174
Elsa stirred in her sleep and rolled over, stretching out her arms to press against Marie's back. She opened her eyes when she felt nothing. She must be in the bathroom, she thought to herself as she closed her eyes. A smile crept onto her face. It still did not feel real. Everything that had happened within the last two days still swam around in her mind, and she did not want to let it go.
"I feel like I've waited for you for a thousand lifetimes," Marie's voice rang in her head. She sighed happily as she began to drift to sleep.
Dawn peeked through the blinds of Marie's bedroom, luring Elsa's eyes to open. She sat up. Marie was still not in bed. Elsa got out of bed and opened the bedroom door. The bathroom light was on, and she slowly approached the closed door. "Marie?" she called out, knocking softly. She listened for a response and caught the sound of muttering. Elsa felt her stomach lurch. "I'm coming in, okay?" She slowly opened the door. Marie was sitting on the bathroom door clutching her head and rocking back and forth. Elsa immediately knelt by her and touched her knee. Marie jerked violently. "It's just me," Elsa said softly, withdrawing her hand.
Marie's entire body shook. "D-dom…" She tried to speak, but her voice cracked with hysteria. She rocked back and forth. "Dominic…He-…" She clutched her head even harder and tightened her body.
Elsa understood. Marie had mentioned having something called PTSD, and she had explained what flashbacks were. Marie had not only remembered what happened with Dominic, but she was currently reliving it as well. Elsa stroked Marie's head. "Hey, it'll be okay. I'm here now." She pushed some loose strands of Marie's hair out of her face. "I'm here."
Marie lifted her head but still gripped it tightly as she stared at the bleak wall in front of her. "Daniel's bleeding. He's going to- Stop!" Darkness began to seep out of Marie and swirl around her. "Don't hurt him!"
Elsa reached out a hand to one of the tendrils of darkness. An image of Daniel levitating in the air and being stabbed with magic flashed through her mind, along with paralyzing fear. Elsa gritted her teeth. She had heard what happened from past accounts, but to see it happening before her own eyes ignited all the fury and rage she had held in about the situation. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had to remain calm for Marie's sake. "Marie," she said evenly, pushing more hair out her face. "Daniel's okay. We saved him and you. We defeated Dominic, remember? We beat him."
Marie looked at her, her eyes crazed. Elsa's chest felt as though it was going to cave in. "Elsa…" Marie uttered. Tears welled in her eyes as her face twisted. "He-…He almost…"
"I know," Elsa said gently, wiping Marie's tears away. "You sent for me, and I came." She stroked Marie's face. "You're safe now. I'll keep you safe."
"Where am I?" Marie asked, barely audible.
"We're in your apartment," Elsa replied. She gently turned Marie's face so Elsa could look her in the eyes. "We're both in your bathroom. It's dawn. Your birds are sleeping, all safe. We're all safe." Elsa smiled at her. "You're safe now."
The darkness began to wither away as Marie slowly let go of her head. Her entire body shook as her eyes slowly became less crazed. "Marie. 27. Home. Bathroom."
Elsa nodded. "Yes. You're safe. I'm here with you."
Marie nodded back. Elsa sat with her as Marie began to come back to the present, reassuring her the whole time that she was safe. Marie eventually relaxed and stopped shaking, her eyes tired. "Fuck," she muttered as she rubbed her eyes. She looked away. "I'm sorry."
Elsa settled next to her. "There's nothing to apologize for."
A scoff escaped Marie. "I didn't want you to see me like this…" She rested her chin on her knees, her eyes still averted. "I don't want anyone to see me like this."
Marie's eyes grew wide as Elsa placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She rested her forehead against Marie's. "You won't scare me away that easily," Elsa said softly, closing her eyes.
Marie leaned into her touch. "You saved my life." Her voice cracked. "How can I ever repay that?"
Elsa smiled. "You don't have to," she replied. She nudged Marie with her shoulder. "I got to take out my anger on him. I believe you once said that I "kicked his ass." That was enough for me."
Marie laughed, causing Elsa's chest to swell with warmth. "I didn't know you could cuss!"
Elsa laughed with her and stood. She held out a hand. "Want to go back to bed?" A blush crossed over Marie's face, and she nodded and grabbed Elsa's hand and was lifted.
A few hours passed as Elsa rose from the bed, making sure not to disturb Marie. Elsa gazed at her and pushed a strand of her hair out of her face. Luckily, Marie had fallen back asleep as Elsa held her. She clutched her chest. Marie apologized profusely until she fell back asleep, but Elsa tried to reassure her that it was okay. She knew it was not Marie's fault. I remember feeling this way about hitting Anna with my magic when we were young, Elsa thought as she quietly left the bedroom. For years, just the sight of her sister was enough for her mind to take her right back to that horrible moment. Elsa sighed as she searched the kitchen cupboards. She found what she was looking for and began reading the instructions on the back of the box.
