We Sink
Anna grimaces, flexing her fingers before tightening them around the item in her hands. She has a new enemy now: one made of thick, unyielding ice. Lifting her arm, she swings the item and it makes contact with ice, skimming across its surface without any ill-effect.
"This is bullshit!" Anna groans in frustration. She whacks the ice scraper against her windshield again, not really caring if it scratches the glass.
She had woken up in a foul mood, greeted by freezing wind and a car that had been completely encrusted in ice and snow. Despite blasting the car's heater in an attempt to melt some of the ice, she hasn't made much progress. At this point, she and Elsa were most likely going to be late for class.
Truth be told, she isn't taking last night's revelation—that the friend she has feelings for somehow likes (loves) her—very well. She can hardly deal with her own feelings, and then Kristoff just had to open her eyes to Elsa's. In a way, she was hoping what she saw last night was a fluke, something she had projected onto Elsa.
But this morning, despite being in a horrible mood, she still saw them—Elsa's feelings for her are painfully, embarrassingly obvious now. They were present in the way her eyes raked over Anna when she joined her at breakfast, and how she then looked away slowly, biting at her lower lip. They were present in how her eyes lit up when Anna absentmindedly noted how nice her sweater looked on her.
They're present even now, as she looks on in gentle exasperation while Anna wields her scraper with barely-concealed impatience.
Anna can't stand to see that look anymore. "Can't you do something?" she demands, gesturing towards the lack of progress she's made. "Maybe wave your hands and make it disappear?"
"I can make myself warm," Elsa suggests mildly, refusing to snap back.
Of course.
Elsa could cause it to snow indoors, stake her to a goddamn tree, heal her of a raging fever...but couldn't make some ice disappear. "I wish you could make me warm," Anna mutters under her breath, an irritated afterthought as yet another shiver wraps around her spine.
Elsa hears her anyway, and is suddenly encroaching into her personal space. She runs her hands up and down Anna's jacketed arms a few quick times to generate some heat. Friction is the right word, but fixating on that particular term now makes her uncomfortable. "There," Elsa smiles, pleased with her solution and not stepping away, "does that help?"
No. It really, really doesn't.
Anna gives her a tight smile in return before turning back towards her car, trying to ignore how she actually does seem warmer, how her cheeks feel hot, and how her pulse thumps frantically in her ears.
"I think the car is good now," she says after a moment, not looking at Elsa. "We should probably get going."
She doesn't need to turn around to know that Elsa's smile is probably fading, a worried and slightly hurt expression taking its place instead.
Anna shuts her eyes for a moment before opening her car door. She inhales deeply, ignoring how the cold air causes a pricking sensation in her nose.
She shouldn't be lashing out at Elsa. It's not fair to her, and in the wake of last night's revelations, it feels like it's bordering on cruelty. Anna had opened up to her back then, and now she's snapping at her. Emotional whiplash is the last thing she wants to inflict upon Elsa, yet here she is, unable to stop herself from doing just that.
Her head's a mess right now. Nightmares, memories, the weight of love against her heart...it's too much to deal with, but that doesn't mean Elsa should bear the brunt of her frustration and confusion.
She needs to get her act together before she manages to inadvertently push Elsa away. She doesn't want Elsa to leave—god that's the last thing she wants—but she also doesn't know if she can fully reciprocate her feelings. 'Like' and 'love' seem so far apart. She just realized that her feelings towards Elsa were less than platonic. Meanwhile, Elsa has been in love with her for...just how long now? A month? Two? Before she even moved in?
Anna startles when Elsa slides into the passenger seat and closes the door. They shift towards each other at the same time, eyes catching and locking.
"Look…" Anna starts uncertainly. She rubs at her temple with a gloved hand, not sure what she wants to say. Is this really how you treat someone you like? Freaking pathetic.
"We don't have to talk about it," Elsa says unexpectedly, her gaze sliding to the floor, "I'm glad you opened up to me, but I don't want that to make things weird between us."
Anna swallows hard. Of course Elsa can tell she's acting unusual—she's never been too good at hiding her feelings. But she supposes she can count herself lucky that Elsa thinks her attitude stems from their talk last night. It's the best she can do to reply, "I don't want things to be weird. I just really...I'm not feeling very good right now."
It's a completely lame excuse and judging by tightening of Elsa's shoulders beneath her jacket, Anna can tell she's not buying it. Elsa doesn't push the subject though, apparently having said what she wanted.
For once, Anna doesn't have the heart to turn on the radio as they make their way to school in complete silence.
By the time Friday rolls around, Anna is exhausted. It's not the kind of exhaustion that comes from anything physical, as her hunting ban was officially lifted just hours ago. No, it's some horrible blend of mental and emotional fatigue that's dragging her down.
It's stupid to feel this way, she knows. The moping around she's doing is entirely of her own creation—if she were a better person, she could just tell Elsa why she's avoiding her, why she can't seem to give her anything but stiff gestures and one-word replies.
It's because you're in love with me.
But if she says those words, everything would irrevocably change. So here she is, stuck in limbo and too scared to take the next logical step forward and admit her own feelings to Elsa. It's something she's not ready for. She has enough emotional baggage to fill a cargo plane and it would be completely unfair to subject Elsa to it, whether the other woman was willing to carry it or not.
She's been going over these thoughts again and again like a broken record, and must be looking outwardly miserable. Elsa's tried to talk to her, probably thinking her moodiness is still due to their talk about Anna's mom. In response, Elsa's gradually come to walk on eggshells around her, and it disconcertingly feels like they're back in the early days of being roommates.
So it's almost a relief when her pager goes off for the first time in seven days. Anna immediately pushes her plate of half-eaten mac and cheese away to snatch up her pager.
Cat Sith, 4ft, 28.36°, 81.57° reloc if poss
Hmm...not bad for a first case back. Her eyes dart towards Elsa's bedroom door, which is cracked open. One unpleasant change this past week had been Elsa retreating back to her own room to read through Jack's books. Anna doesn't want to admit it to her, but she really misses seeing Elsa studying on the floor of her room.
Anna stands and timidly makes her way towards Elsa's door. After a gentle rap against the wood, she pokes her head in. "Hey, Elsa?" she says to announce her presence. From her spot against her bed, Elsa looks up at her silently, surprise evident in her features—this is the first time she's approached Elsa directly in the last few days. "I finally have a case. It shouldn't be too bad, but I probably won't be back before midnight."
