A/N: holy shit i just checked and it's been exactly a year since i updated O.O. i'm super sorry, i haven't abandoned this fic, just life. anyways, in light of the momentous (and pretty sad) anniversary since my last update, i give you all a nice fluffy cafe chapter. enjoy! :)
"We're almost there, it's just a few blocks past this bridge," Oaken announced from the front-seat, looking back at the two girls through the rearview mirror just as he'd constantly done throughout the entire commute.
Elsa had pretended not to notice, but the incessant glances were seriously becoming annoying. But it wasn't just the looks that were irksome, it was the way the man's eyes gleamed; the way they revealed his annoying little smirk even though the mirror's reflection hid the bottom half of his face. And he wasn't just looking at her. Oh, no. Elsa could handle people observing her, analyzing her every move (though even that would get a little annoying sometimes) – she had to deal with that her entire agency career. But the man wasn't analyzing her; he wasn't even looking at her. Oaken was looking at them – her AND Anna. And he was smiling about it. The incessant act reminded Elsa of Kristoff. That idiot would totally do the same thing… Elsa thought back to the text he sent. But at least this guy keeps his fucking comments to himself... Though his stupid little smirk certainly isn't increasing his chances of survival. The blonde almost snickered as she thought of the many ways she could easily end the bodyguard's life – well…maybe knock him unconscious at most. She'd spare his life... for Anna's sake.
"Oh wow!" Speaking of the adorable little devil…. "That was fast!" Anna exclaimed.
"Wow, yeah it was," Elsa agreed, abandoning her pleasantly violent thoughts, "how long were we driving for?"
"Only fifteen minutes…" Anna answered. "…though it felt more like two…" the redhead giggled at her own comment.
Elsa turned and smiled at the girl beside her as she remembered the last fifteen minutes with Anna, "time flies when you're having fun."
The two girls had talked almost the entire car ride, which helped take Elsa's mind off the annoying glances from the driver. Their conversation was probably the only reason the rearview mirror and the driver's eyes were both still intact. It was an enjoyable little talk between the girls as they got to learn a bit more about each other. Anna talked about her father and his company; nothing Elsa didn't already know of course, but the blonde still acted surprised and playfully teased the redhead about how all the money in her wallet must've thrown the wealthy girl off balance causing her to fall onto the blonde when they first met.
After a great deal of giggling, mostly on Elsa's part since Anna was too busy pouting, Elsa shared a little about herself as well. How she recently had to move to France for work and how she's had to deal with her two male "housemates", one of whom LOVED to annoy her for no apparent reason. Elsa even decided to show Anna the text Kristoff sent her before she got in the car. Of course that caused the younger girl's face to turn almost as red as her hair while she attempted to apologize profusely for the hug. Her apology quickly turned into an incomprehensible jumble of stuttering as the girl drowned in her embarrassment. The entire scene only caused Elsa to smile and laugh more and more at the adorable girl, which only made Anna turn redder and redder. It took both of them a few minutes to catch their breath and recompose themselves, but after that, Anna had been too embarrassed to attempt further talks with the blonde until just now when Oaken finally spoke of their impending arrival.
"I never realized I lived so close to this place," Elsa commented, noting that Anna answered her earlier question and hoping the comment would reignite further conversation with the redhead.
To the blonde's delight, Anna responded, "Have you never shopped here before?" sounding slightly shocked.
"Maybe once or twice," Elsa lied. More like never in a million years… "We all aren't daughters of highly successful railroad tycoons, despite what you may have heard," she jested, smirking at the redhead.
Anna rolled her eyes at the joke and smiled, "Well then! I guess it's a good thing you have me then."
Elsa laughed at the girl, "yeah… I suppose it is. No one could create a more perfect coffee stain…." Anna nudged the blonde with her shoulder, trying to conceal her smile.
Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa spotted the familiar gleaming eyes in the mirror. Goddammit again with the glances… Why can't you just fucking leave us alone?! For fuck's sake dude… if we started making out, would you then have the decency to look aw –
Suddenly Elsa realized what exactly she had suggested to herself causing her cheeks to warm up. To hide the growing blush, she quickly turned to look out the window, silently cursing her idiocy. As their car turned, she spotted a blue street sign passing by, reading "Avenue Montaigne". Almost instantaneously Elsa learned exactly how the place earned its unrivaled prestige as the crowning jewel of the fashion world. She knew as well as anyone that Avenue Montaigne, which was one of the three streets that outlined the luxurious Triangle d'Or, was THE place for high-end luxury shopping, but knowing about it and seeing it in person were two VERY different things.