A half an hour went by, and the sound of the bedroom door opening caught Elsa's attention. She turned around, pancake mix all over her hands, the counter and face. "Good morning!" she greeted Marie. She blushed slightly when Marie came out in a loose black shirt and a pair of shorts. Her hair was wavy and draped over her shoulders freely. She really was beautiful.
Marie scratched her head and smiled at Elsa. "Good morning," she greeted back. She approached Elsa. "What are you making?"
Elsa pulled out a plate full of pancakes. "These!" She frowned as she poked them. "Some are burnt, but I did my best." Her shoulders drooped a little. "Or I tried to…"
Marie grabbed one of the pancakes and rolled it up. She took a bite. "Mm! They're good!" she exclaimed with a mouthful of food. She pulled some syrup from the fridge. "Thank you for making breakfast." With flushed cheeks, Marie shrunk. "I'm sorry about this morning."
Elsa shook her head. "It really is okay." She blushed even deeper as Marie wiped some batter off Elsa's nose. She slunk back and grabbed a dish towel. "Oops! Forgot that was there!" Marie chuckled and took the towel from Elsa's hands and began wiping off the batter on her face. Elsa gazed at her softly. "Did you get some sleep?" she asked.
"Yes," Marie said. Her eyes were still a bit red and swollen from crying, and she made a tired smile. "I just need some coffee and I'll be fine."
Elsa let out a soft huff, a corner of her lip rising into a smile. "It's okay to rest." She held out the plate full of pancakes. "Want some?" She blushed when Marie pressed her forehead against hers. Elsa sighed happily and closed her eyes, enjoying the gesture.
Marie pulled away and placed a kiss on Elsa's cheek. "Thank you," she said quietly, lingering close to Elsa. "For everything." She pulled away to grab a plate. When her back was turned, she paused. "You handled it well."
Elsa touched her back. "I'm just glad I could help." They ate in the ambience of Marie's singing birds, and the sound seemed to cheer Marie up. Elsa sipped her coffee as one of the bright green budgies hopped to the closest side to them and asked, "How are you?"
Elsa giggled. "So cute. What's his name?"
"Link," Marie responded. She turned her attention to her birds. "I'm good, Link. How are you?"
He eyed the food Marie was eating. "Wha' ya dune?"
"Eating," Marie replied. Her eyes grew wide. "Shoot, I forgot to feed you guys! No wonder you were staring at my food!" Elsa giggled as Marie clamored to feed her hungry birds. As she poured seed into their food container, Marie turned towards Elsa. "I think you should learn how to drive."
Elsa set her coffee mug down. "Oh?" She laughed nervously. "Do you think that's a good idea?"
"I do," Marie replied. "Think about it. What if something happens to one of us and the other needs to get us out of there?" Her face twisted into a frown. "I don't trust my father to play fair. Who knows what he is planning?" She approached Elsa and knelt to her eye level. "Don't worry. I'll show you how in a place with no traffic." Marie squeezed her hand. "Let's make a deal: I'll teach you how to drive a car if you teach me how to ride a horse."
Elsa tilted her head. "Where would we find a horse?"
"In Arendelle."
It felt like a bolt of lightning hit Elsa right in the chest. She leaned forward, her heart racing. "You mean you'd come back with me?" she asked quietly, barely able to process the notion.
Marie squeezed her hand and blushed. "I'd like to, yes."
Without hesitation, Elsa fell to her knees and kissed Marie passionately. Marie grunted in surprise and froze. Elsa pulled away, her face a deep red. "Ha, ha, sorry…" She tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, which was also red. "I know I'm not the only reason you'd come back. You had friends there, too along with a place and-" She was interrupted by Marie placing a soft hand on her cheek. Elsa melted into her touch. "You mean it?" she breathed.
"Yes," Marie answered. She wiped a tear off Elsa's face, who did not even realize that it had fallen down her face. "I miss it there. I have for the past two years. I didn't remember where it was, just that there was a place I missed." She smiled at Elsa. "But now I do remember, and I want to go back. We don't know what will happen, but-" She was the one interrupted this time by Elsa kissing her once more. It was a loving kiss, one that made them lean into each other in fervor. Elsa could barely take it all in. Was this really happening? Did Marie really want to come back with her? Elsa closed her eyes and sighed happily, her lips pressed against Marie's. She pulled away and pressed her forehead to Marie's and laughed happily.
Marie shut the passenger side door of her car after she had switched places with Elsa, who was now nervously sitting in the driver's seat. Marie gave her a confident smile. They were in the country outside of Small Falls in an area with no traffic and nothing but straight gravel roads in sight. Elsa hovered her feet over the petals even though the car was parked. Marie chuckled. "Just use your right foot, not both."
