It was gentle. It was tender. It was perfect.
Elsa stirred slightly, still wrapped in warmth, but something felt off. There was a hard but soft, unyielding surface beneath her, and for a moment, she couldn't place it. Despite the unfamiliarity, she felt a strange sense of nostalgic comfort, a deep safety she couldn't quite explain. She didn't want to move just yet, wanting to linger in this strange moment that felt like heaven. Call her eccentric, she didn't care. She just wanted to stay wrapped in this feeling for a bit longer.
Her ocean-blue eyes opened slowly, blinking against the light, and she inhaled deeply, sensing the foreign scent around her. It was unfamiliar, yet oddly comforting. Her gaze drifted, and that's when she realized what was going on.
Unhurriedly, she pulled her head back, her thoughts racing as her mind began to piece together the disorienting situation. When she looked up to meet the eyes of the person she was wrapped around, she gasped. "Jackson." The word left her mouth before she could stop it, and her heart raced at the realization.
Hearing his name...his real name, which was so rarely used, Jack's eyes slowly fluttered open. "Elsa" His voice was hoarse, groggy, but still familiar.
For a long moment, neither of them moved. They just held each other, confused, wondering how they ended up in this strange, intimate position. Where were they? How did this happen? What was going on? They tried desperately to remember the events of the previous day, but it was like a haze clouded their minds.
After what felt like an eternity, they both realized they were still in each other's arms, and the moment of clarity was enough to snap them back to reality. They leapt apart with a simultaneous gasp. "I'm sorry," they muttered, each flinching at the awkwardness.
Elsa immediately tried to stand, but the nausea hit her like a freight train. She groaned, clutching her head. "Shit," she whispered, feeling the throbbing ache in her skull.
Suddenly, a chicken clucked loudly, and Jack felt a sharp peck on his leg. "Tuffnut!" he yelped, finally realizing what was behind this chaos.
Tuffnut's voice came from the doorway, his usual carefree tone in place. "Finally, you both are up."
Elsa rubbed her forehead and looked at him, trying not to spin. "Tuff, what happened yesterday? I don't remember much."
Tuffnut just shrugged, seemingly unfazed by her discomfort. "We played Sofalia Ziwa," he said nonchalantly. They nodded, recollecting bits of the game and the strange atmosphere surrounding it. "And then I married you guys."
Both Elsa and Jack froze, their jaws dropping at the same time. Jack, still hungover and not caring about his dizziness, staggered to his feet and marched over to Tuffnut. Grabbing him by the collar, he shook him roughly. "You did what?!"
Tuffnut blinked, completely unfazed. "It was your idea. You both wanted me to marry you."
Elsa groaned, her face pale from the hangover. "How can I not remember it? And, hey, you can't get married when you're drunk, Tuff!"
Tuffnut looked at her with confusion, like the concept had never crossed his mind. "Yes, you can," he argued, raising his shoulders in a shrug.
Elsa's frustration boiled over. Without thinking, she lunged at him, delivering a series of punches to his chest. "You motherfucker! Asshole! Pain in the ass! You weirdo!" she shouted, the insults flying faster than she could control. "If we were drunk, didn't you know not to get us married?!"
Tuffnut was completely thrown off, looking bewildered as he tried to process her anger. "But you asked for it!" he protested, still unable to understand the problem. "If I didn't, that would've made you sad. Which would be sad."
Elsa wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily. Grabbing her phone from the ground, she quickly dialed Snotlout's number to ask for a ride. "Oh, you're such a pain in the ass, Tuff," she muttered as she waited for the call to connect.
Jack, still in shock, wanted to take Elsa home as promised, but after everything that had just unfolded, he couldn't help but feel the weight of the awkwardness hanging thick in the air. Honestly, he wanted to be anywhere else at the moment.
Tuffnut finally started to understand what had happened...maybe. "I'm sorry, Elsa. You guys can get a divorce if you want," he offered with a helpless shrug.
Elsa just slammed the door in his face without saying another word, and Jack quickly followed suit, feeling as awkward as ever.
Tuffnut stood there in his living room, staring at the door where they had just exited, feeling like he had just messed up big time.
The car ride was silent, with Elsa lost in her thoughts, her head throbbing from the hangover. When they finally reached Astrid's house, Elsa didn't waste any time. She slammed the door open and banged on it as hard as she could. "Hey, kiddo, how're you?"
