NrDg: It's been very interesting reading your psychoanalysis as the chapters roll out. Most of the time, you've been pretty accurate. However, I'd encourage you not to be too dismissive of people who have problems like Elsa's. Not saying you HAVE to be their friend or anything; it's definitely understandable to worry about your own mental health and wellbeing first, but I've had enough "fairweather friends" who will only stick by you as long as you don't demand anything of them. And it's always so disappointing. Just a thought.

~ Chapter Thirty-One ~

"You had to know what you were doing."

"Maybe subconsciously. But honestly, I really wasn't- I thought we were having fun, not…"

"But you heard my reaction!"

"Okay, yes, I definitely did. But that was the reaction. I don't know if you remember, but I stopped right after I heard it!"

"True. But it was… who tickles somebody there?! Especially when they're both grown adults!"

Finally, Elsa turned back from where she had been staring out the window. As Anna had been expecting, her cheeks were aglow all over again. They had stayed like that during the entire drive back to the beach house. And during the past ten minutes of talking once they had parked.

"It just kind of… happened." As apologetic as she looked, she also appeared to be distracted by her own thoughts. "And when I did it, and you sounded… I mean, were you just teasing me? I can't stop wondering about that."

Now it was Anna's turn to shyly look down at the steering wheel. She'd been trying not to think too much about a few of the reactions she'd been having over the past week, but of course, Elsa had to ask about the worst one. "Um… not teasing. My body reacted all by itself, and I was just… y'know, trying not to make it worse."

"Honestly, I didn't think what I did was going to hurt you, or- or make you that uncomfortable, but now I can see how it would! As I've said, I'm flying blind!"

"I know," she told her gently, smiling. "And it didn't feel bad. Just, um… yeah, awhole other feeling than I thought you'd give me at any point."

Biting her lip, Elsa began tracing a hand over the dashboard, up along one of the air conditioning vents and over past the glovebox, down to the stereo controls. "Your little moan was so beautiful."

"Elsa!" Anna hissed, unable to help the giggle that came out even as she felt lightheaded. "I mean, should I be preparing for when you move in for the kill? Is this how it works?"

"Was just being honest," Elsa sighed, drawing her legs up into the car seat. "And… gross, probably. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm just happy you're telling me the truth now, instead of trying to bury everything and run from the situation."

"But that was working so well! Why couldn't we just pretend everything was alright, and then you go home to Canada and I go back on tour, and… and everything just feel as if we had this wonderful little week of sand and surf and sunshine?"

"Because you're thirsty." They both laughed. "Okay, okay! Sorry, couldn't help myself. It's just…"

When she didn't finish, Elsa prompted her a few seconds later. "Just what? Don't turn into me, here."

With a wry smile at that comment, Anna went on, "Well… it's really funny. I had a crush on you for so long, and then I get a chance to hang out with you for a week, and… it's you who has the crush instead of me. Like we're in Bizarro World."

"It's not the same. You had a crush on me before you knew me, really." Her eyes narrowed. "Was it my personality? Am I such a frigid bitch that you stopped liking me that way?"

"Don't say shit like that, it's dumb."

"Fine, fine. Still, you're right… kind of funny."

Anna turned to face her. "It's tempting to just, y'know… let it happen. I know I think you're the most attractive woman ever, and that I really like hanging out with you. As much as Kristoff, and that's saying a lot, since we're besties. And I think…" Shrugging, her fingertips fiddled with the emergency brake. "Maybe, possibly, we've been dating this whole time without realising it, but that seems like a huge assumption to make when we haven't really… you know."

"Talked about it. Thought about it for more than a few minutes. Yes, I've been struggling with that." Sighing, she reached to one side of her seat and grasped the seat lever, reclining it all the way back so she was lying back and staring up at the sunroof. "And I'm straight! What business do I have thinking about you as anything other than a friend? That seems… so disingenuous!"

"Well, I kinda doubt you are straight," Anna snorted. "Like I said, the way you describe those few dates with guys as being as much fun as a trip to the dentist… kind of a big red flag."

Elsa's head rolled over to look at her, cheeks still red but looking less ashamed, less uncomfortable. "You really think? Maybe I'm… bisexual? Or at least, um… I mean, sometimes I see men and I think they're visually appealing, but it's never… I don't care if I do anything with them. I don't really fantasize, don't approach them."