"Why not one for each?" Elsa asked. The largest thing she had ever driven was Kristoff's sled, and it was way less daunting than this.
"Hold out your hands," Marie ordered. Elsa obeyed and Marie met Elsa's fingertips with her own. "Pretend these are the brake and acceleration. You don't want to slam your foot down like this," Marie explained as she pressed hard against Elsa's hands. "That'll just make the car either brake hard and jerk us around or make it shoot forward. You don't want that." Marie pressed gently against Elsa's hands, her motion slow and steady. "You're in control of the vehicle, not the other was around. You try." Elsa pushed down on Marie's hands slowly, which made Marie nod. "There you go! Now practice with your feet before shifting into gear." Elsa pushed on the acceleration slowly. The car hummed loudly but did not move. It alarmed Elsa, who took her foot off the petal. "That's normal," Marie reassured. Once Marie had explained the different gears and other parts of the car to Elsa, she gave Elsa another confident smile. "Okay, let's try! Put your foot on the brake to shift it into gear."
Elsa stuck her tongue out in concentration. "Like this?" The car shifted forward an inch.
"Yes!" Marie readjusted her seatbelt. "Now slowly take your foot off the brake. The car will automatically go forward on its own. Ease into it," Marie said. Elsa did so, and the car began a steady slow pace down the gravel road. "There you go! Remember: you're in control." Elsa nodded. They spent the next few minutes going at a slow speed so Elsa could get used to the movement of the car. Marie coached her the entire time, and Elsa was grateful that Marie was as patient as she was. Elsa could not help but think of Marie's days with Arendelle's students and how natural things like this were to Marie. Elsa smiled and relaxed slightly. She tried accelerating and was surprised at how touchy the vehicle was even when she pressed softly. She would have to keep that in mind. There were a few times when she caused the vehicle to jerk forward and brake harshly, but it did not seem to bother Marie.
"Have you done this before?" Elsa asked as she readjusted her grip on the steering wheel.
"Yeah," Marie replied. "One of my nieces wanted to learn how to drive."
"I see." Elsa cast a glance at Marie. "How old was she?"
Marie frowned in a playful manner. "Eleven…" Once Elsa seemed to be comfortable driving straight, Marie suggested she try a turn. "Starting out, just keep your foot on the brake." Elsa's heart pounded in her chest. She listened to Marie's advice and kept her foot on the brake as she turned the car at an intersection. "That's it!" Marie cheered. "You're pretty good at this!"
The car jerked to a stop as Elsa parked it. "You're just being nice."
Marie frowned. "You're driving a machine that weighs over a ton in a world full of technologies that you've never seen before. I'd say you're doing pretty well."
Elsa raised an eyebrow but smiled. "Well, when you put it that way." They laughed. Elsa's lesson ended once she felt comfortable driving the car at a low speed. Marie began driving them towards the small city. Elsa snuck a few glances at her as her thoughts swirled around in her mind. She wanted to reach over and touch Marie, but she resisted since the roads were getting slightly icy and did not want to distract Marie. Elsa clutched her chest and snuck another glance at Marie, who smiled and met the glance.
"What's up?" Marie asked.
Elsa blushed as her lips tingled. "Nothing. I just like looking at you." Marie blushed. They entered the city limits. Elsa leaned forward as her eyes caught a glimpse of something hovering over a row of old buildings. "What's that?" she asked. A siren sounded to their left as a police car raced in the direction of the buildings.
Marie narrowed her eyes as she looked in the same place as Elsa. "Not sure…" They both gasped as the thing sprung above the buildings once more. It was unmistakable: a chaotic ball of light and darkness was flinging itself violently above the buildings and repeatedly diving downward. "Let's go," Marie said as she immediately sped up and headed towards the spot. Elsa nodded and readied herself.
It was worse than they thought. As they approached the area where the magical mass was, several people were running away and shouting in fear. The mass swung from building to building as it twisted fiercely. Marie parked and they both shot out of the car. They nodded at each other and automatically donned magical armor that hid their faces. The mass let out a horrible screech as it spasmed. The darkness clashed with the light as the two twisted and jerked around each other. As it hit several buildings, ice and snow fell and hit the people underneath. Elsa shot a blast of ice towards one of the buildings and made a ledge that caught the debris. "Get away as fast as you can!" she called to the passersby.
Marie wasted no time and ran straight for the mass. She released a blast of darkness at it. The mass hissed and shot towards her with lightning speed. Elsa barely had time to form an ice wall above Marie, who shielded herself with darkness. The mass hit the magical walls and bounced off and flew against a building, breaking some windows in the process. Sirens rung all around them as police cars began to arrive. Marie ran up to Elsa and gritted her teeth. "We need to lead it away from the people," Marie said. As the police piled out of their cars, Elsa and Marie ran back to her car. Marie waved a hand towards her car and hid her license plates with darkness. "I have a sunroof. You can attack it while I drive!"