Elsa sits up at that, her book forgotten. Anna tries not to notice how the light casts artful shadows across the smooth planes of her collarbones. Giving up, she turns her attention to the carpeted floor as Elsa responds, "Are you okay to go?"
Anna nods mutely, not wanting to put her foot in her mouth by potentially saying something stupid.
"Can Kristoff go with you?" Elsa presses, and Anna catches herself before she rolls her eyes in exasperation. This case should be painfully easy; having him come along would just waste his time.
"I'll be fine," she mumbles, still staring at Elsa's carpet. Kristoff might have his own case tonight and even if he doesn't, she'd rather not drag him into this.
She hears bedsprings creak and Elsa's barefeet enter into her sightline. "Is the creature dangerous?"
Anna shrugs as nonchalantly as she can. "It's a Cat Sith; basically a big kitten. Nothing to worry about." It was probably being relocated just in case someone thought it was a real cat and tried to take it home.
Silence settles long enough for her to start fidgeting and she finally lifts her head to meet Elsa's eyes. And the look Elsa gives her...it's clear she wants to tell Anna to be careful, and is worried that maybe she's not ready to go back into the field. But she doesn't say anything, just keeps her gaze focused intently on Anna.
Anna finally sighs in defeat. "Fine, fine. I'll see if Kristoff is free tonight."
The smile she receives at that is almost enough for her to lean forward and press a kiss against Elsa's lips. She curls her hands into fists, nails scraping at her palms. "I...I'm going to call him now," she mutters before making a beeline out of Elsa's room.
"Kristoff!" she nearly shouts a few minutes later into her phone, trying not to sound too desperate. "Are you free to help catch a Cat Sith?"
She can practically feel his confusion emanating through the line. "Umm...sure?" he replies hesitantly, "Is there a reason you need me there?"
Anna pinches the bridge of her nose. "Elsa wanted me to ask you," she mumbles, hoping he won't tease her.
Those hopes are immediately dashed—she hears him chortle as he says, "Of course. Not even dating and you're already whipped."
Anna scowls and imagines shoving him into a pile of snow.
"You're the worst and I hate you."
"Y'know…" Kristoff muses an hour later, poking at snowflakes as they fall in front of him, "this is one step above luring it into a box held up by a stick."
"I know," Anna responds glumly. The trap they've made is ridiculously simple—a collapsible metal cage is hidden underneath a layer of snow, ready to spring shut around its victim like a venus flytrap once a certain amount of pressure is placed on it. In the middle of the cage is a small bowl of cream Anna had picked up at the store on their way here.
Neither of them know how long they'll be playing the waiting game out here, as Cat Sith are fickle creatures whose only real weakness is the taste of cream (though Anna is convinced that string and laser pointers would probably work just as well).
"So I've been thinking—" Kristoff begins, a troubling glint in his eyes.
Anna cuts him off with a wave of her hands. "Nothing good starts with that phrase!" she exclaims, shifting slightly so they're sitting shoulder to shoulder. "What are you up to?"
"Nothing," he denies innocently even as his lips pull into a grin. "I just think we should have a coming out celebration for Elsa tomorrow night. Get some drinks or something."
"'Coming out'?" Anna echoes, eyes narrowing.
Kristoff nudges her with his shoulder. "Coming out as fae," he emphasizes, and Anna groans at his wording. Ignoring her, he continues, "She got through her first lesson with Jack; that alone merits celebration."
"That sounds like a terrible idea," Anna says firmly. But the thing is...it really doesn't. She hasn't done anything too special for Elsa since knowing her secret besides giving her a few bestiaries. Did those even count as gifts?
"I'll put something together," Kristoff decides like she's already agreed.
Anna simply looks towards their trap, knowing she won't fight him too much. Even if the occasion is in her honor, there's still a chance Elsa wouldn't be interested in going out. And besides…
"I've been avoiding her," Anna quietly admits after a moment. "It's not fair to her at all, but I can't help it. She probably won't want to go if I'm there."
Kristoff favors her with a sidelong glance. "This can all be taken care of very easily, you know. I mean, this is an instance where a kiss would literally make everything better."
She almost says 'I don't want to kiss her' out of reflex, but they both know that would be a lie.
"So what am I supposed to do...just march up to her and go for it?" she asks with a weak laugh, only half-joking.
"That'd be a very good start," he says with a wicked grin. "To be honest, I'm surprised she hasn't tried to initiate anything." He pauses for a moment in consideration. "Unless she has and you were too blind to notice."
"Oh god," Anna groans, leaning back a little. "I don't think anything like that has happened." She would have noticed a come-on from Elsa, right? Unless her obliviousness truly knew no bounds, which is...well, not entirely improbable.
She absentmindedly flexes her fingers, trying to regain more feeling in them. She's been noticing that over the last week, her gloves haven't been keeping the cold out as much as they used to.
Thoughts of buying a new pair are quickly dashed when Kristoff shouts, "Move!" before roughly shoving her away from him. Anna hears the fabric of her jacket tearing, and feels a faint scratching sensation sliding along the back of her shoulder.
Out of instinct, she tries to turn around and swing what must be the Cat Sith off her, but its claws only dig further into her shoulder, puncturing skin this time. "Feel free to help!" she yells in Kristoff's general direction as she continues her struggle.
In its quest to reach the cream, the feline had pinpointed her as competition to be taken out. The Cat Sith is almost the size of a fox, and Anna is finding it more difficult than usual to get it off and away from her. She rolls onto her back and the creature follows her, now scratching at her face and chest.
"Fuck," she hisses, leaning away from the sharp claws. She reaches for the knife in her booth but can't get her stiff fingers to curl around the hilt. The weapon drops harmlessly to the snow as the Cat Sith takes another swing at her. Anna deflects its claws with her forearm before trying to grab ahold of the paw, but her hand still isn't cooperating, thus allowing for an opening. The Cat Sith manages to rake three long, clean lines across her shoulder down to the top of her chest before Kristoff hauls it off of her.
The creature instantly begins squirming around, but there's little it can do in his outstretched arms. He marches over to the still-hidden cage and throws it down with enough force to topple over the bowl of cream. He yanks his arm back before the cage can snap around it, panting. The Cat Sith inside glowers at him even as it begins licking at the spilled cream.
"T-thanks," Anna says once she catches her breath, suddenly glad she took Elsa's advice and invited Kristoff along.
But Kristoff shakes his head, worry flitting across his features. "What was that?" he asks, eyebrows furrowing. "This should have been a piece of cake for you. Do you...do you think you need more time off?"
