A/N: Chapter 6! Much faster than Chapter 5 thankfully. This was a tough one to write. As usual, thank you so much to my Beta – QueenXxIceXxCat, and a special shoutout to Fruipit for additional editing and advice! If you want to read an actual talented writer, feel free to check her out (I'd plug for Queen too but I've already done that before :P)! Thank you to all of my faithful readers, and any new ones I acquire along the way. Reviews, follows, favorites, PMs, etc. are all welcome and appreciated!

Mild trigger warning: Homophobia

Usual Disclaimer: I don't Own Disney/Pixar – just the plot.

Rudimentary Photography

An Elsanna Fanfiction

Chapter 6: Fires and Freedom

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"Elsa? Building clear?" the Hall Director, a tall dark-skinned woman with white hair, inquired.

"Yeah. Fortunately not many students were in the building." Elsa's eyes briefly gazed at the building before returning to the older woman.

"Cause of the alarm?"

"Second floor burnt a pizza – didn't take the cardboard sheet out from under the pizza before putting it in the oven." Elsa rolled her eyes.

"Alright, write it up?"

"Will do. You'll have it in your email before tomorrow morning."

"Thanks. .. and Elsa?"

"Yeah?"

"Great job."

"Thanks, Kida." Elsa smiled briefly at the praise before her neutral expression returned, returning to her own thoughts which had nothing to do with a fire alarm.

Anna watched the encounter from afar, her own mind alight with confusion, hope, and terror. What. Just. Happened?! Did I imagine that? Was she leaning in too? Is Elsa…

no no no, no way, she's got a boyfriend.

So do you, idiot.

That's different.

Is it really? How can you be sure? There's one way I know, and it involves a lot of kissing, and touching, and-

Stop it.

I bet she wouldn't tell you to-

Stop it.

Oh come on, one little earlobe nibble and-

Stop it!

Fine.

…

….

…..

Sex with Elsa.

God damn it!

Anna buried her face in her hands to hide the massive blush that was rushing to her face. Fortunately, she noticed, the sparse crowd that waited outside for the building to be cleared by the fire department wasn't particularly interested in what one lone redhead was doing.

Anna sat at her computer reviewing photos she had taken earlier that day, but kept finding herself gravitating toward the ones she had taken of Elsa, of which there were a prolific number of them.

Man, she really is gorgeous… Anna mused before a loud bang coming from down the hall interrupted her train of thought. Several loud voices began to careen down the hallway, making focusing impossible anyway.

"Fuck you, Naleen!"

Hey, I know that voice… Anna realized, pushing back her chair and emerging from her room, turning the corner to see a group of students entering the building.

"You would you dirty freak of fucking nature! You're not right! You're not normal! You're both freaks!" was the venomous response from the girl as she pushed Merida in the back. Anna took in the scene and noticed several things: first, Merida and Ariel closest to her, Ariel sobbing quietly on Merida's shoulder; secondly, Merida looked pissed as nails, but was torn between wanting to support Ariel, and wanting to turn around and deck Naleen in the face as the girl relentlessly assaulted the two with insults; thirdly, Hans was close by Naleen's side looking a bit lost – wanting to hide but wanting to support his potential relationship with Naleen at the same time.

"Not if my life depended on it you bitch!" Merida retorted, increasing her pace to try and get some distance between the two couples. By this time, most of the inhabitants of the hall were poking their heads out of their rooms listening intently to the conflict taking place.

"A bitch? I can live with that, at least I'm not a carpet-munching slut, a freak of fucking nature, not to mention an atrocity in the eyes of God!" Naleen spat, tossing both middle fingers in the air.

As Naleen finished spewing her lines of hate, something inside Anna snapped, her vision blurred with tinges of red at the edges, as she advanced on the blonde.

"Don't you dare!" she cried out, "You stupid. Fucking. Bimbo! What these two have is beautiful! Something you will never have if you keep up that attitude! Besides, you want to talk about being an atrocity to God?! I bet if you spread your legs a little more and Hans here wiggles around a little you can ask God yourself from the wind tunnel it'll create! Adultery is an atrocity before God you stupid wench! Love is not. So before you get all up on your high horse about what's right and wrong, maybe you want to step back, close the twenty-four hour activity center you call your vagina, and take a good hard look at your own life you hypocritical slut!" Anna finished her tirade by executing a hard slap across Naleen's cheek as the blonde reeled from the impact, yelling out in pain as her hand flew to her cheek that was already beginning to redden from the impact.