"That's crazy!" Elsa yelled above the sound of the sirens. They watched as the police attempted to approach the magical mass but were flung backward as it pulsed and sent out a shockwave. "You want me to hang out of one of your windows?!"
"Your lower body will be inside! I'll hang onto you!" They both flinched as a car skidded wildly on the pavement near them. Cars were beginning to crowd the streets. "You got a better plan?" Marie shouted over the chaos.
Elsa gritted her teeth but obliged. She readjusted her helmet and climbed into the car as Marie slid the sunroof open. Elsa planted both of her feet on the seats within as Marie clutched her right leg. "Go!" Elsa commanded as she raised her hands. Tires screeched on the road as Marie sped away. Elsa wobbled dangerously and hung onto the roof of the car despite Marie hanging onto her. She waved her hands and formed a case around her waist and the open sunroof, making a makeshift seatbelt. People were piling out of their cars and were running wildly around the block. Marie had to drive up on the sidewalk to get around all the vehicles. Elsa shot a blast of ice at the mass as Marie sped away from the crowd. It immediately followed them and passed through the iron pillars of the state bridge with eerie ease. Elsa growled as she kept shooting blasts of ice at the mass.
Sirens blared through the streets as police cars began to follow them. Marie rolled down her driver's side window. "Wanna help me out here?" she called out to Elsa. The ice mage raised both of her hands as she made an ice wall. The police cars skidded to a halt and pursued them no more, but the magical mass burst right through the wall, causing chunks of ice to fall dangerously on the street below. "Damn it!" Elsa heard Marie shout. They sped on and soon led the mass out of Small Falls and into the fields of the country. Cars swerved to the side of the highway as they raced by, the mass hot on their heels. Elsa snarled and shot even more blasts at it as Marie put the town behind them. "Let's get it as far away as we can!" Marie called out.
Elsa nodded and turned her hands to the side to form icicles. She shot them at the mass. To her surprise, it froze solid and crashed to the ground. Marie stopped the car on a gravel road. She opened her door, but Elsa held out a hand to block her. "Wait," Elsa said, her eyes never leaving the mass. It lay on the ground as light pulsed throughout itself as though it was a heartbeat. Elsa narrowed her eyes and aimed a single blast at it.
Suddenly, it began spinning. The air that surrounded it soon got swept into a cyclone as the mass lifted itself off the ground. Elsa shielded her face as the air whipped around them. From the spinning mass, what appeared to be a giant paw stepped out from the cyclone. A deep, sickening growl rumbled across the field, and to Elsa and Marie's horror, stepped out a giant magical mountain lion. "Why is it always animals?!" Marie yelled from the inside of her car.
"I don't know," Elsa called back, raising her hands. "You ready?"
"Freeze the field for me," Marie answered. With a huge huff, Elsa covered an empty field next to them with a thick enough layer of ice that could support the weight of Marie's car. The mountain lion sunk its claws into the ground and snarled at them. A prickle of fear rose in Elsa's chest. It was over twenty feet tall, and its chest around ten feet across. Its body was made of light and darkness that writhed in conflict with each other despite forming a being. Its fangs dripped darkness while its large eyes were made of light glinted at the car. It was the most intimidating creature Elsa had ever seen. The car jerked as Marie sped into the field. The lion followed them with a single pounce as though they were mere mice. Elsa grunted and formed a giant icicle behind the car, right where the giant feline landed, but it merely swatted the icicle like it was air. Marie's car slid across the ice as Elsa kept throwing ice at the magical creature. Her vision began to blur from exhaustion, but she bit the inside of her cheek to focus.
Marie rolled down her window and began shooting darkness at the ground. The mountain lion tried to step around the dark spots, but it stuck to the feline like a plague. Elsa covered the ground with ice as Marie spun the car in a circle around the magical creature. A grin formed on Elsa's face. She could not lie: she was enjoying herself, and she thought she heard a couple of chuckles from Marie as well. The mountain lion hissed and jerked violently when its paws froze to the ground, pinning it in place. Elsa kept freezing the ground around it as Marie kept the car spinning in a circle. Soon, its legs were frozen in place. Marie slid the car to a stop, and Elsa panted heavily, her hands still aimed at the mountain lion. It yowled and spasmed in pure fury, its legs completely encased in ice.