Anna can feel her face burn at the insinuation. She doesn't know why her reactions were so slow tonight, and how the creature managed to sink its claws into her so many times. She stares down at her right hand in thought, slowly curling and uncurling it, finding that some stiffness still remains. "I don't know what happened. My hand..." Anna trails off, trying to keep the apprehension crawling up her spine out of her voice "Maybe it was just an off night."
Kristoff stares at her for a long moment, the silence between them broken by only the Cat Sith still lapping at the cream. "Let's get this guy to his new home, alright?" With that, he turns away, but not before Anna sees another flash of worry cross his face.
It's strange to come home to an Elsa who knows about her job. Just like before, she's still up and waiting for her...but unlike before, Anna no longer needs an excuse ready. Though when she meets Anna at the door, her eyes still rake over her to check for injuries.
The look doesn't make Anna feel uncomfortable, even if she knows what else might be behind that gaze. Instead, she feels...protected, maybe even pleased that someone like Elsa can care so much about her.
Anna carefully shrugs out of her jacket and hangs it up before facing Elsa again, which turns out to be a mistake.
"You're bleeding!" Elsa is all too close again, leaning down slightly so she can be at eye-level with Anna's torn shirt. Her eyes dart back towards Anna's face, faintly accusing in the way they narrow slightly. "I thought you said Cat Sith weren't dangerous."
Anna chuckles awkwardly and takes a step backwards before her back hits the door. "They're not! This was all on me. I just didn't bring my A-game tonight." Not that she needed any more reminders of her inadequacy tonight...
Elsa follows her retreat, eyebrows furrowing in thought. "You should take your shirt off."
Anna blinks. Okay, was this one of those come-ons Kristoff was talking about? "Umm…"
"No! I didn't mean—" Elsa quickly backpedals, uncharacteristically flustered and suddenly red in the face. She pinches the bridge of her nose before starting again, eyes briefly averting. "I can heal you, Anna. I know you have all sorts of...magical muck you take, but this would be a lot faster."
"I don't know…" Anna swallows hard. On one hand, she remembers how much Elsa helped her after the akaname poisoning, and how good she felt afterwards. On the other hand, she'd be shirtless and Elsa would be touching her. Which ...really isn't as much of a 'con' as she wants it to be.
"I think I'll just…" She gestures vaguely towards her room, hoping Elsa will step aside.
But Elsa folds her arms over her chest, stubbornly standing her ground. "I want to help you, and you know you'll feel better sooner this way," she insists, using that damn imploring gaze of hers.
Anna shrugs noncommittally, wanting to argue without any real reason behind it. "That's a really sweet offer, but that 'magical muck' is fine. And don't ever call it that around Jack, by the way. He would get super defensive about—"
"My hands are better than any of those things and you know it!" Elsa says in a louder voice, cutting Anna off. Her mouth drops open when she realizes how that sounded.
There's a moment of shocked silence, with Anna desperately trying to find a reply that won't sink them any deeper into verbal quagmire. "Your umm...your hands are great, really. They're totally fine!" is what she comes up with. When she runs a hand through her hair, she can feel the scratched skin stretching painfully across her shoulder. With a sigh, she finally gives in. "You can heal me. I'd be fine with that."
Lately it seems like she'll always give in to Elsa.
Elsa swallows hard, and it looks like she's not quite sure what she got herself into. "Okay," she says, voice wavering slightly. "Alright then. If you just want to lay on the couch, I can start."
"You want to do it now?" Anna squeaks, heat flaring up in the tips of her ears. Right when she thought tonight couldn't get any more awkward. "I'll be right back." She darts into the bathroom and closes the door, taking a moment to glance at her reflection in the mirror.
She looks completely frazzled—her hair is coming out of its braids and her shirt will definitely have to be thrown away later. Trying not to think too hard about what she's about to do, she quickly runs her fingers through her hair until it falls loosely down her shoulders. She carefully pulls her shirt over her head, wincing as she peels some of the fabric from around her injuries.
The cuts look much worse than they feel—dark red lines outlined with dried blood stretch from her shoulder to the top of her bra (which is staying on no matter what happens). When she turns around, she sees a few more parallel lines marring the top of her back.
Honestly, she doesn't know why she's trying to do any kind of preparation for this. Elsa is healing her, that's all. It's not like they were getting ready to have sex—
She stops that train of thought before it can go any further.
Since staying in the bathroom with her stupid thoughts is clearly not helping her, she opens the door and heads back into the living room, a towel clutched tightly in one of her hands.
Elsa—who had been pacing the length of the living room—stops short when she spots Anna. She can tell Elsa's valiantly trying to keep her eyes from straying below Anna's face, and a little thrill shoots up her spine at this knowledge.
"You said the couch?" Anna asks as casually as possible, trying to regain Elsa's attention. And no, it doesn't please her knowing she can make Elsa react like this. Not at all.
Elsa nods tightly, working her jaw like she's going to say something but then chooses instead to stay silent.
Anna walks briskly over to the couch, pretending she's not uncomfortable with being half-naked around Elsa. She fans the towel out across the cushions so she won't get any blood on it before laying down on top of it. If the mood was completely different, she'd make a joke about having Elsa 'draw her like one of her French girls', but now is definitely not the time to do so.
Instead, her eyes follow Elsa as the woman comes over and kneels on the floor in front of the couch. She's close enough for Anna to see every individual freckle dusting her cheekbones and the bridge of her nose, for her to smell the mint shampoo Elsa uses. It's obvious Elsa is also aware of their proximity—there's a moment where she just stares at Anna's lips for a little too long. Anna's no psychic, but she's pretty sure she knows exactly what Elsa's thinking.
Anna clears her throat, hoping to recapture Elsa's attention before one of them does something impulsive. The sound registers and Elsa gives a little jolt, blinking slowly as if coming out of a daydream. When she focuses back on Anna—and not her lips—a flicker of guilt crosses her face before it's quickly smothered.
The expression isn't lost on Anna, and she gives the other woman an encouraging smile despite the sinking feeling in her chest. "She adores you," she remembers Kristoff saying, "Hell, she probably liked you before you even knew she existed."
Despite thinking her feelings are one-sided, and despite the physical exertion this will cost her, Elsa didn't hesitate to offer up her powers for Anna's injuries. She's selfless to an almost painful degree, and Anna has to bite her lip to keep from admitting something she shouldn't.