"My face! You bitch!" Naleen began before Anna's fist connected with Naleen's jaw, causing Anna to flinch at the impact, briefly shaking out her hand before regaining her combative stance. Naleen's other hand clutched her jaw where Anna had struck, tears welling up from the pain as she tried to maintain her composure.

"Yeah you adulterous slut. I'd hit you in the gut but I wouldn't want to hurt your potential baby! Not only are you a cheating whore but you don't even have the good sense to have a backup birth control plan! I hope you're not pregnant – I'd hate to see a child grow up with you two fuck-ups as parents!" Anna was on a roll as the group had come to a halt, most of the hall had come to investigate, all eyes on Anna.

"Why don't we all quiet dow-" Hans began, raising a hand in objection, eyes darting back and forth between Elsa's door and the fuming redhead in front of him before Anna turned to him, her vengeance not sated.

"Oh no you don't you piece of shit. How could you do this to Elsa!? She is kind, and beautiful, and smart, and caring, and amazing, and deserves so much better than you you lying sack of shit. Get the fuck out of here before I really start in on your unfaithful ass." As she finished, Hans' eyes darted from Naleen to Anna and back again, sizing up whose wrath he wanted to incur. Deciding Naleen to be the lesser of two evils, he turned sharply to escape only to run straight into Elsa, who had emerged from the RA Office at some point during the scuffle. Steadying herself after the collision, Elsa's posture was tired, her face drawn and sad as she looked into Hans' eyes.

"Elsa… I-" Hans started before Elsa waved her hand, cutting him off.

"Just go, Hans. We're done." Elsa released a heavy sigh, eyes downcast as Hans lingered for a moment before looking back up at Anna. He turned and ran out of the door when she started toward him again.

A very uncomfortable silence fell on the hall as all eyes darted between Elsa, Anna, and Naleen, waiting to see who would speak first. Finally, Elsa raised her gaze to the contingent of residents in front of her, "Everyone please return to your rooms. It's past quiet hours. Goodnight." The platinum blonde turned quickly and returned to the RA Office, closing the door behind her.

A pin could have been heard dropping as no one moved for a brief moment. Naleen broke the silence by beginning to stalk toward her room mumbling, "Stupid fucking fag-lover – they're all freaks. They don't belong here," as she left. Anna whirled around to face her, and was only stopped by Merida and Ariel as the three retreated to Anna's room – it was the closest.

As Anna closed the door to her room, Merida and Ariel stood side by side holding hands, fingers intertwined, studying Anna as if she were a ticking time bomb. Anna turned to face the couple letting out a huff of air, bottom lip pouted out slightly so the airflow blew strands of her hair upward before drifting slowly back down.

"Are you two okay? Ariel?" Anna inquired taking a look at the two and was relieved when she saw no serious signs of physical trauma.

"I- I'll be alright, Anna. Thank you. You… you didn't have to do that for us, you know? Not that I don't appreciate it, but… she could cause trouble for you – especially since you hit her." Ariel took a few deep breaths to steady herself, smiling worriedly at her friend.

"Anna… are- are you alright? I didn't take you for the violent type," Ariel ventured, extending one hand to the girl, elbow bent as if wanting to comfort the girl and shield herself with a buffer at the same time.

Anna took a deep breath, steadied herself, and released it, this time more controlled. "Thank you, Ariel, but yes, I'm fine now. You're right though, I'm not really a fighter. Naleen just makes me so angry though!"

Merida exchanged a glance with Ariel before asking, "Are you sure that's it? I mean, how long have you been crushing on our Resident Assistant?" Merida asked innocently.

"Oh I don't know, since I met her maybe? I'm not really sure I could put an exact moment to- I mean…"

FUCK!

"I uh… I mean, I don't… Merida! What the hell?" Anna was lost for words. She wanted to somehow cover up or take back the words she had just spoken, but her brain knew there was no amount of explaining that could make them disappear.

As Anna struggled internally, she noticed that both Merida and Ariel had sincere, happy smiles plastered on their faces, as well as understanding – especially Ariel as she had only come out but a few hours prior. Ah hell Dearg, you already came out to some random janitor. Why not to your friends? Especially these two? It's not like they're going to condemn you for being the same as them. With her mind made up, Anna took in one more big breath before fixing her gaze on the two young women in front of her.

"Merida? Ariel?" Anna paused, swallowing hard, small beads of perspiration making their way down the side of her forehead and running by her ear, "I'm…" the two girls leaned in imperceptibly with anticipation, "I'm gay – always have been."

