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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 months

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December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #9: a pinch of salt

Words: ca. 5,000 Setting: modern AU Lemon: no CW: none

With a low grunt, Elsa lifted the bag of flour to spill into the industrial mixer. Holding her breath and turning her head away while a puff of flour wafted out of the steal bowl. She didn’t need to measure, the cupcakes she was making required the entire bag and if it was a little off, no one ever seemed to notice. This wasn’t Paris anymore after all.

It was a big shift from quantity over quality. She still did her best on the more specialty confections, the ones in smaller batches. But with these cupcakes, she simply couldn’t, they were made and bought in mass.

“Good morning sweetie,” Elsa’s mother said, pushing open the back door with her shoulder. Letting in both the sounds and smells of the city. It closed with a soft thud and the noise in the back room was once again just the hum of the equipment. “I got you a latte.”

“Mom, we can make lattes here.” Elsa sighed, crumbling the empty bag and brushing off her apron.

“Yes, but that little shop on the corner has the egg sandwiches your father loves. And I just want him to be happy, he’s really struggling.” Iduna dipped her head and placed a small paper bag and a coffee cup on the counter near Elsa.

“I know.”

“I got you some food too, I can’t just go in there and buy one sandwich, that would be weird.” Iduna laughed, it sounded a little forced but Elsa chose to ignore it.

“Well, you can, but thank you I didn’t have time to make anything.”

“Hmm, I figured and you can drink this coffee now while I get our machine set up.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Elsa opened the paper bag and took out the egg sandwich. her mom smiled and disappeared through another door that led to the upstairs. She glanced over at the mixer, debating for a moment before she leaned back and ate. Better to eat it while it’s hot, the cupcakes could wait a few minutes.

***

“And that wraps up today’s cafe adventure, make sure to leave a comment with your suggestion for my next cafe. Thanks for watching!” Anna smiled and held of the peace sign, counting to three in my head before she flipped the phone around and stopped the recording.

She took a sip of her drink and looked around the busy cafe, glad that she had long since grown out of being embarrassed of filming herself in public. Truly no one really cared, specially in cafes where folks were in and out with a snack and drink or deeply buried in their work of choice — hunched over laptops.

Anna pulled out her own laptop, a few minutes later she was deep in editing mode, headphones on, computer glasses askew. A little notepad sat next to her where her marked notes for a voice voice she would record later.

The cafe thinned out around her, settling into the mid-afternoon calm before the teenagers and after-workers descended in masses. This was Anna’s favorite time at any cafe when she could really look around and enjoy the decor and little unique touches. This place was rather ordinary. Anna found herself stretching to come up with some positive things to say.

“Miss, we have two hour limit unless you buy something.” A tired looking barista said.

“Oh I’m sorry, I’ll just pack up and get out of your hair.” Anna smiled and the barista just sighed and nodded, drifting off to another table. Anna debated buying something on her way out as an apology, but the only non-drink items were some basic-looking chocolate chip cookies. She shoved her laptop in her backpack and shouldered.

“One cookie please,”

“Sure,” the person behind the counter said, scooping the cookie into a paper bag and handing it over in one smooth action.

Outside the cafe, the early evening was just starting to kiss the city, long shadows and slow traffic. She started walking, no destination, just to wonder till it got dark and then she would navigate the subway system home from wherever she ended up.

She passed a homeless man, sitting on a small blanket with his back leaned against a wall. People passed without paying him much mind. Anna approached and he eyed her but made no other moves.

“Here, I just bought it,” Anna said, offering him the cookie.

A weather-worn hand reached out and grabbed the bag, “Thank you, young lady.” He said offering a smile.

Anna returned it before continuing, hopefully the cookie would brighten his day a bit.

“Jimmy get the door.” A woman shouted once Anna rounded a corner. Only Anna didn’t see a woman, she only saw a stack of purple boxes wobbling towards a waiting town car and a panicked-looking young boy who was opening the door while his eyes, wide and frightened, stared at the stack of purple.

Anna held her breath but the woman was able to safely get the boxes into the back seat and she breathed out a sigh of relief at the same time as the boy. The pair of strangers disappeared into the car and it pulled away into traffic. She glanced at where the woman had come from and was surprised to find a combo cafe and bakery.

She pulled out her phone and googled the location. ‘Fjord Flavors Bakery’ popped up on maps but lacked a website or any social media. Anna’s interest spiked, this could be the hidden gem she’s been looking for for her web series.

She walked up to the door at the same time someone did from the other side of the glass. A woman. Tall and blonde, stood inside the shop. She looked at Anna for a moment as if waiting for something before she reached up and flipped the sign on the door to closed. She pointed with a long finger to a faded paper sign with hours before turning her back and walked away.