"I'm going to put my hands on you now. Try to relax," Elsa finally says, her own voice low and a little shaky.
Anna watches as Elsa's hands descend towards her shoulder. "No problem," she breathes. "I'm super relaxed. Cool as a cucumber."
That breaks some of the tension between them, and Elsa cracks a small smile.
Anna startles at the sudden touch of cool fingers against her bare skin, and she exhales slowly. Elsa's fingers trace back and forth along the sides of the cuts. "Do they hurt?" she asks softly.
"I've had worse," Anna sheepishly admits. This whole situation is embarassing, especially considering that even a teenager could take on a Cat Sith without getting hurt.
But the answer doesn't make Elsa relax—she sighs in exasperation, and Anna cranes her neck to get a better look at her. Elsa withholds whatever she's thinking and instead narrows her focus on what her hands are doing. One of them slides around to Anna's back while the other stays across her collarbone, palms now splayed out against the cuts.
And oh god, this feels way better than it should.
Soon there's a cold, pulsating sensation coming from Elsa's hands, winding its way into her wounds and giving her something besides just touch to focus on. Her eyes involuntarily slip shut as the cold works its way into her shoulder and chest. "Hey," she murmurs after a minute, lulled by the pleasant feeling, "I'm sorry for how I've been acting this last week. It was shitty of me."
She cracks an eye open when she hears Elsa respond, "There's nothing to apologize for. I know it can be...hard...to open up like you did. But I am glad you're talking to me again." She emphasizes her last words with a soft smile.
"Speaking of talking, well, sort of…" Anna not-so-smoothly transitions the topic of conversation, "Kristoff wanted to do something to celebrate for your first lesson with Jack. It'll probably be pretty fun, whatever it is."
Above her, Elsa is silent as she considers the offer. "That's nice of him," she eventually says. "I think that sounds like a good idea."
Anna smiles in relief. "Great! I'll let him know. It won't be anything crazy—probably just a few drinks over dinner or something. He's not one to plan anything extravagant—"
Anna stops talking when the cold—which had been only at the surface of her body—begins to make its way deeper, heading to the center of her chest. When she looks down, she sees that the inflammation around the cuts is already lightening from angry red to pale pink. The cuts themselves seem to be shrinking, but Anna shifts in agitation.
The cold finally feels like it's reaching her heart, and Anna can't take it anymore—she recoils from Elsa's touch, grabbing one of her wrists and holding it away from her. "That's good, thanks," she says through gritted teeth. Her heart is racing and something just doesn't feel right.
Elsa immediately takes her other hand off Anna but otherwise remains close. "Are you okay?" she questions her, brow furrowing. When Anna releases her wrist, Elsa anxiously clasps her hands together on her lap. "Did I do something?"
"N-no, I don't think it was you," Anna manages to say, moving until she's sitting upright, legs still stretch across the length of the couch. "I've been feeling a little off lately, I don't know why." Whatever this cold is that keeps invading her life, it's only getting worse. She pushes away the worrying thought for later, not wanting to deal with it now.
Elsa nods like she doesn't quite believe her, and the slight frown on her lips supports this. "Is there anything I can get you?"
Anna, trying to relax the other woman before she accidentally makes it snow, offers her a wry smile. "A shirt would be nice."
"O-oh!" Elsa blushes prettily, eyes once again running up and down Anna's torso before quickly looking away. "I'll be right back."
She's up and heading towards her room even as Anna calls out, "That was a joke! I have plenty of shirts!"
The next thing she knows, a soft gray shirt is soaring through the air and landing on her head. A surprised giggle escapes Elsa as Anna grumbles and puts her limbs through the appropriate sleeves with a little more force than strictly necessary.
When she looks down, she sees a giant snowman design with the words 'Welcome to AU, Snowflake!' emblazoned above it. She raises her head towards Elsa, an eyebrow arching in confusion. "Thanks?"
There's still the remnants of a smile on Elsa's lips when she explains, "When I started university, I was really nervous. Nervous about classes and people and especially my powers...but Rapunzel helped me through it. She's known about my powers since we were little, and made me this shirt to sort of help me relax. It's my favorite sleep shirt and since it makes me feel better, I thought it might do the same for you."
Anna's throat feels like it's tightening and she swallows hard. "That's really thoughtful of you," she says, genuinely touched. "I promise I won't make a mess of it."
When Anna tucks herself into bed twenty minutes later, she can't help but snuggle into the shirt. While she and Elsa both use the same laundry detergent, there's still a light scent to it that is distinctively Elsa. It's the sharp, cold air of winter, it's Earl Grey tea leaves, and it's the smell of books old and new.
It's almost like Elsa is sleeping beside her once again.
The bar is Kristoff's idea, of course. Anna tried to talk him out of using Miller's Ale House as a venue for celebration. The place itself was a fun place to catch some drinks, but she didn't think it was really Elsa's scene.
- Trust me ;) was the only text Kristoff gave her before he started suggesting times to meet there. Anna anticipated it would be pretty crowded tonight given the fact he wanted to go on a football Sunday, and Elsa would probably be reluctant to go if that's the case.
But when she runs the idea by Elsa the morning after their healing session, she's surprised with how little resistance she meets.
"That could be fun," Elsa says as she finishes brewing some tea. "I've never been to a bar during a game."
"Have you been to a bar at all?" Anna points out, thinking it to be a reasonable question.
Elsa rolls her eyes. "I'm not that sheltered. In fact, I can probably hold my alcohol quite well if need be."
"That's good to hear," Anna says with a mischievous grin. "I figured you would be stumbling around town and I'd find you swinging from the top of some clock tower." Having missed out on joking around with Elsa this last week, she's determined to make up for lost time.
Apparently, Elsa feels the same way. "Actually, I'm pretty sure that would be you. I remember a certain someone convinced they were winning a game when their controller wasn't even plugged in." She takes a sip of tea for dramatic effect, looking like the picture of sophisticated grace.
"Touche," Anna concedes, "and also why I'm volunteering to be the designated driver. I wanna see if you can get white girl wasted!" The real reason is maybe because she's not ready to touch alcohol yet after the akaname incident, but seeing a drunk Elsa would certainly be a bonus.
Elsa nearly chokes on the liquid in her mouth, a hand coming up to dab at any droplets that might have escaped. "I don't think that's possible," she says after she composes herself once more. "Maybe fae have a high alcohol tolerance."
Anna narrows her eyes challengingly. "We'll see about that."