With the admission, Anna let out her breath, mouth remaining slightly open, arms slack at her sides, head slightly bowed, but eyes fixated on her two friends, in a moment of pure vulnerability. Suddenly a high-pitched squeal emitted from Ariel as she broke the palpable silence causing both her and Merida to rush Anna and wrap her up in an embrace.

Anna stood rigid; barely aware of the feeling of her friends' arms as they took her into their fold, but ever aware of the tightness in her chest that was coming unbound with rapid velocity. Breathing in again, Anna allowed herself to smile as the tightness in her chest disappeared, and she lost it, embracing her friends as tears began to stream unabashedly down her face, feeling a weight being lifted, at least partially, off of her shoulders as she reveled in the comfort she found in acceptance.

It was almost an hour later by the time Anna had calmed down enough to where Ariel and Merida felt comfortable leaving the girl to herself. She lay on her bed, toying with her phone, resisting the urge to call Rapunzel to tell her the news when, in mid-toss, her phone began ringing, causing Anna to yelp and flail to try and catch the electronic device. Sure enough, when hand-eye coordination and panic mix, 'Anna happens', and rather than catch the phone, she swatted it off the side of her bed. As a result, she ended up tipping over to catch it and falling face first off the bed collecting in a large heap on the floor as the door opened. Rapunzel, Mulan, and Shang paused just outside the door as they all looked down to Anna's face upside down, her legs thrown back over her head, butt sticking out toward them, and knees on the ground. Rapunzel simply shrugged and moved into the room, the blonde being used to Anna's antics, hoisting herself up onto Anna's bed and looking down.

"…Well, we now know our dearest Anna is flexible," sniggered Shang as he and Mulan collapsed into a giggle-fit.

Anna, after mustering some energy, threw her legs back over her head so she was lying flat on her back. "I dropped my phone… and myself, thank you," the embarrassed redhead finished, flipping over and lifting herself off the ground to a standing position.

"Of course you did. So, clumsy-pants, what'd you do while the rest of us went out? Anything fun?" Rapunzel quipped at her cousin.

"It was quite eventful actually." Anna, who had recovered from her spill, smiled up at her cousin before turning to Mulan and Shang. Taking in another deep breath, the girl began, "I uh… have something to say…" Rapunzel, upon hearing this, perked up, smiling before sliding down off of Anna's bed to stand beside her cousin with her arm on her shoulder. Mulan and Shang simply waited, eyes on Anna, for her to continue. "Here we go again… I'm gay." Exhaling again, Anna found it was slightly easier this time around to tell her two friends.

"Eh, I could have told you that," Shang said, smiling as shock spread across Anna's face.

"You- you knew? How? It's not like I'm running around in Pride gear- no offense to Merida." Anna's flabbergasted response made Shang grin wider, his laugh increasing.

"It wasn't too hard to guess with how hard you were focusing on Elsa with your camera earlier. You were practically drooling," Shang chuckled again at Anna's face – she looked like she got her hand caught in the cookie jar. "I take it coming out is sort of new for you?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Anna turned to Rapunzel, "Ariel and Merida know too," she said as she watched her cousin's smile grow even larger before the girl lifted her up in a tight embrace.

"I'm so happy for you, Anna!" Rapunzel squealed.

"Punz… air… need… increasing…" Anna managed to eke out between squeezes from her cousin.

"Oh. Right, sorry." Rapunzel said sheepishly as she set Anna down and released her.

Anna, realizing that Mulan had yet to speak, turned to the girl to find her smiling as well and nodding her approval.

Mulan's eyes widened suddenly, her hand moving to lay over her heart, "What about your boyfriend? Have you told him yet? He… he deserves to know…" she finished, trying and failing not to give Anna a slightly disapproving look for keeping her boyfriend in the dark. That is, until Rapunzel burst out laughing followed shortly by Anna.

"Olaf? Oh Mulan, he'd give Richard Simmons a run for his money!" Anna continued laughing at Mulan who just looked confused.

"Mulan, dear, they were 'dating'" Shang employed air quotes, "so that people would think they were straight." Shang chuckled as recognition suddenly spread across Mulan's face, the other three could have sworn they saw a light bulb illuminate just above her head.

The group chuckled as Shang and Mulan bid Rapunzel and Anna farewell before heading off, leaving Rapunzel and Anna in the quiet of Anna's room. Anna plopped down in her computer chair, feeling giddy with excitement at the prospect of not having to hide anymore. The excitement was apparently shared as Rapunzel let out a whoop, a ear to ear smile plastered across her face as she clasped her hands together to stop them from shaking.