Anna was left speechless and intrigued, she needed to know more. She attempted to look through the windows at the bakery counter but the lights were flipped off and Anna was left staring at her own reflection.

***

Elsa pushed through the door to the back and hung up her apron. It was quiet now in the back room save for a faint hum from the walk-in fridge.

“Hi sweetie,” Iduna said, opening to door to the apartment upstairs. “I scrubbed the floors and wiped everything down already. You just need to take the trash out.”

“Thanks Mom,” Elsa said, rolling her sleeves up. “What did you want for dinner?”

“Oh, your father really wants Chinese takeout if that’s okay.”

“Yeah, that will work,” Elsa said with a sigh. “I’ll just get my usual. I’ll be up after this.”

“Alright sweetheart, I’ll call Wok The Block.” Her mother disappeared through the door. Elsa took the trash out, wrinkling her nose at the smell and pretending not to see the rats scurrying away from the shared dumpster.

She looked up at the glowing window of the second floor where she shared an apartment with her parents. This wasn’t where she had imagined herself being but life is weird like that.

“Hey dad,” Elsa said as she finally walked into the apartment. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I’m doing great honey, I think I can come downstairs and help tomorrow.” Her father replied, his voice raspy.

“That’s great dad.” Elsa forced a small smile, it was the same every day. But he was never well enough the next day. She often flipped between annoyed and missing the man her father used to be before he got sick, before Elsa came back home to help.

***

Anna held up a hand to shield her eyes from the early morning bright sun, well early for her anyway. She was making her way back to Fjord Flavors Bakery, she needed to scope it out and make sure they were okay with her filming a vlog in there. Most places had no issue but she always asked anyway.

The bakery was fairly busy with sleepy patrons and frantic-looking folks of intern age. It smelled like a lovely mix of coffee and fresh bread with a hint of sweetness. There were stacks of purple boxes in various sizes on nearly every counter behind the register and the sparking large glass case showcased everything from chocolate moose cake to simple bagels.

Anna was captivated, her eyes darting around the small shop, bouncing from various things in the glass display case to the handwritten menu board. She didn’t notice she was next in line till a warm voice cut through her thoughts.

“What can I get you this morning?”

Anna blinked and chewed on her lip. “Um, a vanilla latte and a—“ She looked over at the case, noticing the blonde woman from last night for the first time. She had a baseball hat pulled down low on her face, hiding most of it in shadow as she moved with an almost floating grace, putting goods in boxes or bags.

“Sweetheart?” The woman at the register asked again. She was older but looked much like the blonde woman, at least from what Anna remembered from the few seconds she saw her on the other side of the glass.

“A chocolate muffin please.”

“Good choice, you can tap your card when you’re ready.” She didn’t wait for Anna to finish paying before turning around to begin working on Anna’s latte.

As Anna waited for her latte and chocolate muffin, she couldn’t shake the feeling of anticipation that fluttered in her chest. The bustling atmosphere of Fjord Flavors Bakery seemed to envelop her. She pulled out her phone on instinct, realizing at that moment that she forgot to ask about filming, too distracted with the baked goods. And, if she was honest, the younger of the two women behind the counter. Something about her just captivated Anna.

Lost in her thoughts, Anna’s eyes inadvertently met those of the mysterious blonde woman. A brief moment passed between them, a flicker of recognition that left Anna both intrigued and slightly unnerved. The woman’s gaze was penetrating, as if she could see through Anna entirely.

The older woman at the register, likely the mother of the intriguing figure behind the counter, smiled at Anna, snapping her out of the momentary trance. “Sweetheart, your card didn’t go through.”

Anna fumbled for her wallet and tapped her card again, grateful for the distraction. Once the reader beeped the older woman nodded her head and handed over her latte and muffin — enclosed in a little purple bag. Anna stepped away from the counter and took a sip of her latte before turning on one heal — committing before she could change her mind, and approached the younger woman who was still engrossed in her work.

“Hi,” Anna began, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness. “I was here last night, and I’m Anna, and I’m a food blogger. I was wondering if it’s okay for me to film a vlog here. Your bakery is so charming, and I’d love to share it with my audience.”

The blonde woman, her eyes still concealed beneath the shadow of the hat, looked up from her task. There was a pause, a moment of silence that stretched, leaving Anna wondering if she had overstepped a boundary.

But then, to Anna’s surprise, a small smile tugged at the corners of the woman’s lips. “Sure, you can film. Just try not to get in the way too much. We’ve got a busy morning ahead.”