"And you don't do that with women, either." A shake of the head. "Do you ever think they're 'visually appealing', too?"

"Um…" Her eyes averted. "Maybe? But it's… I assumed I was straight, so I thought I was just appreciating their beauty. From a professional standpoint, or something. Not, um…"

"Not wanting to jump their bones."

"ANNA!" The redhead laughed, and Elsa's face turned into an irate scrunch. "You're so cruel to me; I'm dealing with huge life changes, here!"

"You're kinda gay. It happens! Happened to me, and I made it through fine." Then she held up a finger. "Notice I didn't say 'you're a lesbian'; I'll let you figure that out for yourself. I mean, if it fits, that's cool, too."

"I don't care about women, or men. It's just you."

That shut Anna up in a hurry. Not even Mulan had tried such a bold statement as that; she had mentioned several other women she "banged", wearing their names like badges of honour. As if displaying them would let Anna know that she was experienced enough to treat her well. It had worked, to a degree… but there was also something about Elsa declaring that she was literally the only one she'd ever had non-platonic feelings for that stirred up a gaggle of butterflies in her stomach.

"Anna, I'm not going to pursue you. If we both… drift together, that's fine, but…" The pop diva turned away again. "I don't even expect that to happen; I don't have the right. You were trying to say before that just because I'm pretty and you like hanging out with me, it doesn't quite mean that we should date. At least, I think that's what you were trying to say."

"I was. Got distracted."

"You do find me attractive? Not just because I'm 'THE Elsa', but… honest opinion. Brutally honest. Trash my self-image, please."

Anna shrugged easily, leaning her own seat back now. "Can't. Like, not that I would date somebody just because they're a perfect ten, but… you're an eleven."

"Really?" Elsa's voice was flustered-yet-pleased, and she smiled up at the roof of the car. "The same goes for you."

"But I'm not-"

"You're beautiful. And, um, physically…" More being flustered, more inability to speak.

"For somebody who wasn't sure she likes girls, you sure are having a hard time telling me how hot I supposedly am."

Swallowing, Elsa whispered, "You would burn me away."

"And then you do that," Anna replied in a shaky voice. "Like, one minute you're an awkward turtle, and the next… BAM. The line that would make just about anyone drop their panties."

"Then why are yours still up?"

Anna and Elsa exchanged a long, level gaze. Then Anna leaned closer. Elsa gulped, eyelashes fluttering as she braced for the impact of something they had been avoiding for days. Their breath was commingling as Anna half-closed her eyes…

"I'm wearing a bathing suit. All my underwear is in the house."

Elsa blinked at her, then growled and reached over to flick her nose. "Y-you really- that was cruel! Oh my God, I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest!"

Giggling, Anna looked back over at her. They were both breathless and smiling. It was a great moment. One that would be perfect to kiss her, if she were feeling bolder. Or more ready. But she wasn't; for now, she just wanted this. What they had already built.

"Thank you for coming with me," Elsa finally said, taking Anna's hand and squeezing it hard. "No matter what happens from here on, I… you really made this trip the best it's ever been."

"Even though you freaked out and thought you were hurting me?"

"Yes. That was… unfortunate, but I just… care about you so much! Which yes, makes no sense that I should in such a short time — except on the other hand, I can't imagine anyone meeting you and not instantly wanting to have you around as often as possible!"

All Anna could do for a moment was bite her lip and weather the flush that threatened to turn her into a strawberry. "God, you're laying it on pretty thick."

"I'm sorry," Elsa whispered, as if it would have been better to say the same things in a quieter tone of voice. "Do you want me to take any of it back?"

"Never, keep it coming! Just warning you that I might go inside the house, grab a pair of panties, then come back and drop them for y-"

"OH JUST SHUT UP!"

~ o ~

The minute the two walked into the house, they saw Esmé sitting at the kitchen counter, absorbed in her phone. Which she put down immediately, crossing her long legs in the opposite direction as her red-painted fingernails laced with each other over the top knee.

"Well?"

"Well," Elsa sighed, glancing over at Anna, "there are… a few things I'll have to sort through. But she brought me around."