Finn, sensing her mood, looked wary but pointed upstairs. "Astrid's upstairs in her room."
Without wasting another second. She hugged Finn quickly, then bolted up the stairs to Astrid's room, her heart racing. "Astrid, you wouldn't believe what happened."
Astrid closed the book she had been reading and gave Elsa her full attention. "What did you do now?"
"You remember how Tuff invited Jack and me to his place yesterday?" Elsa asked, her voice heavy with disbelief.
"Yeah?" Astrid replied, bracing herself for whatever followed.
Elsa groaned and slapped a hand to her forehead. "He got Jack and me married."
A stunned silence followed for a moment before Astrid erupted, "He did what?!" She stared at Elsa, incredulous. Leave it to her friend to get caught up in something this ridiculous.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Astrid asked, tilting her head in concern.
Elsa sank down onto the edge of the bed, her sigh deep with frustration and confusion. "I don't know…Divorce, I guess?"
For some reason, the idea of Elsa getting a divorce didn't sit right with Astrid. She shook her head. "No. That's not the answer." Then, a thought hit her. "Wait, Elsa, your flight is in an hour!"
"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!" Elsa scrambled off the bed, nearly tripping over herself before halting abruptly. "You know what? I'm not going. It's too weird between Jack and me now, with the whole…marriage thing." She ran a hand through her hair, frustration mounting. "I can't go to the wedding without my 'husband.' Everyone will figure out I lied."
Astrid attempted to reason with her, her tone calm. "But if you don't go, they'll think you lied, too. You can't back out now. Take Jack, and figure things out when you get back."
Elsa nodded slowly, a headache beginning to form. "Okay, fine. But I'm pushing my flight to tomorrow. I can't leave today, I'm hungover, and I have a lot to sort out."
Astrid wrapped her arms around her, offering comfort. "Of course, whatever works for you. But please, go, and take that idiot with you."
Relieved by the support, Elsa pulled away and grabbed her phone. After a few rings, she spoke into it. "Yes, I'd like to reschedule my flight for tomorrow. Elsa Arendelle, and my flight is supposed to leave at 10 a.m. today." There was a long pause before she yelled, "I'm sorry, what?"
Astrid shot up in panic, watching Elsa closely for any sign of what was going on. "Elsa?" she asked, nudging her gently.
Elsa slammed the phone down in frustration, having accidentally ended the call. "They're saying my name has changed. It says Elsa Overland now."
Astrid furrowed her brows, trying to piece it all together. "But you didn't file for a name change, did you?"
The world seemed to spin around Elsa as she let out a cry of disbelief. "Tuffnut!" she exclaimed, her voice a mixture of shock and fury.
Before she could storm out of the room, likely to hunt down Tuffnut for whatever mess he had caused, Astrid stopped her. "Thor, Elsa. Calm down."
"Calm down? Calm down!" Elsa repeated, incredulous. Astrid cringed at the force in her voice. "That Nut didn't just get us married, but somehow, God knows how, since he is dumb, he filed for my name change!" The entire situation felt like one big, surreal mystery, and Elsa couldn't remember a single detail of what had happened the night before.
With an exaggerated sigh that seemed to echo off the walls, Astrid took Elsa's hand gently. "Listen, you knucklehead," she began, her tone firm yet caring, "I know it sucks, and Thor, does it suck, but you need to pull yourself together and go to the wedding. It's not just awkward for you, it's awkward for Jack too, and don't forget, he had absolutely nothing to do with this. So, don't blame him." She paused, as if gathering her thoughts. "And, as crazy as it sounds, it's not even Tuff's fault. He's an idiot, that's just who he is. But yeah, once you get back, you can beat him up. All I'm saying is, take Jack with you, act all lovey-dovey, and then come back and we'll figure it out. Cool?"
Astrid panted for air after her long speech, and Elsa, now feeling slightly more grounded, gave a grateful nod. "Alright, so you're saying I should stick with my original plan and leave today? But what if Jack doesn't show up?"
"Leave whenever you want," Astrid replied with a shrug. "But I can bet you a billion bucks, though I don't have any, that he'll show up. And Thor knows, he might even bring a ring."
Elsa raised an eyebrow slightly. "I've noticed you take his side a lot. It's like you can't imagine him doing anything wrong."