Anna beamed with gratitude, her excitement bubbling over. “Thank you so much! I promise I’ll be quiet as a mouse. Your bakery is truly special, and I want to capture its magic.”

The woman’s smile vanished. “Can you not put my face in your video? You can film my mom, Iduna, she loves attention.”

“Yeah of course, no problem-o uh… I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

“Because I didn’t give it, I usually don’t, but maybe I’ll tell you.” The blonde shrugged and turned around to busy herself with some other task, effectively ending the conversion.

Anna retreated to a corner, setting up her camera and adjusting the frame. The bakery’s ambiance, the hum of activity, and the tantalizing aroma of fresh pastries served as the backdrop for her vlog.

As Anna began recording, she couldn’t help stealing glances at the blonde woman, who continued working with a quiet intensity. The exchange between them felt charged with unspoken intrigue, a dance of curiosity and captivation.

***

Elsa continued her meticulous work behind the counter, arranging pastries with practiced precision. The rhythmic hum of the bakery machinery and the murmur of customers created a familiar symphony around her. She was engrossed in the delicate dance of crafting confections, her mind focused on the artistry of each creation.

The arrival of this new customer, Anna, occupied Elsa’s thoughts. She had observed the woman from beneath the shadow of her hat, curious about the stranger who had locked eyes with her the night before. Elsa’s eyes, sharp and discerning, followed Anna’s movements as she fumbled for her wallet and paid for her order.

Her mother, ever knowing glanced her way and gave her daughter a smirk. Elsa could swear that woman was some kind of mind-reading witch sometimes.

When the woman turned away from the counter, Elsa felt her heart sink a little only to have it completely flip over and she couldn’t help but feel a flutter of anticipation as she approached. There was something about this food blogger, Anna, that piqued her curiosity, a blend of charm and nervous energy that resonated with the essence of the baking itself.

Anna’s voice, smooth and kind sounding, reached Elsa’s ears and rang through them like a gentle song. The request to film a vlog seemed to echo through the busy bakery, and Elsa found herself torn between the desire to share Fjord Flavors’ story and the instinctive need to guard her own privacy.

The moment of silence that followed stretched, and Elsa locked eyes with Anna. The intensity of the gaze exchanged between them held a silent understanding, a recognition of the delicate balance they were navigating. When Anna’s request was met with a small smile, Elsa allowed a fraction of relief to wash over her.

“Sure, you can film. Just try not to get in the way too much. We’ve got a busy morning ahead,” Elsa replied, her tone measured. The decision to allow the filming was not without hesitation, but she couldn’t deny the bakery’s newfound visibility had its benefits. They needed more customers, they were barely breaking even as it was.

Anna’s gratitude beamed like a ray of sunshine, but Elsa’s smile faltered when the request about her face being excluded from the video surfaced. The vulnerability beneath the confident exterior became apparent. “Can you not put my face in your video? You can film my mom, Iduna; she loves attention,” Elsa stated, her voice carrying a mix of firmness and vulnerability.

“Yeah, of course, no problem-o, uh… I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name,” Anna responded, her enthusiasm tempered by the subtle shift in the conversation.

“Because I didn’t give it. I usually don’t, but maybe I’ll tell you,” Elsa said with a shrug, turning her attention back to her tasks. The brief exchange left an air of mystery hanging between them, an unspoken understanding that some stories were meant to be guarded.

As Anna retreated to a corner to set up her camera, Elsa returned to her craft, the dance of creation resuming amidst the inviting aroma of freshly baked pastries. The bakery’s ambiance, now subtly altered by the presence of a camera, continued to weave its magic, leaving Elsa to navigate the intricate dance between visibility and the sanctuary of the shadows.

****

Anna’s vlog unfolded seamlessly, capturing the essence of Fjord Flavors Bakery with a blend of charm and authenticity. Anna highlighted the meticulous craftsmanship behind each pastry, the warm interactions between staff and customers, and the unique charm that set the bakery apart.

The mysterious blonde woman, now a central figure in Anna’s narrative, moved gracefully through the frames, her hands expertly crafting delicate pastries. Anna didn’t realize until she was editing how much footage she got of the woman. That was not like her to make that much B-Roll.

The vlog, however, resonated with Anna’s audience, who eagerly embraced the enchanting story of Fjord Flavors. Within a few hours, it was already set to be one of her top posts. This was truly the hidden gem she had been looking for — she couldn’t wait to get back and film more.

As the week unfolded, the bakery continued to buzz with activity. The patrons, now aware of the filming, exchanged smiles with Anna. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of community, a shared appreciation for the hidden gem that had captured their hearts.