"Best. Day. Ever!" Rapunzel shouted as she grabbed Anna's hands spinning in a circle with her while Anna laughed at her cousin.

"You know, Punz, I think you may be more excited about this than I am," the redhead mused.

"Yeah! So when are you going to go pursue your lady love Elsa?" Rapunzel laughed jokingly; until she saw Anna's face fall.

"Elsa…" The name left Anna's mouth in sorrow.

"Anna? What's wrong? Is-" Rapunzel started before her cousin pulled her into a quick hug.

"Punz, I- I've got to go. I'll explain later, okay? There's just… something I need to do." Anna finished cryptically darting out of the room without waiting for an answer, leaving a confused Rapunzel standing alone to ponder what Anna could have meant.

Elsa pulled herself off of the couch in the RA Office, wiping tears from her eyes. One glance in the reflection of the computer monitor told her that her eyes were puffy and red beyond hiding. Knowing she was overdue for a round, Elsa moved to the door, head down. She glanced through the peep hole to make sure she wouldn't hit anyone when she opened the door and had to clamp her mouth shut to stop herself from yelling out in surprise. Standing just outside the door was the redhead who had been occupying so much of her time lately. Elsa looked back through the hole to find the redhead just outside, hand raised as if to knock but not moving further.

Knock… just knock. I wonder if she knows how to- you're an idiot, Elsa, of course she knows how to knock.

As if to affirm Elsa's confidence in Anna's knocking abilities, the girl finally rapped her knuckled against the door, which only allowed the panic to set in further for Elsa.

What if she wants to talk about our almost-kiss? Elsa gasped, what if she wants to continue our almost-kiss?! No no no. I can't. There's no way. I just. No I-

Knock knock knock. The second set of knocks rang through Elsa's head like a cannon.

Okay okay okay, maybe she doesn't want to talk about that at all. You have a job to do. You're on duty, Elsa. Open the damned door. With that, Elsa opened the door and stepped aside to allow Anna entrance to the office. After entering, Anna seated herself on one of the couches, folding her hands in her lap waiting as Elsa chose to sit in the computer chair behind the imagined safety of the computer desk; the silence that followed was palpable.

Man she's pretty, Anna thought as she watched the blonde take her seat.

"So… I was just wondering…" Anna began.

Oh God, thought Elsa, here it comes…

"How are you holding up? I didn't mean for all of… that to happen – especially in front of everyone. I am so sorry…" Anna felt her eyes moisten slightly at the thought of how embarrassed Elsa must be – having her personal business put out for everyone in the hall to see.

Elsa sighed before raising her gaze to Anna, the tears in her eyes coming back with renewed vigor, "You know, I thought I'd be okay with it. He is the one who cheated after all, I didn't really do anything wrong… but I guess it still hurts to end a relationship; especially since I'll have to tell my parents."

"Yeah, but they can't blame you for Hans cheating on you can they? That'd be so unfair!" Anna's lower lip pouted out slightly at the potential injustice she had just voiced.

"Not so much that, but now they'll start actively looking for other wealthy people for me to date. I'm so tired of it all. I just want to be me." Elsa released an exasperated sigh. Even if I don't know who I am, Elsa lamented internally.

"I guess I could see that – wanting to live without constraints is definitely not a crazy idea" Anna smiled at the blonde in encouragement.

"Forget about me, what about you?" Elsa motioned to Anna's hand which was red and starting to puff up a little.

"Oh this? This is nothing." Anna shook her right hand out again but Elsa caught the slight wince as pain shot up from Anna's hand all the way up her arm.

Elsa ducked her head down as Anna could hear the sliding of desk drawers. Elsa quickly procured a simple first aid kit and took out an ice pack before coming around the desk to place the pack on the back of Anna's hand. Anna mumbled a, "Thank you," sheepishly and moved to take the pack, but Elsa seemed content to hold it, holding Anna's hand in her left hand and holding the pack on the back of it with her right.

For a long while the two sat next to each other in silence, Elsa occasionally lifting the pack to check for further swelling. After a time, Elsa's eyes began to avert to Anna's lips – a gravitational pull drawing Elsa's eyes repeatedly until she gave up and just stared, hoping Anna wouldn't notice. Of course, Anna did.

Elsa is staring at me. No, she's staring at my lips. Is she thinking about our almost-kiss? Is she… I mean, did she want to? What if she did? I mean, she was dating Hans at the time, but now… now she's not. Does that make it okay?