Elsa quickly lost her thoughts as she gazed out the window in wonder. Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Armani, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Valentino – the list of distinguished fashion names lining the sidewalk seemed to go on endlessly. Their buildings towered over the crowded street, many at least five stories tall, all of which boasted elegance and grandeur through their majestic historical architecture while revealing a glimpse of the sleek, sophisticated modern interiors through illuminated windows and display cases of mannequins lavished in their luxurious accessories.
A tiny laugh escaped the blonde as she realized just how many self-righteous, pompous pricks she'd probably have to deal with today. Crowds of ignorant imbeciles were annoying enough; imagine how unbearable it'll be in a crowd of arrogant, self-entitled idiots with money. I wonder how understanding Anna would be if I "accidentally" smashed a pretentious bitch's face into a wall. Of course, the blonde quickly dismissed the aggressive notion. It would probably be best to keep up her gentle and virtuous façade with such a pure girl watching. …But what she doesn't see won't hurt her, right?
Mistaking Elsa's half-hearted laugh for one of happiness, Anna asked, "Are you excited?" with a big grin.
Elsa turned away from the window to meet Anna's smile and laughed again, this time at the girl's adorable optimism. "I guess you could say that."
The car pulled off to the side when Oaken spotted an opening. Once they parked, Anna practically leapt out onto the sidewalk. Elsa watched the eagerness of the younger girl and couldn't help but smile and shake her head. Oh Anna…
The blonde calmly exited the car, maintaining the elegance and grace that the redhead had come to admire, and walked over to meet the ecstatic girl on the sidewalk. As she approached, Elsa realized she hadn't noticed what the redhead was wearing up until now. Normally picking up on these tiny details was second nature to the CIA agent, but for some reason she hadn't. Focus, dumbass… Elsa silently criticized herself for letting down her guard. Anna stood before the blonde (more like bouncing up and down with excitement), wearing a maroon double-breasted pea coat that ended just slightly below her waist and black skinny jeans that hugged her lower body. Hints of her grey turtleneck top peeked out above her collar. Elsa smiled. If one could ignore her bouncing and childish squeals of excitement, the redhead before her would appear surprisingly mature and sophisticated; not the clumsy, stuttering, adorable girl Elsa knew she really was.
"So!" Anna exclaimed as the smiling blonde stepped onto the sidewalk, "Where to first?"
"Oh my, someone's excited," Elsa teased, "maybe you should pick."
Another squeal of delight escaped the girl. "Okie! If you insist!" Anna quickly replied before the blonde could change her mind. "Umm…. hmmmm…" She stopped bouncing as her brow furrowed in concentration. "We could go to Chanel! Oh! Luis Vuitton! No wait! Sephora! Oh! Oh! We could get chocolate! Wait, are you hungry? We could eat somewhere. Did you eat breakfast today? Wait…did I eat breakfast? I can't remember… Oh wait! We need to get your coat first! Ugh! So many choices…" Anna slumped and sighed.
Elsa laughed as she watched the adorable girl. How does she ever decide on anything? The blonde decided to come to the redhead's rescue. "How about we just walk this way and see what we find?" Elsa gestured to her right.
Anna perked up from Elsa's suggestion, the excitement reigniting within her. "Okie dokie, let's go!" She excitedly grabbed Elsa's hand and quickly started off, dragging the blonde with her as she practically jogged down the street.
"Ms. Walker!" Anna slowed down and the two women turned around, slightly confused. They discovered the source of the shout as the burly bodyguard lumbered his way over to them. "Ms. Walker," the bodyguard repeated, "perhaps, it'd be best not to sprint down the sidewalk? We do have the entire day after all – wouldn't want another… coffee incident…"
"Wait, what?" Anna's eyes widened with confusion. She quickly looked over to the blonde next to her, who giggled and shrugged in a way that said, "yeah…you were walking just a teeeeny bit fast…." The redhead scrunched her nose and glared at Elsa's lack of support before turning back to the man. "Fiiiiine Oaken, I guess I'll try to slow down…." Elsa laughed at the girl's reluctance.
The man nodded in thanks, "that's all I ask." He glanced down and smiled, noticing the joined hands between the two. Oaken quickly looked back up but accidentally made eye contact with the blonde.
Elsa observed the man's actions. She saw him look down and watched a small smile form, but she didn't understand why. It wasn't until her eyes met his that she suddenly became aware of the warmth grasping her hand. The fuck?! When did this happen? How the hell… She quickly turned to the redhead, the abruptness causing Anna to look questioningly back at her. Elsa could feel the warmth rising to her cheeks as she looked down at their hands and back at the girl beside her.