Astrid shrugged again, unbothered. "Jackson Overland is one of a kind. I see why he and Hiccup are best friends, they're pretty much the same. Nice, kind, funny, thoughtful, devoted, and, might I add, pretty handsome. Honestly, we both got lucky."
Despite her playful annoyance with Jack, she knew Astrid was right. "Yeah, he's got a lot of good qualities. So, I'll leave today, but what if I run into trouble on the way with this name change thing?"
Astrid flashed a sheepish grin, and Elsa couldn't help but feel like she'd just caught her doing something sneaky, like eating ice cream in the middle of the night when she wasn't supposed to. "I might've received a message from Jack about how he got all your documents changed. Licenses, passports, everything, all under your new name. I didn't reply, but I saw it while you were, you know, ranting to me about everything."
Elsa's jaw dropped. How did Jack manage to get her hands on her passport and licenses? There were a million questions running through her mind, but that could wait. She was more shocked that Astrid hadn't told her sooner.
"Wow, he really wants to make sure I never run into trouble. But how did he do that so fast? In barely half an hour?"
"Rich people can do anything," Astrid said, casually. "And trust me, they can do it in no time. So, it looks like you're the only one who didn't know he's loaded." Elsa's face flushed with embarrassment. She hadn't realized Jack was so wealthy.
There was one thing she needed to ask, though. "Astrid, can you keep this whole marriage thing a secret? And make sure Tuffnut doesn't spill the beans? I'll make him suffer when I get back."
Astrid smirked. "Of course. I won't say a word. But can I tell-" Elsa raised a hand before Astrid could go on.
"Yes, Hiccup can know, but no one else," Elsa affirmed, her tone serious.
"Got it. And trust me, I'll make sure Tuff pays for this."
They both burst out laughing, despite everything. They loved Tuffnut, truly. He was a lovable idiot, but his impulsive decisions always led to chaos. And, honestly, Elsa and Jack were partly to blame for trusting him in the first place.
Checking the time on her phone, Astrid gave a reluctant nod. "Alright, I'll get you the hangover remedy for both you and Jack. It'll help."
Elsa smiled at her, grateful. "Thanks. And, hey," she added, a warmth creeping into her chest as she spoke, "I don't mind hearing that name. Mrs. Overland…Wow, I actually am an Overland now. Strange." The realization settled warmly in her heart.
Astrid snapped her fingers and grinned. "On it, Mrs. Overland." She darted to the kitchen to fetch the remedy, knowing it was exactly what Elsa needed.
Sitting back on the bed, Elsa glanced around Astrid's room. Her eyes drifted over the pictures hanging on the walls, memories that she would cherish for the rest of her life.
Her gaze finally settled on the two packed bags in the corner of the room. After packing everything, Elsa had brought her bags over to Astrid's place since she was giving her a ride to the airport. Elsa only wanted Astrid with her there. She couldn't imagine going without her best friend by her side.
Wow, she was going to her parents' place. Never in a million years had she imagined that. And she was married! Not in a pretend way, but for real. What had God planned for her?
A bag with two drinks was suddenly pushed into her lap. "Here, drink these. You'll both be fine. Now, let's go. I don't want you to miss your flight."
"Thanks, Astrid," Elsa said, a bit dazed.
Astrid smacked her shoulder playfully. "What did I say about thanking me? There's no 'thank you' in friendships, or better yet, sisterhood."
Without waiting for a reply, Astrid grabbed the two bags and effortlessly carried them down. "Damn, she's strong," Elsa muttered under her breath.
Elsa, meanwhile, retrieved the backpack she'd be carrying all the way to Iceland. It held all the essentials she'd need.
The ride to the airport was quiet. Both girls had a lot on their minds. One still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that a few hours ago, she had gotten married. The other was simply stunned that her best friend was no longer single.
As if life weren't complicated enough.
Time passed in what felt like mere minutes, maybe because their minds were consumed with thoughts. "We're here," Astrid said softly as the car pulled up to the airport entrance. She offered Elsa a sad smile.
The two had never been apart for long. "I'll miss you, Astrid. I still say you should come with us."
Astrid hesitated, wanting to go but knowing she couldn't. "Elsa, you need to face your family on your own. Show them that you don't need anyone. Ironic, that you're married, but…ugh, I don't know how to explain it." Astrid abruptly left the car and opened the trunk.