"I have an idea," Marie called out from her window. "Form a spear at the front of the car." Elsa did so and hung onto the car as Marie spun them around to face the creature. Elsa turned her body to face the front, and another smirk formed on her face when she realized what Marie was going to do. Elsa formed an even bigger spear as Marie revved the engine. The car shot forward. The mountain lion broke free from the ice and began to charge at them. Elsa formed her hands into a V as she created a barrage at the front of the car, letting out a yell. Suddenly, Marie pulled Elsa inside of the car and threw her arm over Elsa right before impact. The spear pierced the mountain lion right in the chest. A sickening screech of metal and ice rang throughout the air as the mountain lion yowled. The car shot straight through the magical creature, and Marie skidded to a halt. Elsa's head hit the back of the passenger's seat as Marie's arm pinned her in place. They both exited the car, panting heavily. Elsa gripped her side as a shot of pain shook her body. She joined Marie's side, her eyes growing wide at the sight before them. The mountain lion was dispersing right before their eyes, light and darkness floating into the air and disappearing as gently as a summer breeze. Marie took a step forward and dipped her head. "Rest now. It's over."
A couple hours later, Elsa and Marie entered Marie's apartment. They had stayed out of town for a while to let the excitement wear off. Marie knew that the police would be looking for any car that looked like hers even though she had hidden the license plates. She had parked far away from her building just in case. Elsa gripped her side and sat down gingerly on the pullout bed. Marie knelt before her. "Let me see," she ordered softly. Elsa hesitated but lifted her shirt to show her side. A giant bruise lay over her waist, purple in color. Marie gritted her teeth and looked to the side. "Damn it," she muttered. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," Elsa reassured her. "There's bound to be battle wounds from a battle." She rested her back against the wall and eyed Marie, who was still averting her gaze in guilt. "A nice, warm bath would help, though." Marie immediately rose and began filling the tub. Elsa looked at the ceiling, her eyes beginning to droop. "I think animals and magic are connected."
Marie popped her head out from the bathroom. "How so?"
Elsa shifted. "They're both pure, for one. They're also both connected to nature, even more so than humans are." She watched as Twamley preened his magical feathers. "Maybe that connection is why magic takes the form of animals, and why animals don't seem bothered by magic." Marie appeared from the bathroom, her eyes wide. "What is it?" Elsa asked.
"Hold out your hand," Marie said as she knelt in front of the bed. Elsa sat up and held out her hand. Marie pressed a dark ball against Elsa's hand, and they watched as Elsa absorbed it. "Now do that to me," Marie said. Elsa's fingers formed ice and pressed into Marie's palm, but Marie did not absorb it. Marie looked at her. "I think you're the Grey."
Elsa blinked. "I think you're right," she said slowly as her thoughts ran wild. She cupped her chin. "The Grey is able to absorb magic, and if you're the darkness in this realm, and your father is the light, then-"
"You're the Grey!" Marie said excitedly. She sat down next to Elsa on the bed. "Now your journey to this world makes sense; no wonder you could handle all three forms of magic."
Elsa rubbed her chin in thought. In her world, she was the fifth spirit: the spirit that tied humans and the four elements together. Maybe Marie was right. Maybe in this world, she was also the Grey. Despite the excitement of it all, her body protested with aches and pains from their previous encounter with the magical creature. Elsa frowned as she scooted to the edge of the bed.
Marie rose to check on the tub. "We can talk about it later, if you'd like."
Elsa nodded her gratitude and made her way to the bathroom. She closed the door and stripped and looked at herself in the mirror above the sink. A red ring surrounded her waist, along with the giant bruise she had shown Marie. She grunted as she tried to stretch her abdomen. The creature had been fast, way faster than anything they had encountered before. We'll need to adapt and get stronger, she thought as she climbed into the tub. Much stronger. A happy sigh escaped her as she settled into the hot water. Marie had put bath salts in the tub for her to help with the pain, and Elsa could feel the effects almost immediately.
She stared at the wall ahead of her. Marie had said that she wanted to return to Arendelle, but there was the possibility that Elsa would not be able to go back to Arendelle at all. She slunk farther into the tub until her chin was covered in bubbles. She knew the risk well before she knew she could cross over, and she was willing to do it over again. Just seeing her alive, and knowing she was alright would have been enough, she thought as she closed her eyes.
As the evening rolled on and they had eaten supper, Elsa climbed underneath the covers of the pullout bed as Marie put the leftovers in the fridge. Elsa's eyes drooped as she watched Marie. "We did well today," Elsa said.
Marie chuckled and looked at her. "Yeah, we did." She grinned. "You were awesome." Elsa smiled and closed her eyes as sleep took her.
Her dreams took her back to Arendelle where Anna ran up to her and grabbed her hand, demanding to know everything that had happened. Elsa dreamed of telling her all about the adventures she had, and how close Marie and she were getting. Anna listened intently with bright, widened eyes that Elsa missed dearly. The dream ended as Elsa began to wake up, and she blinked slowly as her eyes took in her surroundings. The lights were off in the apartment, and the birds' cage was covered. She pushed herself up to a sitting position. Marie must have gone to bed, she thought as she saw the bedroom door closed. She rose and stretched, grunting slightly as her sore waist protested. Elsa yawned and made her way to the bathroom. She opened the door and stepped inside.