Anna, confused at the blonde's sudden mood change, followed her eyes down to their hands. "Oh my god!" Anna exclaimed, instantly freeing Elsa's limb from her grasp. She seemed even more shocked than Elsa was. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry Elsa! I guess I just got lost in all my excitement… I don't even know what I'm doing. Dang it, what's wrong with me?!"
Elsa glanced back at the bodyguard, a flicker of annoyance burning within her. He was trying (and failing) to suppress his smile and giggles. She hated the feeling of being observed and judged, one of the many reasons why she detested Mrs. Jones. So. He thinks this is funny, huh? I'll give that little shit something to smile about… Turning back to Anna, she expertly concealed her irritations with a smile. "Oh, Anna…" she started, ending the redhead's self-belittlement. "Here," the blonde offered a bent arm for her companion to hold.
Anna looked at the arm cautiously, afraid that the blonde might pull away and end up causing yet another embarrassing incident. "My hands would've started getting sweaty, I just didn't want to gross you out…" Elsa lied, covering for her earlier actions. Her hands were never clammy.
The redhead slowly snaked her hand between the blonde's arm and side, gently grasping Elsa's upper arm. Anna's free hand came over to rest on the crook of the woman's elbow. As Anna placed her hand on the blonde's arm, she looked up at Elsa, searching for some sign of approval. The older woman smiled down at her as she relaxed her arm, pulling Anna even closer. The smile was the only approval Anna needed as she smiled and shyly lowered her gaze, resting her cheek contently on the blonde's soft shoulder.
"Shall we?" Elsa asked the younger girl. Anna responded with a silent nod, feeling no need to speak. The blonde felt the girl's movement on her shoulder and understood the meaning. Smiling, Elsa led the way, walking at a slow, comfortable pace. She looked back at Oaken, who was still grinning as he followed the girls down the sidewalk. That's right you big idiot, enjoy the fucking show.
The two strolled down the sidewalk with the grinning bodyguard trailing behind. With Anna's head resting calmly on her shoulder instead of excitedly watching Elsa's every move, the blonde found it much easier to analyze their surroundings. She discreetly watched the people passing by, noting anyone suspicious who looked out of place, like the large muscular redhead with a scar on the right side of his jaw who turned into a café a few meters away. She watched the van parked on the side of the street with its engine running, and then saw the deliveryman busily walk out of the store to get to his next delivery. The secret agent looked around at the tall buildings that lined both sides of the street, eyeing open windows, balconies, and rooftops for potential surveillance cameras, snipers, or anything else out of the ordinary but found only the exquisite and imposing French architecture. Quiet day I guess… Elsa was almost sad seeing how peaceful everything appeared. A content sigh escaped the shorter girl still nuzzled against the blonde's shoulder. Almost sad.
Anna rediscovered her voice (more specifically her body discovered its voice) as they approached the café, smelling freshly brewed coffee and warm croissants, but most importantly – hot chocolate. A not-so-subtle rumble erupted from beneath her maroon pea coat, causing her blonde companion to turn and smirk.
"Uh…um…" the embarrassed redhead started.
"Well now there's no need to ask, I suppose," Elsa responded with a laugh, as she directed the young girl to the café.
"W-wait! We still need to get you a new coat…" Anna protested, feeling slightly guilty for being the reason for this deviation.
"Oh Anna, don't be silly. The coats will still be there after we get some food in you. And besides, I can't have you starving to death. How would I ever get my new coat then?"
The redhead smiled at the jest and approached the café with a pouty, feigned reluctance. The ruse would have worked if Elsa had led the starving girl through the door; however, Anna unconsciously wandered ahead of the blonde, caught up in anticipation of the hot chocolate awaiting her. Elsa simply shook her head, watching the distracted girl with a smile.
As they walked into the café, Elsa now found herself almost directly beside Oaken. Turning towards the burly man, the blonde remarked, "She skipped breakfast, didn't she…."
Oaken perked up, chuckling as he suddenly realized the woman was talking to him. "She was too excited to eat." Elsa turned back and bowed her head to conceal her smile as she walked through the café door. Oh Anna….
The two followed the starving redhead to a small table against the street-side wall lined with slightly frosted windows. Anna ignored the menus lying on the table, already knowing exactly what she desired. In the most polite way possible for such an adorkable girl, Anna frantically flagged down the waitress. The woman smiled and walked over, pulling out her notepad and pen.