As she rightly predicted, Miller's Ale House is packed when they arrive hours later. Anna has to stand on her tiptoes in an attempt to see over the crowd of people and find Kristoff.
Despite her talk earlier, it's clear Elsa is at least a little nervous about coming to the bar. Whenever someone brushes a little too close or gives her a lingering stare, she glares at them, a tense set to her shoulders. It's almost like the old, anti-social version of her has temporarily resurfaced.
Kristoff eventually flags them down from the other side of the room, having secured a few seats close to the bar. "This is great, right?" he yells in greeting, slightly flushed cheeks indicating that he's probably had a couple drinks already.
"Sure, sure," Anna nods along, taking the seat between him and Elsa. She claps her hands together and glances at her roommate. "What should we start her off with?"
"Wells!" Kristoff announces, pounding the lacquered wood of the bar for emphasis. "All the well drinks this place has!"
Anna doesn't even try to smother her amused grin as she turns to Elsa. "What do you think? They certainly taste better than most of the beers here." They were cheaper too, which was a plus since she and Kristoff had decided to pay for Elsa's drinks.
Elsa shifts on the barstool, in obvious discomfort. "I'm not sure…" She flinches slightly as the crowd erupts into cheering for the team on the tv screens.
"How about a screwdriver?" Anna suggests, wanting her to feel at ease. "It's just orange juice and some vodka."
"That's fine," Elsa nods tersely, eyes darting around from the tv to the other patrons.
Anna manages to make eye contact with the bartender and orders the drink, handing over their IDs for inspection. "We can leave in a bit if you're not enjoying yourself," Anna says once the man slides over Elsa's drink. "There's an all-night place not too far from here that has kickass tacos."
Elsa unexpectedly downs her drink in two gulps and a slow smile comes to her face. "I think I'll be fine." She taps her glass thoughtfully. "I was nervous when you took me to the archery range, but I ended up having a lot of fun. I'd like to give this place a chance too."
"If you say so," Anna says with a relieved smile. "Feel free to get whatever, the sky's the limit! Or well, thirty-dollars, whichever comes first."
Kristoff hoots next to her, following along with the game. "Man, Arendelle is kicking ass! We're going to the championships this year, mark my words."
Anna scrunches her face in confusion. "You don't even follow football. Actually, I'm pretty sure you hate it. How many drinks have you had?"
He brushes her question away with a dismissive hand wave. "The bartender said I had to drink if I wanted to sit at the bar. I've had like...four of whatever this is," he picks up the dark bottle in front of him, "and then someone bought birthday shots for everyone and I had one of those."
"You lush," Anna teases him, rolling her eyes affectionately. On her other side, Elsa tentatively waves to the bartender to order another drink. In a lower voice she adds, "Don't say anything weird to Elsa tonight, no matter how drunk you get, okay?"
The comment invites a snort from him. "Like what, that I've been her secret wingman for the past couple of months and she hasn't even noticed? That I really think you should have kissed her like a hundred times by now? Or that you two would have the cutest babies in existence? I mean, if the technology was available—"
"What the hell?!" Anna hisses, clapping a hand over his mouth. Thank god Elsa isn't sitting right next to him, or this would be all kinds of horrible. "That's exactly what I asked you not to say!"
Kristoff leans away from her hand with a rueful smile. "Sorry, had to get it out of my system. I should be good for the rest of the night."
Anna glowers at him. "Make sure you are."
Once her heart rate is under control, she turns back to Elsa. "How's your drink?" This one is is light brown, looking suspiciously like a Long Island Iced Tea.
Elsa looks up at her from the glass, grinning around her straw. The sight is possibly one of the cutest things she's ever seen. "This is really good. Are you sure you don't want any?" She edges her drink towards Anna invitingly.
"I, umm…" As cheesy as it was to think about, this would totally count as an indirect kiss, right? "I guess a little would be fine." She leans down and takes a quick sip, and yep; this is definitely a Long Island.
Elsa looks pleased as punch, retrieving her glass back and taking another swallow. Anna can't help but notice how she licks her lips afterwards, and she wonders if Elsa is also thinking of indirect kisses.
"Do you know anything about football?" Elsa asks her after the other patrons start booing over a decision the referees made.
"Oh, definitely," Anna says excitedly before launching into a horribly inaccurate account of the Arendelle Wolves football franchise. There's mentions of linebackers created in laboratories, alien abductions, and a conspiracy that the team owner is part vampire.
Elsa nods along the whole time, leaning in close to hear her over the noise. By the time Anna is finished, she's downed another two drinks. All she can say after Anna concludes her tale is, "I want to disagree with you about a few of those things, but I don't know enough about football to dispute you."
"And therefore I'm right!" Anna crows, throwing her hands up in victory just as the Wolves score their fourth touchdown.
The rest of the night goes on smoothly, with the Wolves pushing back against their opponent and Elsa becoming more and more relaxed. By the time the fourth quarter of the game rolls around, all three of them are fully invested in its outcome, cheering and booing with everyone else.
The atmosphere in the bar becomes downright ecstatic when the team wins, and Kristoff elbows Anna hard enough to send her into Elsa for an awkward, congratulatory hug. Elsa stiffens for only a second before her arms loop around Anna's waist and she squeezes her gently. When they separate, both of them are red in the face.
Anna averts her gaze from Elsa, staring down the length of the bar when someone catches her eye. "Kristoff, I think there's a girl checking you out over there."
"Yeah right," Kristoff laughs without even looking in the direction Anna subtly points towards.
"No, I'm serious!" she insists. The girl in question is really cute—pale with chestnut hair and a small, button nose. She seems to be shooting shy looks in their direction every now and then, and Anna's pretty sure they're meant for Kristoff.
Anna leans towards him, whispering, "Let's just see who the better wingman is."
"Wait, where are you going?" he protests as she stands up and begins weaving her way through the crowd. She briefly wonders if it's a good idea to leave them alone, but hopefully Kristoff's too busy watching her to spill any secrets to Elsa.
Approaching the bar, Anna sidles up next to the girl and leans her elbows against the bar. "Hi, I'm Anna!" she greets her with a smile.
The girl nearly jumps in her seat, taken aback by Anna's very sudden introduction. "Jane. Can I help you?" she replies curiously, the words carried along by a hint of an English accent.
"To be perfectly honest, I saw that you might have been admiring my friend," Anna answers glibly, pointing out Kristoff. He's staring at her with wide eyes, mouth dropped open slightly. When he notices them looking at him, he quickly takes a sip of his beer and averts his eyes towards the ceiling.