"Thanks for the ride, Astrid." Elsa's gaze wandered as she looked around.
Astrid could tell Elsa was waiting for Jack. "He'll be here, don't worry."
Elsa shook her head. "Oh, I wasn't looking for him."
"Yeah, right!" Astrid snorted. She pulled the bags out of the trunk and set them on the luggage cart. "Now go, and call me when you land. I want a message every other day, and I want all the tea."
Chuckling, Elsa groaned as she grabbed the cart's handle. "Okay, Mom."
This was unexpected, but it warmed her heart. "I'll miss you," Astrid added before pulling Elsa into a bear hug.
Elsa couldn't help the tears that welled up at the sentiment. "I'll miss you too," she murmured. It brought tears to her eyes, but she rolled them away. "It's only for two weeks, you big sap."
"You are a sap too! You are crying as well." Astrid wiped her nose and gave her shoulder a playful punch. "I'm serious. I expect messages."
Elsa couldn't help but laugh, feeling a swell of emotion. "You got it, Milady."
"Okay, now shoo…fly away…and let me know when you land. I love you!" Astrid gave Elsa another hug, though this one was less tight, and gently nudged her toward the entrance with the cart.
Laughing, Elsa yelled over her shoulder as she entered the building, "I love you more!"
Astrid heard the faint yell from inside as the automatic doors slid shut. "I love you mostest!"
Elsa entered the airport, her heart racing. There was still no sign of Jack. Was he going to show up, or was he not? Astrid's promise echoed in her mind, that Jackson Overland would undoubtedly be there, but the uncertainty gnawed at her.
A ping-pong match of thoughts played out in her head. Maybe he'll show up. Maybe he won't.
"Ah!" Elsa yelped when a cold hand landed on her bare shoulder.
The person moved around to face her and touched her arm gently. "It's only me, Elsa."
For a long moment, Elsa stood frozen, thunderstruck. It felt too unreal. "You're really here?"
"We had a commitment, didn't we? And believe me, Your Majesty, Jack Overland never breaks a promise." Jack bowed to her, his playful gesture coaxing a small smile from her.
She was thrown by the unexpected emotion. "Thank you for coming."
He gazed at her, his eyes warm. "Why wouldn't I, Elsa?" The way he said her name stirred something deep within her, her heart racing in a way she couldn't explain.
"Oh…No…I…It's," she stuttered, struggling to find the words. She finally rushed them out. "After yesterday, I thought it'd be awkward with us being married, you know?"
Jack understood immediately, as if he'd forgotten about it all in the heat of the moment. Her eyes were too enchanting to think about anything else. "Don't worry about it," he said, his voice soft. "We'll sort it all out when we get back. Anyways, here's your passport and everything else." He dug into his brown jacket pocket, pulling out the documents.
Elsa took them from his hands, their fingers brushing, sending a jolt of electricity up her spine. "Thank you, but you really didn't have to."
"I just didn't want it to cause any issues along the way," Jack replied, turning slightly, trying to mask his feelings.
Elsa's mind couldn't help but wonder what kind of issues he was trying to avoid. But her heart wondered something else entirely. Was he hoping to make her his, to give her his last name?
Shaking her head to clear the thoughts, Elsa replied, "Thanks anyway. You're right; we'll sort this out later. For now, we're just friends…and you're my-" She almost said fake husband, but the words didn't feel right. It was real now, on paper, at least.
Jack snapped his fingers, suddenly recalling something. He reached back into his pocket and pulled out a small, white box. "Here."
"Huh?" Elsa was confused.
Jack gave a small, exasperated sigh, facepalming before opening the box with a soft click. "These are for us."
Inside the box were two stunning rings. Elsa, a big fan of jewelry, could tell instantly that these were expensive.
They were wedding rings. A matching set. One for him, a simple band split in black and the darkest blue imaginable. And one for her, a delicate, princess-cut sapphire diamond ring, fit for royalty.
Elsa stared at them, her mouth dry. She couldn't breathe for a moment. Finally, she snapped her hands away. "Oh no, no, no, no, no, Jack, this looks way too expensive, and there's absolutely no need for this."
Her mind was a whirlwind, cursing, or maybe thanking Astrid for being right.
Jack was clearly disappointed, his expression falling. But he stood firm. "I insist," he said quietly, though the weight of the words hung heavy between them.