"Bonjour à tous," the waitress greeted, "Qu'est-ce que je vous sers?"
"Hi! Er…hello! Wait…um…bonjour!" Anna replied, stumbling over her words. The distracting smell of hot chocolate paired with the fact that French was rarely spoken in the Walker household left the girl in a stuttering bilingual mess.
"I would um… I would like an…um…errr…" Anna cleared her throat to mask her strife, "Um…Je… voudrais un… croissant au chocolat et du… chocolat chaud, s'il vous plait."
The waitress smiled politely at the redhead's struggles and wrote down the order. "A chocolate croissant and hot chocolate…" she looked back up, turning to the blonde, "And for you, my dear?"
Elsa blinked, realizing she didn't get a chance to look at the menu, "I…um…" a sigh of relief escaped the redhead, who just noticed the language shift. Well English makes things easier…. Too bad I ordered already…. Oh well, at least Elsa will have an easier time... Anna perked up, realizing she didn't even know if Elsa spoke French.
"Wait Elsa, do you even…" Anna's question trailed off as the memory of their meeting replayed in her mind. Oh wait, she was reading one of those yellow books for dummies… I guess she doesn't know French. Okay, let's keep that in mind. I wonder why she chose that book, I'm sure there are lots of better books on speaking French – she's definitely not a dummy. Yup. Definitely not. She's smart and funny and prett – A soft rumble escaped Anna's stomach, interrupting her inner ramblings.
Wide-eyed, Anna looked around, noticing all eyes were on her. "Oh! Um… right…" the redhead started, remembering she was in the middle of asking Elsa a question, "um… never mind!"
Elsa smiled, watching the flustered redhead twiddle her thumbs in silence. The waitress softly cleared her throat, breaking Elsa's gaze. "Oh yes, I um…." What do I want? No time to look at the menu…. Chocolate? Chocolate. "I'll just have the same thing she's having." Anna smiled to herself at the blonde's mention.
"Certainly," the waitress stated, "and for the gentleman?"
Oaken shook his head, "Oh, no, no, I'm fine, thanks." With a smile, the waitress left to place their orders.
Elsa watched the waitress leave before turning back to the younger girl.
"So…" the blonde started with a smile, the word caused the redhead to lookup from her hands, "what were you going to ask me back there?"
Anna took a second but she finally managed an answer, "I… um… it was nothing important. I was just wondering if you knew how to speak French or not, but then I remembered the book you were reading at the table when… you know… sooo yeah."
Elsa laughed, secretly glad her literary choice didn't go unnoticed. "Well if I knew you'd pay that much attention, I would've chosen a better book."
Anna felt her cheeks start to redden, realizing she probably shouldn't be telling the blonde just how many intricate details she remembered from that day. "No wait, I…um…there's nothing wrong with that book, I just…"
"I know silly, I'm just teasing," the older girl replied with a reassuring smile, instantly cooling the redhead's worries. "Silly"… Anna felt her cheeks redden yet again. The blonde continued, "but yes… my French isn't very good…" she lied, "I've only had a few years of it back in high school."
"Oh! Um…that's okay!" Anna responded, trying to comfort the girl, her earlier worries a forgotten memory. "My French isn't all that great either. I mean… I learned when I was younger, but…." Suddenly the redhead felt the familiar blanket of despair weighing on her, smothering her, choking out the warmth and happiness within her. "I'm… just… out of practice I guess…." Anna's gaze dropped, "I never really needed to use it since then…"
Elsa noted the sudden change in the redhead's demeanor, along with the silently growing look of concern on Oaken's face. Wonder what that was about… Best to revisit the issue later. "Hey…" she soothed, "there's nothing wrong with that," Elsa encouraged, trying to comfort the younger girl even though she didn't know exactly what caused the abrupt despair. Anna gave a half-hearted nod. Probably best to change the subject. "Hey! Maybeeee you could help me learn French? We could practice together!"
Wait…what? Anna blinked, taken aback by the woman's suggestion. She wants to practice French with ME…? The meaning of the words was slowly sinking in. She…she wants to spend time w – with… me…? Again…? After everything that's happened? After everything that I've done? A lump grew in the redhead's throat as she looked into those gentle and welcoming cyan eyes. Anna had been extremely excited about spending the day with her lovely new acquaintance – the main reason why she forgot to eat breakfast that morning. But buried beneath the wealth of excitement, clinging to the back of her mind was a small, nagging knot of doubt. Anna knew after replacing the stained coat, the blonde would no longer have a reason to see her again nor would she want to, right? I mean, who would want to hang around a clumsy, stuttering mess like her? But just now, the breathtaking blonde banished the nagging doubts that once haunted her mind. Elsa does. Elsa wants to spend time with me, despite the dangers I may pose to her wardrobe.
