have odd habits" she held one gloved hand out to Anna "and I've got i-" Elsa's eyes grew big when she realized what she had been just about to tell her sister. Shut up, Elsa. You almost told Anna that YOU HAVE ICE POWERS YOU CAN'T CONTROL! How could you do that?! Elsa flicked her eyes toward their parents, hoping beyond hope that they hadn't heard what she had said (or started to say). Thank goodness. They're still talking about something.
Anna gave Elsa a quizzical look. "You've got what?" she asked curiously. I-what? What could Elsa be talking about?
"N-nothing…I can't tell you…" Elsa said quietly.
Anna made a face. "Well…ok. Anyhow, you are not dangerous. And Elsa, I don't care if you act weird and unpredictable or have odd habits. You're still my super awesome and sweet older sister, no matter what. Everyone has funny little quirks of one kind or another. They're what help make us, well, us." Except wearing gloves all the time and randomly changing feelings that you then try to cover up aren't Elsa quirks. Something's happened to her that makes her act like that…I wish I knew what it was so I could help her fix it and get back to her old happy self.
But I don't want uncontrollable ice powers to be part of what makes me me. I just want to be normal so I can be around Anna without being terrified I'm going to hurt her every second. "I hate myself then," Elsa replied in a detached voice. "I don't like my 'funny little quirks'. Any of them. I don't even let my own sister hug me, for goodness sakes." Elsa covered her face with her hands and didn't say anything more.
Anna argued with herself for a minute before going over to Elsa, kneeling in front of her, and pulling Elsa's hands away from her face and holding them tightly. Elsa jumped at the unexpected contact and stared in surprise and terror at Anna. Anna, you've gotta let go of me! It's not safe! I'm going to end up hurting you again! She started trying to pull her hands away from Anna, but stopped when she felt one of her gloves slipping off.
"Elsa, stop it. You're fine. See, I'm holding your hands and you aren't hurting me. You aren't dangerous," Anna said, trying to calm her sister down.
"You don't understand, Anna! Please let me go and don't touch me anymore!" Elsa whispered frantically as her blue eyes began to fill with tears. "You promised! You said you wouldn't touch me!" I shouldn't have believed Anna when she said she wouldn't touch me. Anna's still too impulsive. She's trying to help, but she's just plain not.
Anna caught the slight edge of betrayal in her sister's voice and quickly released her hands. I did tell Elsa that. I went back on my word. "I'm really sorry, Elsa. I was just trying to help…"
I know you were. Elsa dropped her gaze away from Anna and didn't say anything. Now I've made Anna apologize for something that shouldn't have been a problem in the first place.
"Elsa, I really am sorry! I didn't mean to make you upset."
Elsa just nodded to acknowledge Anna. "It's okay, Anna…and the worst part is that I really do want a hug. I just c-can't give y-you one…" Emotions on lockdown. Conceal don't feel.
Anna frowned. What is that supposed to mean? "Well, then…if you can't give me one, then I'm gonna give you one. Yes, I lied," she said, making sure to acknowledge the fact that yes, she had told Elsa she wouldn't touch her, but she was going to give her sister a hug anyway.
Elsa shrank back against the wall, but she couldn't make herself move away completely. She knew it was selfish to let Anna do that, but inside she was dying for her sister's hug. Move, Elsa. You can't let Anna do that! Not safe. Not safe. Not safe. Elsa felt her sister's arms around her shoulders, and she tensed up all over. Make Anna stop! Elsa. Get. Anna. Away. From. You. Now!
"You're ok, Elsa. I got you," Anna said, happy that at least Elsa hadn't moved away from her, even if she was all tense and stiff as a board.
Anna didn't know it, but those words struck a nerve in Elsa. The accident! I said that after I hit Anna! I have to get out of here! I hurt her! What on earth am I thinking to let Anna be this close to me?! "Anna, get away from me! I'm just going to hurt you! It's not safe!" Elsa almost shouted, trying to push Anna away from her. She immediately regretted being so loud when she realized she had caught their parents' attention. "Oh, no…"
"Oh no what?" Anna asked, keeping one arm firmly wrapped around her sister and turning to see what Elsa was looking at. "Oh…" Now what have I done? I've probably gotten Elsa in awful trouble… Anna gave Elsa's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before standing up and saying, "Don't you dare get mad at Elsa. I-"
But their parents weren't paying Anna any mind. "Elsa, what have you done? You know you're not supposed to be around Anna anyway, and there you two were hugging each other a second ago."
Elsa slowly got to her feet and clasped her hands behind her back, but she didn't say anything. She felt herself starting to replay the accident from when they were little in her head, and tried her hardest to shut it off. No, Elsa. You are not having a stupid flashback right now. I know letting Anna hug me was stupid. I know I'm guilty. Just please leave me alone.
"I hugged Elsa, not the other way around," Anna said quickly. "In fact, she really didn't hug me at all." Anna stepped into a protective stance with her hands on her hips on front of Elsa. Mom and Dad can get mad at me this time. Elsa doesn't need to get fussed at for absolutely nothing. She's got enough issues dealing with…whatever it is that's bothering her.
"Elsa, I think we need to take a trip downstairs."
"No. I'll just go back up to my room first," Elsa said. She considered complaining about the euphemism again; then changed her mind, not wanting to stick Anna with any weird, disturbing information about the whole thing.
"You can't go back upstairs to your room until the hurricane is over."
Elsa sighed. True. I almost wish I could go back to my room and just get blown away by the storm… "Okay." I'm going to go crazy if I have to stay down there. What if they don't let me out when the hurricane is over?
Anna looked from Elsa to her parents and back again in puzzlement. What in the world were they talking about? "Where are you taking Elsa? We're already downstairs. Is there another cellar I don't know about?"
"You don't want to know," Elsa muttered. "Goodbye, Anna…"
A/N: Next chapter coming soon:)
Special note to ElsaIsAmazing: I got your idea incorporated into the next chapter without veering way out of canon.:) YAY:P Hopefully it'll be like you wanted!:)