The first thing Elsa noticed was the candlelight. It illuminated the small bathroom with a warm glow, but it illuminated something else, too. The second thing Elsa noticed would be burned in her mind for a long time. The candlelight cascaded over Marie's skin as she dried herself off with a white towel. Elsa's eyes scanned her body, and she felt as though her entire being was set on fire. Marie was completely naked. She turned her attention to Elsa, who was frozen in the doorway of the bathroom. Both Marie's face and Elsa's face turned a deep shade of red. Marie caught Elsa's eyes scanning her body, and she quickly covered herself with her towel. "U-um," Marie stammered, unable to think of anything else to say.
Elsa tore her gaze to the floor, albeit it was hard to do. "I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed as she shut the door. She paced the kitchen as she touched her hot cheeks. Elsa had pictured what Marie had looked like naked before, even though it was her imagination, but she was not expecting to see the real thing so soon, if even at all. She clutched her shirt over her chest as her heart pounded and her body throbbed. She could not get the image out of her head: the way the candlelight glowed on Marie's skin, the water droplets that were running down Marie's toned thighs and curved abdomen, her wet auburn locks that ran over her breasts…Elsa could not get rid of the image in her head.
The bathroom door opened, and Marie stepped out with the towel wrapped around her body. Elsa turned to look at her, and they made eye contact. Marie clutched her towel tightly. "I didn't know you were awake," Marie said with a shaky voice.
Elsa clutched her chest in the same way Marie did. "I didn't know you were in there." She averted her gaze when she found herself staring. "I'm sorry." They stood in complete silence, both of their faces a deep shade of red. Elsa cleared her throat and began undoing the buttons on her shirt.
Marie tensed like a bristling cat. "Wh-what are you doing?!"
Elsa swallowed a lump in her throat. "I'm evening the score," she said, her tone determined yet nervous. "Since I saw you naked, it's only fair that you-"
She was interrupted by Marie gently grabbing her hands. "You don't have to do that." Marie paused as Elsa dropped her hands and stopped unbuttoning her shirt. Marie's hand was on Elsa's chest, right in between her breasts, and Elsa felt her own heart pounding as Marie's hand lingered in that spot, lightly caressing Elsa's skin. She did this for a while as her fingers felt the rise of the sides of Elsa's breasts, and Elsa found her own hands lifting to Marie's chest. Elsa's fingertips grazed Marie's chest and slid underneath her towel just to the hem. Marie moved closer and drifted her hand downward until she hit the next button on Elsa's shirt.
Elsa touched Marie's face ever so slightly. "How long are you going to resist me, Marie?"
To her surprise, Marie stayed close to Elsa, her eyes glowing with confidence Elsa had only seen a couple of times, and very briefly. Elsa could not help but stare into Marie's eyes as her entire body pounded. "You're the one who said, "Until then"," Marie said in a low tone that enticed Elsa, her face coming close to the queen's.
"That I did," Elsa replied quietly as she leaned in, satisfaction filling her as she realized that Marie was trembling. Their lips parted, and Elsa could feel Marie's breath mingling with her own.
"Wha' ya dune?"
Elsa snorted and covered her mouth as Marie pulled away with a groan. "Go to bed, Link!" Marie growled. A whiny chirp responded, and Elsa giggled as Marie rubbed her face in exasperation.
Elsa grew quiet as her eyes scanned Marie's body. She blushed when they made eye contact. "That was the first time that I-…" Elsa faltered as she grew sheepish. She clutched her chest. "You are very beautiful, Marie. Truly." She looked Marie in the eye. "I almost couldn't look away." Marie's bird repeated the same phrase, and Elsa gasped as Marie suddenly grabbed her hand and dragged her into the bathroom. The door shut behind them, and Elsa let out a grunt of surprise as Marie pushed her against the door and kissed her. Elsa's eyes grew wide at the intensity of her kiss, and she kissed back just as passionately. Their hands ran over each other's skin in places that were recently discovered by the other, and they welcomed it. Marie broke away from Elsa's lips and began kissing her face, moving alongside her cheek to her jaw and neck. Elsa let out a small moan as Marie kept cascading down Elsa's neck. Elsa blushed when she realized that Marie had stopped gripping the towel around her body and had placed her free hand on the door behind Elsa's head. Their bodies were pressed so closely to each other that Marie did not need to keep her towel up with her hand. With her other hand, Marie guided Elsa's head to the side so she could kiss her neck even more.