Anna laughed softly to herself in disbelief – the only thing she could do to distract herself from the tears forming in her eyes. It took everything she had to prevent herself from bawling in front of the older girl. Though I guess that wouldn't be the worst thing I've done in her presence…. Blinking back the tears, Anna smiled at the heartwarming girl beside her. What did I ever do to deserve her?
Elsa felt a warm tingling in her stomach as she watched the smile grow on the younger girl's lips, the sparkle in her bright blue eyes as they welled up. "That sounds like a great idea," Anna finally replied. The blonde smiled as she gazed back at the other girl, proud she could restore this adorable girl's happiness once again. Anna deserves to be happy.
There's no telling how long those two would've stared at each other had it not been for a gentle breeze that drifted through the open café door. With it, the wind carried the aroma of the approaching waitress' tray. As the scent reached the girls, both of them instantly caught a whiff of their incoming breakfast, causing them to involuntarily close their eyes to fully appreciate the delectable aroma.
"Mmmmm… CHOCOLATE…" both women exclaimed in unison, instantly inciting a bout of giggles.
Even Oaken, who until that moment was silently smiling and simply observing to two girls, couldn't help but let out a chuckle – though a sharp side-glance from the blonde deflated the large man's laughter. Caught off-guard by the minor but seemingly aggressive act, Oaken slowly quieted himself as he studied Anna's newfound "friend" – though she seemed to carry on giggling at Anna as the redhead squealed in excitement for the incoming waitress. Did I imagine that? Hmmm…. The blonde, still laughing at the tiny ball of joy beside her, looked over to him and gave a head nod towards the ecstatic girl. This time her look was a gesture of pleasant disbelief as if silently asking "Is she always like this?!" Oaken smiled and nodded in answer to the query. Elsa smiled at him, a silent but sincere "thank you", before turning back to Anna, who at this point was practically bouncing in her seat as the waitress placed their orders in front of them. The bodyguard watched the blonde graciously thank the waitress, who apologized for the wait. Once the waitress was gone, Elsa looked over at Anna before leaning in and whispering something in her ear, causing a playful nudge from the redhead before both girls continued giggling once more. Yeah I definitely analyzed that look a little too much…. This woman wouldn't hurt anyone…and definitely not Anna….
"Mmmmm… CHOCOLATE…" Elsa couldn't help but burst out giggling with the redhead who somehow managed to say the exact same words.
A hearty chuckle immediately dragged the agent back to reality – someone was watching her. Fucking shit, this bitch again. Fucker ruins everything.
Caught up in the moment, Elsa shot an icy glare at him, imagining all the fun and creative ways she could easily shut him up. Wait, what the fuck are you doing idiot?! A split second passed before Elsa realized her lapse in judgment. The fuck is wrong with you. Don't compromise the damn mission. Jesus fuck, stop acting like a damn rookie. The agent attempted to smoothly mask her inner turmoil by turning back to giggle at the excited redhead beside her. Hopefully there was still some way to salvage her cover. Maybe he didn't notice it. Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa watched the bodyguard slowly silence himself, feeling his gaze fixated on her ever move. Shit. Okay, keep it under control. Everything is fine, if he knew anything for certain, he would've made a move already. Just continue with the mission. You've been in worse situations before.
Elsa discretely took a deep breath, admiring the ecstatic girl next to her eagerly watch the approaching waitress. Let's do this. Elsa let out another giggle at Anna then gave the cautious bodyguard a look of disbelief. The agent nodded over at Anna, looking at the man with a slightly raised eyebrow; silently asking "Is she always like this?" Elsa watched the man visibly loosen up before answering with a nod. Glad he was smart enough to understand all that – and dumb enough to fall for it. After forcing a smile to acknowledge the answer, the blonde turned back to the redhead, just in time for the waitress to set their orders down.
"Wow thank you so much, it looks so delicious," Elsa said to the waitress, ensuring her voice was loud enough for Oaken to hear. Although he lightened up since her earlier mistake, the man still seemed slightly on edge. Just a little more….
Elsa looked around wondering what she could do next to put the bodyguard's mind at ease however she kept returning to Anna – always returning to Anna, who was now practically drooling over the steaming cup topped with a mountain of whipped cream. Ah. Got it. She gently leaned over to Anna, an inch or two from her ear and whispered, "Wow, you didn't spill it this time." Elsa giggled; she could visibly see the girl's cheeks redden at the comment. Anna gave the blonde a playful nudge before joining in her laughter. Works every time….