He had bought these rings as soon as possible.
The determined look in Jack's eyes softened Elsa's resolve. She sighed, defeated. "But I'm giving it back as soon as we return."
Jack's heart sank at the thought, but he nodded, swallowing the feeling. "Alright." He set his bag on the cart and took it from her hands. "Now, take it."
The sapphire ring slid smoothly onto her finger, fitting perfectly as if it were made for her. "It fits."
Jack bit his cheek, struggling to keep a straight face. He had taken one of her rings in the morning, to get the perfect size. "It's shocking," he said softly, almost under his breath.
Elsa glanced at him, her gaze skeptical. "Thanks. It makes the whole thing more believable with the rings."
"No problem." Jack checked his watch and smiled. "As much as I love talking to you, Your Majesty, we need to go."
And so they did. Elsa held the passport with her newly changed legal name. She had a thousand questions, but she swallowed them, afraid that asking would cause tension between them.
They checked in for their flight, handing over four bags to be loaded into the plane's hold. Then they passed through security and into the departure hall.
Finally, they arrived at their gate, right on time, neither too early nor too late. They waited for a few minutes in silence, each lost in their thoughts.
When the time came, they boarded the plane together.
Elsa was utterly flabbergasted. She hadn't paid any attention to where they were sitting until now. "A freaking first class! This is ridiculous, Jackson!"
As soon as he heard his full name, Jack realized that whenever he got into trouble, he'd be called Jackson and for some reason, his name had never sounded so good.
Carrying two carryons, he shrugged casually as they made their way toward their seats. "Only the best for my wife." Jack had secretly upgraded their seats to first class for extra comfort, all for her.
She blushed at his words, shaking her head. "I'm not your wife. Elsa works fine."
Jack clumsily collapsed into his seat, holding out his hand for Elsa to take. "No, you're my wife until we return. So you'll just have to deal with it. And believe me, Your Majesty, I'm not planning on stopping anytime soon."
Elsa clasped his hand and elegantly slid into her seat. "Jackson Overland, just you wait and watch."
He smirked, leaning back. "I reckon you'll call me by my full name when I'm in trouble."
With an eyebrow raised, she challenged him. "And should I not?"
Jack tucked a stray strand of platinum blonde hair behind her ear, resisting the urge to touch her face more. "My love, I'm yours and yours only. You can do whatever you want and call me whatever you want."
"So I will. I want to sleep now. Wake me up in an hour."
His smile was genuine as he opened a thin blanket and gently draped it over her. "Sleep well."
Within moments, she was asleep. She was clearly exhausted. Jack's gaze lingered on her, mesmerized by her beauty. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled into a sloppy bun, a few strands hanging loosely, brushing across her face. He had seen girls before, friends and co-workers, but there was something about Elsa…She moved him in ways and she was just so breathtaking.
It was as though God had taken special care to make her perfectly flawless, in every way.
And the thought of anyone making fun of her appearance filled him with a protective rage. Now that she was his wife, he had the urge to protect her with everything he had, even more. How dare anyone hurt her?
Jack adjusted her seat back and turned down the temperature, noticing how Elsa seemed to be more at ease in the cool air. That was the real reason he'd upgraded them to first class, to make sure she was comfortable.
He had only known her for two days, but already he had realized how soft and loving her heart was. How could anyone hurt someone like her? He didn't understand it.
He found himself curling into a near-fetal position in his seat, feeling a wave of protective instincts wash over him as he gazed at her. Though the seatbelt made it uncomfortable, the pain faded as he watched her peaceful face. Elsa had pulled herself into a fetal position as well, her knees tucked up to her chin, the seatbelt forgotten in her need for comfort.
Jack gently brushed his hand against her rosy cheeks and traced the curve of her jawline. His finger ran along her eyebrow, and he couldn't help but marvel at the softness of her hair. He carefully tucked the strands behind her ear, wanting to see her face clearly.
He inhaled deeply, but the sound of his breath made Elsa stir slightly. She shifted, but stayed asleep. Jack's heart swelled. This was perfection.
And in that moment, he realized something with absolute certainty: Jackson Overland had fallen in love with his wife, Elsa Overland.
Why so quickly, he couldn't explain. But he knew it was true. It was a mystery, but one he was ready to live with.