"Good. Gotta admit, normally I let you keep to yourself, but I'm kinda glad this catburglar got all up in your business."

"As am I. But there's more." When she took too long to continue, Anna bumped her elbow into Elsa's arm. "I'm… very sorry for how I reacted to you when you got here. I had every right to be ticked, but not to… berate you the way I did."

That caused Esmé to blink a few times, before she recovered enough to smile and say, "Your girlfriend making you go through a 'My Name Is Earl' list?"

"Yes and no. She told me she wasn't going to let me back down, but… when she told me how hurt you seemed after we argued, I was the one who decided to apologise. My own idea, not hers. You deserved better than I treated you."

"I wasn't 'hurt'. A little irritated that you dumped all over me, and that most of your issues probably didn't have anything to do with me in the first place, but it-"

"I saw you," Anna put in with a little frown. "When you walked to your room, you looked really… I don't know. Upset. Either mad or hurt, I couldn't tell, but it was pretty clear you weren't having a good time."

Elsa walked closer to Esmé, who held up both hands as she stood and backed away. "Listen, if this is gonna turn into the share-and-care-athon that it's looking like, I'm not interested. Just… water under the bridge, Elsa. Apology accepted, or whatever."

"Anna said you really helped her looking for me. Not just made a few suggestions, but that you led the search." Under her breath, she added, "Not that a search was necessary; I was only gone for an hour or two."

"Yes, well, Anna was the worried party, and I knew that she wasn't going to be able to calm her tits until we found you. And she's hella rad for a random girl who showed up out of nowhere, so… why shouldn't I help keep her from having a breakdown?"

"I'm trying to tell you I'm sorry for more than just that argument!" Elsa burst out in frustration. "That… I'm sorry for how I've been! Ever since you've met me, I… know it hasn't been easy working alongside me, being so thin-skinned that you have to treat me with kid gloves, but I promise I'm going to try to change. Therapy, or self-help classes, whatever it takes. It might not come very easily, but I'm asking for patience. I can do this. I will do this."

"It's just how you are, though." Rolling her green eyes, she put her fists on both hips as she added, "You don't know how to give up, do you? Anna rubbing off on you, maybe? Let me save you the trouble: you're forgiven, for all of it. You guys can hang out all you want. What I wanted from this visit in the first place was to just… get away from the spotlight for a few days and relax, so can you leave me to that? Is that so much to ask?"

They had been shut down so thoroughly that Elsa and Anna exchanged a glance. Elsa's was more put-upon, and Anna's a little more insistent — stubborn, even. Then they nodded.

"Good," Esmé breathed in relief. "Now, Anna, you might want to stay away from the pool area for a couple of hours, since I'm going to try to get a little more of a tan befoOOAAHHH!"

The taller woman froze entirely when four arms encircled her midsection, holding her still. Her own arms were up and over them, and for a moment, she simply held them aloft as she gaped down at the two of their heads where they hovered by her chest. Then she began to shove at them, with no small amount of force.

"Okay, OKAY, I get it - we're all full of goddamn warm fuzzies! Can we stop with this now?!"

"You're a good person," Anna breathed softly, hugging tighter so that she wouldn't be flung away. "And I don't think you agree with me, but I'm right and you're wrong. So there."

Rolling her eyes, Esmé petted along the back of Anna's head for a second. Then she muttered, "This must be killing you, Elsa."

"Oh, it is," the blonde admitted. "But… it's also more important than my momentary discomfort. You're… a talented singer and dancer, but you're also my friend. Even if I've been bad at showing you I enjoy that friendship."

"C-come on, guys, this isn't- what's the point? Either you're lying and this is the stupidest thing ever, or- or you went crazy! Or maybe this is just Anna's plan to cop a free feel!"

But that only made Anna giggle. "You already offered me that and I said 'no thanks,' remember? Not gonna work."

After a few more seconds of standing there stiffly, a huge, beleaguered sigh gusted out of Esmé's lungs as she finally embraced them back. "Fine… I guess you could be making me do even worse things than this. Like sudoku."

"I only asked you to try one puzzle," Elsa muttered, but she was starting to relax into the hug-fest. The look she exchanged with Anna was one of triumph. Mission "Show Esmé She Is Valued": accomplished.

~ To Be Continued ~