Elsa smiled, watching Anna's embarrassed giggling. She turned to look at the bodyguard, masking her analysis with a shy smile. The man smiled in return, the sincerity confirming the blonde's actions were effective. And that's how it's done, mother fuckers.
No longer under the bodyguard's watchful eyes, Elsa could finally relax and enjoy her meal. She picked up a spoon, delicately scooping a tiny portion of whipped cream off the top of her hot chocolate. She closed her eyes, fully absorbing the taste of the sweet spoonful. When it faded, Elsa reopened her eyes for another. She looked over to Anna, wondering if the younger girl was enjoying her breakfast as much as she was.
Elsa almost choked attempting to stifle her laughter.
Anna was caught shoving half of the chocolate croissant into her mouth, wearing a mustache of the whipped cream. She noticed Elsa watching her and instantly froze like a deer in headlights, the tail of the croissant still poking out of her cream spattered lips.
After a few seconds, Anna blinked back to life, realizing that doing nothing was probably the worst thing she could do in that situation. "Bwhmm… bwrry," she attempted to apologize for her manners, though the pastry that filled her mouth made it quite difficult. She was obviously taught proper etiquette at a young age – the daughter of a billionaire should probably know how to act the part – however Anna lost all control when it came to chocolate – maybe more like "ignored all control".
Jesus fucking Christ this woman… Elsa was still fighting to suppress her laughter, probably the only battle she ever had a chance of losing; the younger girl was clearly mortified from being caught red-handed and Elsa's muffled giggles certainly weren't helping to alleviate the tension. The blonde smiled as she thought back to Anna's dossier. Never thought I'd ever see that face in person. This girl is really something else…. A tiny laugh escaped the older woman, like a giant dam springing a leak. To Anna's dismay, Elsa suddenly burst into an uncontrollable flood of laughter, bringing wave after wave of giggles and cackling out of the once poised and restrained woman.
A good fifteen seconds passed before Elsa's laughter subsided, during which Anna silently attempted to furiously chew her food and wipe her mouth with a napkin, trying to erase any evidence of her embarrassing demeanor while the other girl was distracted.
"Oh gosh…" Elsa sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes, "…I haven't laughed that hard in ages…." The blonde blinked away the remaining wetness in her eyes before looking back at Anna, who suddenly appeared calm and collected, bearing no resemblance to her earlier train wreck. "Well, well…. Someone cleans up quickly," Elsa commented with a sly smile.
The redhead shrugged nonchalantly, "Sorry, mademoiselle, I don't know what you're referring to." A tiny smirk grew on the younger woman as Elsa playfully gasped, pretending to be surprised at the suspect now attempting to assert her innocence. "Hmm…" Anna feigned contemplation, as if the gasp somehow sparked a revelation. "Nope, sorry. Still not ringing a bell."
Elsa laughed and rolled her eyes at the younger girl who was still trying so hard to pretend nothing happened. Oh no…you aren't getting off that easily, girly…. The agent looked around for a way to break through the façade, a devilish smile formed as her eyes landed on her uneaten croissant. Fuck yes.
Without any warning, Elsa picked up her chocolate croissant and shoved half of it in her mouth, simultaneously rolling her eyes back in over exaggerated ecstasy. "Mmmm…" the blonde mumbled loudly, obviously hyperbolizing the redhead's earlier actions.
"Heyyyy…" Anna pouted, though she couldn't hold it very long. Just a few seconds of watching the exaggerated reenactment of herself caused the redhead to erupt with laughter.
Elsa smiled to herself, pleased at how easily Anna dropped the front. Breaking off half of the pastry protruding from her mouth, the blonde daintily finished the remainder while watching the other girl caught up in her own laughter.
Gosh this girl is too precious, is anyone else seeing this? Elsa suddenly froze, her chewing slowed as she reread her thoughts. "Is anyone else seeing this…" Fuck. How could I have been distracted for so long?! Elsa silently scolded herself for dropping her guard – completely unlike herself. Ever since Anna pulled her into the café, the blonde had shut off all perception of her surroundings, focusing solely on Anna. What the hell are you doing you idiot? Fucking do your damn job. The agent looked over at the burly man sitting across from them, subconsciously trying to justify her lapse in judgment by the presence of the bodyguard, but quickly shook the excuse from her mind. Hell no. Stop making excuses for yourself. You fucked up and got distracted. Get your fucking head back in this before you get killed…or worse… Elsa looked over at Anna …she does.