Marie lightly bit Elsa's neck, enticing a surprised gasp from Elsa. "I can't resist you for very long," Marie breathed. Her lips moved to Elsa's collarbone, which she ran her hot breath over as she traveled down to Elsa's chest. Elsa gripped Marie's head and guided her, her body trembling as Marie got closer. Marie's lips reached their destination, and she hovered over Elsa's skin, her lips barely grazing Elsa. Marie was enjoying Elsa's reaction and Elsa knew it, but she did not mind at all. In fact, she reveled in it and felt a hint of impatience as Marie continued to hover over Elsa's chest. Her breath ran over the unbuttoned part of Elsa's chest, and she smiled as Elsa let out a whimper. Marie kissed the sides of Elsa's breasts, her touch gentle.
Suddenly, Elsa pushed Marie against the wall and kissed her fiercely. Marie groaned in surprise, but eased into the kiss, her eyes flitting shut. Elsa gripped Marie as her own body trembled in a sense of elated impatience. Elsa wasted no time covering Marie's neck with her lips, and Marie moaned when Elsa breathed an icy breath across her skin. "N-no fair," Marie said with a slight whine.
Elsa met Marie's gaze. "Completely fair," she argued as the corner of her lip rose into a smile. Elsa clutched Marie's towel near her chest as she continued to give kisses to Marie's neck with cold, icy lips. Her breath was heavy upon listening to the noises Marie was making, and she gripped the back of Marie's head. They gazed at one another, their breaths mingling. Elsa twisted the towel around her hand, causing it to drop to reveal the top of Marie's breasts. Immediately, Elsa's lips traveled to that spot, and she began kissing there. The softness of her skin made Elsa burn with such a strong sense of desire that it rocked her entire body. They pressed into each other with fervor, both letting out gasps and pants as they did so.
Marie pushed herself off the wall and stood them up. She kissed Elsa before she pulled away. "I'm going to get dressed now," Marie said quietly as she nuzzled Elsa's face with her own.
Elsa nuzzled back and smiled. "Okay." She departed the bathroom and shut the door behind her, her body and mind reeling. She sat down on the pullout bed and squeezed her knees. Her wants, her desires, were spiraling out of control, but for once, she did not mind. She clutched her chest and closed her eyes as the memory of Marie's lips covered her skin. She had never been this intimate with anyone before, but she knew what these feelings meant. Her heart pounding, her body aching with desire: yes, she knew what this meant. Most of all, it was how she felt about Marie that cemented it all. Elsa smiled to herself. Time and distance had only made it grow, and now that they were together again, Elsa did not want to let anything get in the way of showing Marie how she felt, not even being separated by worlds.
The bathroom door opened, and Marie stepped out in a loose shirt and shorts. They made eye contact as Elsa rose. Marie stood in front of her bedroom door, and Elsa thought her heart was going to pound out of her chest. "Goodnight, Elsa," Marie said.
Elsa took a step forward, fighting the urge to rush into Marie's arms. "Goodnight, Marie…" she said with an air of sadness.
Marie looked at her with that same confidence Elsa had seen earlier. "Until then…" she said softly as she pushed her bedroom door open. Elsa thought she was going to drop to the floor when Marie motioned for her to come inside. Elsa did so, and Marie shut the door behind them. They faced each other, eyes glossy and bodies trembling. Marie cupped Elsa's face. "I just want to be close to you," Marie whispered, her lips hovering over Elsa's.
"I want that, too," Elsa whispered back. She clutched Marie's shirt over her collarbone. "Very close…" Her breath became heavy as Marie guided them to sit on her bed. They kissed, and it felt different this time. It was vulnerable yet certain, shy yet confident. As Marie guided Elsa to lay on her back, Elsa could feel Marie's hands hovering over her chest. Elsa kissed her and pulled away, her lips still lingering close to Marie's. "You can touch me," Elsa breathed. Marie let out a huff that set Elsa's body on fire, and she moved on top of Elsa. Marie hovered there for a few seconds as they looked into each other's eyes. Marie's hand drifted to Elsa's chest, and Elsa shivered as her fingers found the buttons on Elsa's shirt. Marie kissed Elsa's cheek as she undid a button. She moved to Elsa's upper neck and kissed there as she undid another button. Elsa breathed heavily and gripped Marie's shirt. At the same time, Elsa took off Marie's shirt and Marie undid the last button and flipped open Elsa's shirt. They sat up. Slowly, Marie slid Elsa's shirt off her arms, and they both dropped each other's shirts onto the floor. Elsa ran her hand over Marie's chest as her eyes took in Marie's body, this time being slow. Marie did the same, and they made eye contact. Marie's shape was slight, yet beautiful. Elsa had always wondered how Marie looked underneath her clothing, but to see it in person made Elsa tremble with emotion. Elsa gasped as Marie wiped a tear that had fallen down her face. They laughed quietly, both shy yet certain.