Jane smiles shyly. "Yes, he's quite cute."
Yes! So far, so good.
"He really is," Anna agrees fondly. When Jane gives her a questioning look, she's quick to add, "I've been his friend since we were in diapers; he's practically my brother. And look!" Anna whips out her phone and quickly pulls up some photos. "He has this dog, Sven, who is the best dog in the world." She stops on a picture Kristoff sent her just last week, which has him and Sven pressed cheek to cheek, both of them sticking their tongues out at the camera.
Girls are suckers for dogs, right? That should be an easy enough 'in', especially since Kristoff could talk about Sven for hours.
"That is adorable," Jane gushes, coming closer to take a better look at the photo. "Oh, I love dogs! I'm actually here for veterinary school."
"I can bring him over here and introduce you two," Anna suggests, hoping she's not pushing her luck. "He's really a great guy."
Jane hesitates for a moment before throwing back the rest of her drink. "Sure," she exclaims, grinning. "Why not!"
Anna beams at her. "Great! I'll be right back." Holy shit that actually worked.
When she returns, both Elsa and Kristoff are looking at her like she's crazy. "What?" she says defensively, "I'm being an awesome wingman. Kristoff: she thinks you're cute, is going to vet school, and is already in love with Sven."
He gapes at her.
"I, what...really?" Interest shines in his eyes and he stands up, looking only a little wobbly. But the alcohol might help him for once, as it makes him more outgoing than he usually is. "You're the best wingman in the world!" he declares, taking a fistful of her shirt and dragging her towards him. "The best," he whispers, nodding to himself.
Okay, so maybe he's had more to drink than she realized. But it's too late to back out now, right? Anna peels his hand off of her. "Right...so let's go say 'hi' to her." She directs her next words to Elsa, who's watching them with an amused smile. "I'll be back in a second."
Kristoff eagerly follows her through the crowds and over to Jane. She smiles expectantly at him, and he turns red to the tips of his ears. Anna discreetly elbows him in the ribs and he jolts forward, bracing his forearms against the bar. "So…" he coughs before giving her a twitchy smile, "I'm Kristoff. Umm...can I get you another drink?"
Anna slowly backs away from them when she hears Jane shyly accepts his offer and the two start talking about Sven. She fights off a huge, satisfied smile as she makes her way back to Elsa. Kristoff deserves some happiness of his own and even if nothing goes on beyond tonight with Jane, she hopes he has a good time.
Right when she's in sight of Elsa, she bumps into someone when they take a backwards step into her path. The apology on her lips dies instantly when she sees who it is.
"Anna, fancy seeing you here," Hans greets her, drink in hand. He's looking good as usual, wearing a blue collared shirt and neatly-pressed pants. Anna wonders if she can get away with spilling something on them.
"Hans," she mutters in return. Remembering how their last encounter turned out, she continues on towards Elsa instead of staying to verbally spar with him like she usually would.
Unfortunately, it seems like old habits die hard with him.
"I see you've finally cut the cord with Halstein over there," he remarks casually, pointing his glass towards Kristoff and Jane. "It's about time he started talking to girls other than you—I was beginning to think he didn't have any balls."
Anna grits her teeth and keeps her eyes forward, refusing to give in. "I'm not fighting with you tonight. Spare your comments for someone who actually cares." Be the bigger person, be the bigger person…
To her dismay, Hans is still with her when she rejoins Elsa, and he brightens upon seeing her. "Oh, you again. You're looking lovely."
Elsa glowers at him in response and Anna places a calming hand on her arm. "Hans was just leaving," she tells her, turning slightly so her back is to him.
If he managed to get Elsa wound up while she had alcohol in her, the end result probably wouldn't be pretty. She's doing him a favor by ignoring him, really. Especially since she would want nothing more than to punch him square in the jaw or watch Elsa freeze him solid.
But Hans has never been one to give up easily, especially if he's been drinking. "Is this the single, bitter women part of the bar?" he wonders, making a show of looking around their seating area. "If so, I can understand why you're sitting here, Anna. It's not like any guys here would have an interest in you."
Anna can't help but laugh—as cutting as he wanted that remark to be, she honestly doesn't give one shit about what anyone here thinks of her besides Elsa and Kristoff. It's a pretty nice feeling; there was a time immediately after their breakup where she probably would have had tears in her eyes at that.
Irritated that his comment isn't getting under her skin like it should be, Hans opens his mouth to try again. "You think I'm joking, but—"
Elsa stands up unexpectedly, cutting in between her and Hans. "She doesn't care if any of these guys are interested in her," she says firmly. "She doesn't need to be, because she's with me."
Anna's smile drops right off her face as she and Hans both stare at her incredulously. Elsa looks completely calm despite the faint pink now coloring her cheekbones. She takes Anna's hand and gives it an encouraging squeeze.
What is she doing? Anna thinks, completely blindsided by this turn of events. What the hell is she doing?
Elsa quietly continues, "Anna is a better person than you could ever hope to be. Not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for knowing her." She scowls at Hans contemptuously. "She's told me all about you, about what you did. I can't think of anyone here who deserves to be more miserable than you."
There's a shocked silence as Hans processes her words, unable to come back with a snappy retort. But Elsa isn't finished, not quite. She looks directly at Anna for the first time since Hans has come over, and takes a step into Anna's personal space, their fronts almost close enough to brush.
"E-Elsa…?" Anna hesitantly whispers, but the other woman gives a minute shake of her head and pulls Anna closer with her free hand.
She lets out a surprised squeak but manages to catch the next words Elsa says under her breath, "Trust me."
Her hand releases Anna's only to come up and cradle the side of her face not visible to Hans. Her fingers are cool as they trail across her cheek, stopping when her thumb is on the corner of Anna's lips.
Anna feels like one of those ridiculous cartoons she watched as a kid—her heart feels like it's beating out of her chest and there must be steam floating around her head with how hot she feels. Trust me, Elsa had said, but she's finding that hard to do right now. This isn't how their first kiss should be—not in front of her ex-boyfriend in a loud, overcrowded bar. Not to prove some non-existent point to him.
But she can't pull away even as Elsa's lips descend towards hers. Even as Elsa's too-blue eyes are so close to her own before they flutter shut, even as she feels warm breath against her skin. Her eyes slip closed when she feels a pressure against her lips, only to stiffen in surprise.