The secret agent cleared her throat before slowly standing up. Anna's laughter died away as she looked up to the blonde with questioning teal eyes. Returning a smile, Elsa attempted to ease the redhead's worries, "It's okay Anna. I just need to go to the lady's room. I'll be back soon, okay?" The younger girl silently nodded, appearing slightly relieved but still not wanting the blonde to go. Sorry Anna, it's for your own safety. Elsa dusted off stray flakes that somehow landed on her lap, before turning to leave. This was the easiest way to observe and analyze her surroundings – though she definitely should've conducted this recon when they first arrived at the café. Goddamn you're an idiot.
Elsa took a deep breath, pushing away all former distractions, heightening her senses before beginning her slow walk to hallway next to the cashier that held the bathroom. The agent's instincts instantly alerted the blonde to a pair of watchful eyes, seated against the far right wall. Using her peripheral vision, she quickly identified the observer – male, approximately 6'8", 270lbs of muscle, red hair, long sideburns, scar on the right side of his jaw – the same man she noticed walking into the café as her and Anna were walking down the street together. As quickly as Elsa noticed the man's eyes, they expertly diverted, darting away to a newspaper the man was holding. Guess things could get interesting…. As she continued surveying the room, Elsa suppressed a smile, anticipating the excitement this new potential threat could bring. There wasn't much else to find in the café, an elderly man enjoying a morning coffee with a child dressed as a boy scout – probably his grandson. Besides those two, the only other customers was a young couple, probably on a first or second date – the man around 5'10", short black hair, hazel eyes, smoldering look on his face (Elsa rolled her eyes – Definitely seems like a douche…), the woman probably 5'4", long blonde hair, green eyes, awkward but excited at the same time – like how Anna is… – but clearly not falling for the man's allure. Now a few paces from the hallway, Elsa turned her focus to the cashier – the same waitress that took their orders, now closing a bill for one of the other customers – nothing out of the ordinary.
The blonde reached the short hallway and glanced back at her table to make sure Anna was okay. As expected, Elsa found the redhead just fine, engaged in a seemingly cheerful conversation by the way her bodyguard was smiling. Of course she's fucking okay you idiot. Elsa turned down the corridor, stopping at the women's restroom door. That man won't try anything while she's with a bodyguard…. She reached out, grabbing the handle to open the door, but froze. …Would he? An uneasy feeling grew in the pit of her stomach. Fuck. Elsa trusted her instincts completely; they've proven themselves invaluable in her previous missions by saving her ass more times than she cared to count. The agent spun around and began briskly walking back down the hallway as the subconscious reasoning of her uneasiness finally dawned on her – If the bodyguard deterred all threats, there wouldn't have been a need for YOU, stupid. How the hell could you leave her with only that big idiot to defend her. Dozens of scenarios played out in agent's mind, all of which ended painfully for the redhead without the blonde there to protect her. Fuck, what if that man already made his move? What if Anna's already – Elsa reached the end of the hallway and looked across the room at their table. A pair of cheerful teal eyes eagerly greeted her. Oh thank god…. The woman took a brief moment to calm down before making her way back to excited girl smiling at her. Elsa looked over to the table where the suspicious man was sitting, however it was now empty other than the waitress who was quickly clearing away the dishes. Shit.
"So… practicing French together huh?" The bodyguard asked with a smirk.
The redhead sighed as she stirred what was left of the hot chocolate, mesmerized by the swirling cocoa. A few seconds passed before the girl realized any words were spoken. "Wha – huh? What?"
Oaken chuckled, "Distracted already? Ms. Walker, it's been all of five seconds…."
"Yeah I know..." She looked over her shoulder at the graceful blonde slowly walking towards the bathroom. Jeez Anna…. How the heck are you sad right now. Elsa literally just left, you can't possibly miss her already. Anna sighed, frustrated with her rollercoaster emotions. Just because she agreed to hang out with you again doesn't mean you can get all emotional and clingy – that's weird. She only just met you. Stop being weird, you're gonna scare her off. And then you won't be able to be with her. The girl's eyes widened at her runaway thought. Wait, no. That's not what I meant. Won't be able to spend time with her – to be friends with her. Obviously that's what I meant. Of course it is. Why would I mean anything else? Yup yup. Anna quickly turned back to Oaken, ending her inner argument. "Wait, sorry, you asked something?"