Marie ran a hand down Elsa's chest, and they both rose to their knees as they kissed each other. They pressed their bare chests against each other's, and Elsa pulled away from the kiss and breathed heavily onto Marie's lips, her hands feeling Marie's bare back. She gripped Marie's lower back as Marie pressed into her in a way that made Elsa moan. They drifted downward and kissed once again as Marie pressed Elsa onto the mattress. She did not press her hips against Elsa's body, however, and Elsa noticed. She gripped Marie's lower back and pulled Marie into her. Marie shook her head as her lips moved to Elsa's neck. "Patience," Marie breathed into Elsa's ear. Elsa moaned in a higher pitch, obviously impatient, but she was quickly distracted by Marie's hands slowly approaching her bare chest. Elsa's breaths became short as Marie stopped right before making contact. Marie looked at her. "May I?"
Elsa let out a charged huff, her eyes glossy. "Yes," she breathed. Marie kept her face close to Elsa as her hand drifted closer. Elsa gasped as Marie made contact with her breast. Marie's touch was gentle, and Elsa thought she could feel a slight tremble in Marie's hand. At first, Marie was shy as her fingers took in the shape and curvature of Elsa, who trembled below her. They kissed, and Marie's touch soon became fervent as she squeezed Elsa's breast. Elsa moaned while they kissed, and she pulled Marie in tightly. Marie broke away but kept close as she began to descend Elsa's body. She kissed her neck, then her collarbone, then in between her breasts before pausing above them. Elsa lifted her head and kissed the top of Marie's head. Marie's breaths were heavy as well as she lowered herself onto Elsa's chest. For a moment, she grew still, and Elsa could see on Marie's face that she was not alone in feeling emotional. Marie trembled. Her mouth made contact with Elsa's nipple, and Elsa gasped loudly as her body strained below Marie. Marie squeezed one while kissing another, causing Elsa to grip the blankets tightly. Marie's ears were red as she kept going, lightly biting Elsa, who moaned. Her arms slid below Elsa and gripped her tightly, and Marie's body pressed against Elsa's as her mouth took in more of Elsa's breast. There was a certain hunger that Marie had that surprised Elsa, and she did not want it to end. For the next few minutes, they writhed together as Marie filled Elsa's chest full of kisses and touches. Elsa shook underneath Marie. "No fair," Elsa said huskily.
Marie pressed into her. "Completely fair," Marie replied. Elsa gripped Marie with her legs and flipped her over onto her back. She hovered over Marie, their lips almost touching as they breathed heavily onto each other. They kissed deeply as Elsa's hands slithered to Marie's chest. She broke away and trailed down her neck, breathing ice onto Marie's skin. Marie huffed heavily and gripped Elsa's back as Elsa closed in on her breasts. A loud moan escaped Marie as Elsa breathed ice onto them. Elsa hummed quietly, filled with satisfaction.
She took Marie's nipple into her mouth, absolutely reveling in the feeling. Soft, warm, delicate: it was many things, but most of all, loving. Elsa pressed into Marie as she moved her mouth to the other breast, her own chest swarming with warmth. She pulled away, unable to stop herself from saying, "I love you." She moved her lips down to Marie's abdomen. "I love you," she repeated as she kissed Marie's soft skin. Her eyes began to fill with tears. "I love you, Marie."
"I-…" Marie trembled. "I-…" They made eye contact. Marie's eyes were pleading. "Elsa," she breathed. The way she said it made Elsa immediately move upward and kiss her passionately. They writhed against each other, unable to stop and not wanting to. Elsa broke free to take a breath, but Marie found her again. The feeling of their bare skin against each other was something new to them both, and they never wanted to let go.
After a while, Elsa plopped next to Marie, and they held each other as they caught their breaths. Elsa pulled Marie in and nuzzled her face with her own. Marie pulled away and propped herself up on her elbow. "Elsa?"
Elsa fixed her eyes on Marie, her heart still pounding. "Yes, Marie?"
Saying her name made Marie blush, and she pushed a strand of Elsa's blonde hair behind her ear. "I want you to know that I don't really do this…with anyone." She ran a hand along Elsa's bare arm. "I never get this close."
Elsa stroked her face. "I know," she replied softly.
Marie looked Elsa in the eyes, her expression shy, yet serious. "With you, it's different. It feels…"
"Loving?" Elsa suggested, her eyes searching Marie's face. Marie grew even redder. Elsa closed her eyes and smiled, nuzzling her face in Marie's neck. "How long will you make me wait until you say it?" she asked, barely audible.
Marie squeezed Elsa with a slight tremble. "I can feel myself falling, and it scares me. The more I remember, the more I-…" She squeezed Elsa even tighter, and Elsa thought her heart was going to pound right out of her chest when she heard a faint, "Not long," come from Marie. Elsa kissed Marie passionately, her eyes brimming with tears. They tousled as the night went on, never wanting to break apart, and never wanting it to cease.