The pressure she feels...it's not Elsa's lips, but her thumb. The digit had moved smoothly across her mouth just as Elsa leaned in, acting as a buffer between them and—from Hans' viewpoint— making it look like they were really kissing.
Anna forces herself to keep her eyes shut and her fists clench against her legs, not sure if she's disappointed or relieved that this isn't the real thing. Elsa drops her hand from Anna's cheek and leans back a few moments later, sparing Anna from having to think about this all right now. Elsa looks almost apologetic when she opens her eyes, but then she shifts her gaze to Hans, Anna following her lead.
Hans is staring intently at them, eyebrows up to his hairline. "Huh...you've given up on guys then?" he asks Anna, sounding genuinely curious. He runs his eyes down Elsa's form in consideration. "I suppose you could've done worse."
Neither him nor Anna see the punch that makes him stumble backwards.
Hans touches his reddening jaw, stunned. Elsa's fist is still raised, ready to hit him again. "Don't talk to either of us again. Ever."
"Hey…" Anna murmurs, gently taking ahold of the fist and lowering it. Thankfully, most of the people in the bar are too preoccupied to notice what happened, but a few are looking warily in their direction. Hans is staying a safe distance away from them, hand still at his face and silent for once."Let's get out of here, alright?"
Elsa nods numbly, allowing Anna to steer her towards the exit. Along the way, she finds Kristoff and Jane talking animatedly to one another. She waves over Jane's shoulder to get his attention, pointing towards the door as a 'we're leaving' sign. Kristoff nods in their general direction, looking a little more alert than before. Anna makes a mental note to text him and see if he needs someone to take him home if he's too far gone to drive himself.
The frigid air outside hits them immediately, and for a moment Anna almost regrets leaving the warmth of the bar. Elsa takes her hand back and instantly puts some distance between them. "I am so, so sorry, Anna," she says shakily. The guilt she feels is clear in the way she wraps her arms around her middle, how she won't pick her eyes up from the icy ground.
Anna grimaces at the sight but stops herself from moving closer to her—from the looks of it, Elsa doesn't want to be touched right now. "For punching Hans or…" she trails off, not wanting to say the words 'kissing me' to Elsa.
Elsa swallows hard. "Both. But I...I feel worse about what I did to you." When she looks back up at Anna, her eyes are bright with anger. "He kept saying those things and he wasn't going to stop, Anna. I thought if I just pretended...if he thought we were…" She squeezes her eyes shut. "It was stupid of me. I-I think I probably drank too much and wasn't thinking right." Her last words don't ring true to either of them—Elsa didn't seem the slightest bit tipsy even after all the drinks she consumed.
"Hey," Anna takes a cautious step towards her, "There's nothing to apologize for. I'm not mad at you, not at all. How could I be?" She makes sure she has Elsa's attention when she grins. "Besides, didn't you say you'd punch Hans the next time you saw him?"
Elsa gives her a wobbly smile in return, still troubled. "But what about the kiss—"
Anna vehemently shakes her head. "I don't care about that."
She realizes how that sounds when a flicker of hurt goes through Elsa.
"I meant that it didn't bother me," she quickly amends, "Like I said, you don't need to apologize. It's fine." The words are entirely for Elsa's benefit. The not-kiss certainly did bother her, but for entirely different reasons than Elsa thinks.
She sighs heavily, warm breath causing the air around her to crystallize. Thinking about all of this is going to give her a headache. "We should head back home."
"What about Kristoff?" Elsa asks, nodding towards the bar. "Do you think he'll be okay to drive?"
"I'll ask him," Anna responds, whipping her phone out and shooting him a text. She doesn't want to interrupt him and Jane by marching back inside. Besides, Hans is still in there and there is no way she wants to see him right now. Thankfully Kristoff sends her a text less than a minute later.
-It's cool, I'm in good hands
Anna raises an eyebrow, not sure how she should take that comment. But whatever, as long as he gets home safely...
"He'll be fine," she relays to Elsa as she begins walking towards her car. "Let's head home, alright?"
The ride back to their apartment is completely silent except for the sound of the car's wiper blades and her fingers tapping nervously against the steering wheel. And even though she's trying to focus on the road in front of her, she can't help but notice Elsa staring at her.
It's a thoughtful stare, and Anna can only wonder what she's thinking. Is it about the kiss? How did it make Elsa feel, to do something like that for Anna's sake? She could have taken advantage of the situation, really kissed her in front of Hans and made excuses for her actions. But she didn't—she sacrificed her own feelings for Anna to stop Hans from bothering her.
Anna meant what she said; she couldn't possibly be angry at her for doing such a thing.
Even so, Elsa's stare has her on edge. The weight behind it is heavy with something, but she can't fully focus on it while she's driving. She can only hope that she can hold herself together for just a little longer.
Coming back to the apartment offers Anna no relief. It's only her and Elsa in a quiet, enclosed space with no real distractions. Her stomach feels like it's in knots and Elsa certainly isn't helping matters—when she ventures into the kitchen to find a distraction, Elsa accompanies her.
Feeling self-conscious, Anna reaches into a cupboard for a cup. "Do you umm...want any water? It might be a good idea for…" she trails off, just now noticing Elsa's hand now that it's under proper lighting. Pushing away her discomfort, she walks over to where Elsa is sitting at the table. "How's your hand doing?"
"Oh," Elsa begins, flexing the hand in thought. "I think I'm fine. I mean I didn't really hit him all that—"
She abruptly stops talking when Anna reaches for her hand and brushes her thumb across her palm. She carefully turns it over, inspecting Elsa's fingers and knuckles with gentle, probing touches. The damage didn't seem to be too bad—at worst her hand could have been broken. But still…
"Does it hurt?" she asks in concern, looking back up at Elsa's face.
Elsa's head is tilted slightly, lower lip held firmly between her teeth. A light flush that has nothing to do with the cold blossoms across her cheeks as she opens her eyes and meets Anna's. Anna wants to avert her gaze, to let go of Elsa's hand and pretend nothing happened. And yet she just can't.
So she talks instead. "Next time you punch someone, make sure your thumb isn't tucked inside your hand; keep it next to your index finger. And try to make contact using your first two knuckles." She brings Elsa's hand closer again, studying it intently. "You definitely didn't do too bad, though."