"I did, but you missed it. Oh well sorry," the bodyguard teased. Anna glared at him, scrunching her nose and mouth like a pouty child told they couldn't get ice cream. Oaken laughed at the adorable frown.
The redhead rolled her eyes, before looking over her shoulder again, hoping to see the blonde even though only ten seconds had passed since she last checked. What the heck Anna. Of course Elsa's not gonna be there, she's probably still – Anna's eyes widened. She's here! The redhead immediately lit up once she noticed the blonde walking back. Elsa returned a smile, acknowledging the younger girl's joy before looking away. Following the blonde's eyes, Anna noticed the waitress cleaning a table on the far side of the room. Oh what? Someone was sitting there? Wow I'm pretty blind. Come on Anna, someone could've like kidnapped you or something, that would've been bad haha. She turned back to the bodyguard sitting across the table. Guess it's a good thing Oaken's here!
A pale hand landed on the chair beside her, causing Anna to look up into gentle blue eyes. "Hey," the blonde softly greeted, smiling down on the redhead as she took a seat.
"Hey!" The younger girl responded, probably sounding a little too eager. "Um…wow, uh… that was fast! Haha." Anna couldn't come up with anything else to say off the top of her head, so complimenting a woman's speed in the bathroom was naturally her first thought. Great start, Anna.
Elsa giggled, "it was occupied, Anna." Shoot…that makes much more sense…. Why didn't you think of that instead of commenting? The redhead laughed as she berated herself. Nice one, weirdo.
Anna smiled contently, enjoying the blonde's company as she watched Elsa finish the last of her meal – which looking back on, it's probably a little creepy to stare at someone while they're eating. Girly, you are on a roll today.
"So!" Elsa started, using a napkin to wipe the tiny crumbs from her soft, probably warm lips – Wow Anna, not creepy at all… – "About that coat!"
"Oh!" Anna exclaimed. Somehow the thought of shopping completely left her mind while they were eating. She almost squealed with excitement. "Yes! Time to get your coat!"
A rush of cool air greeted the women as they stepped back onto the sidewalk, resuming their interlocked arms from earlier that morning. Even after the hot chocolate and the burning excitement of shopping, Anna still drew in closer to the blonde, clinging to the woman's arm – for warmth of course.
"Okay!" Elsa looked down at the redhead, who spoke with excitement and determination. "Before I get distracted, we need to get you your coat!"
The blonde smirked, "And where shall we look for that, mademoiselle?"
Anna smiled to herself, noticing the hint of French that the blonde added. The redhead turned to look up at the taller woman with newfound allure, "suivez-moi, mon amour," she whispered in a VERY sultry voice that implied waaaaaay more provocation than she originally planned for the playful tease. Hoping not to draw any more attention to her words, Anna quickly turned away and led the blonde down the street.
"O – Oh…my, okay," the blonde started, pretending to be caught off guard by the sudden movement. She laughed before continuing, "I guess that means you'll lead the way." The blonde feigned incomprehension. Oh no, you aren't getting off that easily, girly. Elsa smiled, waiting for the younger girl to fall into her trap.
The pace slowed as Anna turned back, happily taking the time to translate for her new French study buddy. "Oh! Sorry about that! Um, 'suivez-moi' means 'follow me'… I think. I could be wrong haha."
"Ahh I see…" the blonde started. Anna nodded with a smile, before turning back around. "Um…" Elsa continued, a devilish grin growing on her face. This was too easy; she almost felt sorry for the embarrassment she would soon cause for the younger girl. Almost.
"So… what does 'mon amour' mean then?" She asked innocently, masking her smirk as Anna spun back, her cheeks already visibly pink – Elsa loved causing that coy, flustered look from the redhead.
"I – um… it's uh… nothing. Just means 'friend' or something like that, nothing important haha," Anna attempted to quickly resolve the question before her cheeks turned any redder.
"Ohhh okay…" Elsa pretended to buy the strained explanation while quietly giggling to herself. The blonde instantly understood the words the moment Anna said them; practically anyone with any knowledge of French would've understood their meaning – "my love".
"Mmhmm, yup yup." Anna responded, praying that the topic was over as she turned back to lead the blonde down the sidewalk.
They walked a couple steps before Elsa spoke again. "Well in that case, lead the way…." Anna continued forward, but the blonde's hidden smirk finally revealed itself as the taller woman softly added, "…mon amour." Elsa could practically feel the warmth on her shoulder from the raging fire in the speechless girl's cheeks. A satisfied sigh escaped the blonde as the two continued on, followed by a quiet bodyguard with a big smile.
A/N: i promise you won't have to wait another year for the next update.