No no no no no. I will not be the pickup girl. No way.

But she's single now. And you know she won't be for long. Look at her! What if she really is thinking about the almost-kiss?

As if prompted, Anna noticed as Elsa's tongue poked ever so slightly out of her mouth before running along her lips.

No. Freaking. Way. Anna Dearg if you don't make a move now you never will. Come on. This could be the girl of your dreams and you're just going to watch her float by?

"Ahem," Anna cleared her throat as she mustered up some courage, "Um, Elsa? …about earlier… I-"

Elsa bolted off of the couch, dropping the ice pack and hurrying to sit again at the desk as she cut the redhead off, "It's okay – it was my fault. We were in an awkward situation and we were in close proximity and you've been so nice to me and you're funny and fun and caring and sweet and…"

Focus Elsa!

"What I mean to say is… we both got caught up in the moment, and while it was nice, I wouldn't want to do anything that would jeopardize your relationship with your boyfriend. I'm sorry, and it won't happen again. But uh… if it's not too much to ask, do you think we could stay friends? If it'd be too awkward I understand… I guess- I guess I just… want to know where we stand." Elsa's eyes were downcast, new waves of embarrassment flooding her senses, with one additional emotion:

Fear? Am I afraid? Elsa thought as the deafening silence tore through the room. Elsa clasped her hands together, resting them in her lap awaiting judgment. I'm… afraid of losing Anna? That's ridiculous! We aren't even really friends!

But oh would I like to be…

Shut up! You almost made Anna cheat on her boyfriend – you know, cheat! The same reason you just broke up with Hans!? You'll be lucky if she doesn't report you to Kida for sexual harassment! Elsa's inner torment of the idea that she almost made Anna be unfaithful terrorized her being.

Meanwhile, Anna's head was swimming – It was nice? So she would have been okay with it? Is there a chance that Elsa… my beautiful RA… is okay with the idea of kissing me? Only one way of finding out Dearg – come on, you were born ready for this. You can do this!

Anna slowly rose from her seated position, the hints she had received earlier emboldening her. Drawing closer to the computer desk, and Elsa, Anna knew it was now or never. Elsa had just offered her the friend zone. She had to shut that down or forever be trapped. Contemplating moving around the desk, Anna instead opted to restrain herself and stay on the opposite side. Leaning over the desk, Anna used her left hand to support her weight while the other reached out to lift Elsa's face so she could lock her gaze with the icy blue eyes of her crush.

"Elsa… while I appreciate your honesty and can definitely understand your conflicted feelings," at this, Elsa felt tears welling up in her eyes again,

Here it comes… this is the part where she says she never wants to see me again. Game over, Elsa. Game over.

"If it makes you feel any better, Olaf and I aren't really a thing. We never really were. If friendship is really what you want, I could try, but if…" Anna's confidence wavered slightly, "if you were ever interested in seeing where that… moment… in the staircase could go, well, you know where I live." With that, Anna straightened up, turned around, and walked to the door before turning around on a whim, "Hell, you even have a key," the redhead finished, winking at the completely baffled blonde behind the desk before darting out of the office and running like a giddy five year old to her room before slamming the door shut, grabbing Rapunzel, who had been waiting in Anna's computer chair, by the shoulders and screaming like a fangirl at a Bieber concert.

Elsa sat, stunned in her chair.

Did she do that on purpose?

Which? The bending over so you could see straight down her blouse? Or maybe you meant the cupping of your chin with her tender soft fingers so you'd want to melt? Or did you mean the wink? Or perhaps you were referring to the mention that you could, at any time, enter her room, and that she more than likely would not be opposed to that? You're an idiot.

And with that last thought, Elsa's last barriers were down. She knew she felt something past friendship for the awkward peppy redhead. What exactly, she wasn't sure, but the thought of pursuing a relationship that might actually make her happy was something Elsa hadn't dared to dream about in the recent past.

Why couldn't you be a rich guy, Anna? Mom and Dad would love you. Things would be so much easier.

Easier than keying into her room?

Shut up. Elsa surrendered to her predicament, letting loose the torrent of tears that she had suppressed for the last few hours, using the last of her strength to come out from behind the desk, retrieving the fallen ice pack and moving to one of the couches in order to curl into a fetal position, arms crossed holding the ice pack to her chest, and clutching her sides as the agony of a seemingly impossible predicament enveloped and swallowed her whole.