Her body moves before she can stop herself, and she leans down to place an absentminded kiss over the reddened knuckles. It's quick; barely even a touch of lips against cool skin. But Anna jumps back the moment after it happens, eyes going wide in realization of what she just did. "I am so sorry!" she exclaims, wondering if she somehow ingested alcohol tonight to make such a stupid decision. "That was weird wasn't? That was so weird of me, I'm really sorry. We need to—I mean, I should go to bed soon. It's not all that late but maybe I should just...I really am sorry— "
"Anna."
Her name crossing Elsa's lips is enough for her to stop babbling. Elsa is gazing at her with so much open affection that even she can't mistake it for something else. But then a bolt of nervousness seems to run through Elsa and she straightens her shoulders. "Th-there's something I need to tell you," she begins, strangely serious. She hesitantly squeezes Anna's hand before letting it go. "It's something I've been wanting to say for a long time now, actually."
Oh shit.
Anna thinks she knows exactly where this is going and no, she's not ready for this, not at all.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Elsa nervously continues, "It's not as important as...you know, the ice stuff. But in a way, it's kind of...more important?"
"We really should go to sleep," Anna says weakly, taking a step backwards. "It can wait, right?"
"N-no, I don't think it can," Elsa replies as she uncrosses her arms, standing up and moving towards Anna. "I don't want to wait anymore." She takes another step forward.
Anna's hips bump into a counter, halting her progress and allowing Elsa to come closer. She stops less than a foot away, eyes locking intently on Anna's own. There's still nervousness there, but something else...something that looks suspiciously like hope. "Can…" Elsa swallows hard, placing an unsteady hand on the counter next to Anna. "Can I kiss you? For real this time?"
Anna sucks in a ragged breath, feeling like she's about to hyperventilate. "Elsa…" She puts a hand on her shoulder, meaning to gently push her back so there could be some space between them.
Instead, her hand tightens on the soft material of Elsa's shirt and she pulls Elsa towards her.
Their mouths meet in a clash of teeth and a bumping of noses, but Elsa places a trembling hand on Anna's cheek and tilts her own head before kissing her again. Everything is still, and there's nothing else in the world but the soft pressure of Elsa's lips against her own.
Elsa presses closer, a warm line against Anna's body, her hands sliding down Anna's sides until they reach her hips and grip at them tightly. Anna arches at the touch, one of her own hands coming up to Elsa's braid and threading her fingers through the fine strands.
They break for air, but Elsa wastes no time pressing her lips to the corner of Anna's mouth, her cheek, across her jaw. One insistent, open-mouthed kiss after another, and Anna is already flushed and panting even as she cranes her neck up to give Elsa more access.
But Elsa takes a step back, causing Anna to open her eyes in confusion. Not even a moment later, she feels hands against the back of her thighs and she's lifted up onto the countertop, Elsa bracketed between her legs.
She moves back to Anna's neck without missing a beat, nipping and sucking her way down towards the collar of her shirt. There's a loud thump as Anna's head hits one of the upper cabinets, but neither of them can be bothered to care. When her tongue presses against the sensitive skin on the side of her neck, Anna whimpers and feels more than hears Elsa's answering moan. Cool hands slip under Anna's shirt, skimming across the skin of her stomach and ribs, pulling her in even closer.
Her legs tighten around Elsa, and she drags her away from her neck to bring their lips back together. The kiss is more heated this time, Elsa's tongue brushing between Anna's lips and slipping into her mouth to taste her. There's another moan, but Anna can't tell which of them uttered it. Elsa's tongue meets Anna's, causing a delightful shiver to course through her.
She finally manages to release Elsa's hair from the confines of its braid, causing a shower of white-gold to fall around her hands and down Elsa's shoulders. Her fingers glide through silky strands and clutch at the back of Elsa's shirt when she feels the slightest hint of teeth against her lower lip. She returns the favor, licking into Elsa's mouth and locking her ankles behind Elsa's back to keep her in place.
"Ahh...Anna."
It's said as a reverent rush of breath against Anna's lips, a whisper of bare adoration. Anna's eyes open at the sound and she stiffens even as Elsa keeps kissing her.
This isn't...this isn't supposed to happen. They're supposed to stay friends, Anna was supposed to let Elsa down gently and act as if the pretend-kiss from the bar didn't mean anything. It was the only way she could think of not getting hurt again.
Anna places a hand against Elsa's collarbone and breaks their kiss, trying to catch her breath. "W-wait," she gasps. "We can't…"
Elsa yanks her hands away as if Anna's skin is on fire, and takes a step back. Her cheeks are flushed and her lips glistening. "What's wrong?" she asks, worry and doubt already beginning to seep back into her.
"I just…" Anna shakes her head, wiping at the slick skin of her neck. "I think maybe you had too much to drink." I'm such a coward.
Elsa's eyes widen. "No, that's not why...I'm not drunk, Anna," she whispers.
Anna slides off the counter, feeling unsteady as her feet hit the ground. "We shouldn't have—I...we should probably get some sleep. I know I'm tired, and you probably are too." Anna starts to edge out of the kitchen, unable to meet Elsa's eyes. "You should have some water before you go to bed. Hangovers are the worst, and you definitely don't want one—"
"Anna, please—"
"We can...we can talk tomorrow, if you want," Anna rambles, directing her words towards the floor. "Once we're feeling more like ourselves, I mean."
Her eyes flick up to Elsa, who hasn't moved an inch. She's completely still, staring at Anna with tear-bright eyes, a hand against her mouth.
Anna's heart lurches at the sight, but it's better this way, it is. It's not too late for them to go back to the way things were, for them to be nothing but friends. Elsa's feelings are bound to fade in time, and she'll find someone more deserving of her attention, her love. Anna's just speeding the process along, for her sake and for Elsa's.
But as she closes the door to her room, leaving a stunned Elsa in the kitchen, she finds that her throat is tight and her eyes are wet. She slides down against the door, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her head against them. She squeezes her eyes shut and muffles a sob against the back of her hand.
It has to be this way. It has to be.
But that doesn't stop Anna from feeling like she's ripping both their hearts out.
A/N: Jeez, all you guys wated were some Elsanna kisses. Well, you got 'em, so I hope you're happy! The chapter title is from Chvrches song 'We Sink', which suits this chapter quite well. Aaand a big thanks to my beta, The Wandering Quill, who keeps my chapters looking pretty. Thanks for reading and feel free to vent at me :)
Glossary-
Cat Sith: Originating from Celtic mythology, this large kitty is black with a white spot on its chest. Legend has it that it haunts the Scottish highlands, stealing souls and causing mischief.