As Anna packed up her equipment, a few days later the older woman approached her, her eyes reflecting a mix of warmth and curiosity. “You’ve got a way of capturing the soul of a place,” she said. “We’re glad to have you share our story.”

Anna smiled, touched by the genuine sentiment. “It’s a special place, and your daughter… she’s something else. There’s a magic about her.”

The older woman’s eyes twinkled knowingly. “Elsa has always had a touch of magic. It’s what makes Fjord Flavors what it is. Don’t tell her father I said that though, he built the place.”

“Elsa,” Anna repeated, tasting the letters for the first time.

“Hmm, I don’t think I was supposed to tell you her name. Silly old me.” Iduna said, failing to hide a smirk. She turned and walked away before Anna could reply, disappearing into the back room.

“Elsa.” Anna repeated to herself as she glanced over to the counter again where Elsa herself was polishing the top of the glass case. Her hat pulled down so low that Anna could only see the very edge of her chin.

***

Elsa wiped her hands on her apron, the remnants of flour clinging to the fabric. The bustling activity of the bakery had quieted as closing time approached. Iduna, joined her behind the counter, offering a weary but affectionate smile.

“Another day is done,” Iduna remarked, her eyes reflecting a mix of exhaustion and resilience.

Elsa nodded, the weight of responsibility settling on her shoulders. “Let’s clean up and head upstairs. Dad’s probably waiting.”

Together, they moved with a practiced efficiency, tidying up the bakery with a shared understanding of the routine. The aroma of the day’s creations lingered in the air, a comforting scent that masked the underlying concerns both women carried.

Once the last tray was stored, Elsa locked the front door. They ascended the narrow staircase that led to the second floor. As they entered the apartment, the atmosphere shifted from the warmth of the bakery to a more intimate, subdued setting. The living room was adorned with family photos and traces of the life they had built together. Soft light illuminated the room, casting a gentle glow.

Elsa’s father was in his favorite chair, a worn blanket draped over his frail shoulders. His eyes, once vibrant, now held a weariness that spoke of battles fought within. Despite his illness, a flicker of a smile appeared and he sat up straighter as he saw Elsa and Iduna enter.

“Hey, Dad,” Elsa greeted, her voice carrying a mix of tenderness and concern. It had been months now and he hadn’t shown any progress. “How was your day?”

He coughed softly, a reminder of the fragility that had settled in and Elsa was painfully reminded that they couldn’t afford the medicine that could help him. “Same as always, sweetheart. You girls working too hard down there?”

Iduna leaned down to kiss his forehead. “You know us, always keeping things running.”

Elsa fetched a glass of water from the kitchen, handing it to her father. As he took a sip, his eyes met Elsa’s, and an unspoken understanding passed between them. The weight of their shared reality hung in the air.

“I’ll start dinner,” Iduna suggested, attempting to infuse the moment with normalcy.

Elsa remained by her father’s side, her hand gently resting on his. “You doing okay, Dad?”

He sighed, his gaze distant. “Just tired, sweetheart. But seeing you and your mother’s faces at the end of the day makes it all worthwhile. Your mother tells me the bakery has been a video-er the last few days.”

“Yes, we’re not paying her but it seems to be helping business.”

“I heard she’s really sweet and pretty and your mother told me I have to tell you to talk to her.” A familiar twinkle danced across her father’s eyes.

“I’ll try Dad.” Elsa replied, not sure how much she believed her own words.

Her father smiled and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. Elsa squeezed his hand, a mixture of love and sorrow coursing through her. The trio settled into the familiar routine of an evening together, finding solace in the shared moments that transcended the challenges they faced.

As the evening unfolded, the soft hum of family echoed through the apartment—a fragile melody that held within it the strength of love, resilience, and the unwavering bond that anchored them in the face of life’s uncertainties.

***

The following week unfolded with a rhythm of anticipation as Anna returned to Fjord Flavors Bakery. The atmosphere had shifted subtly as if the bakery itself recognized the growing curiosity that surrounded it.

Elsa, the elusive figure behind the counter, continued her work with a quiet determination. Her hat pulled low, veiled her expression, leaving Anna to wonder about the stories concealed beneath the surface. The name “Elsa” echoed in Anna’s mind like a secret she was on the verge of unraveling.

As Anna set up her camera for another day of filming, she couldn’t help but feel a magnetic pull toward the enigmatic blonde woman. It was a dance of curiosity and respect, a delicate balance that Anna had grown accustomed to navigating.

The day unfolded with the familiar symphony of Fjord Flavors—the hum of machinery, the aroma of fresh pastries, and the chatter of contented patrons. Anna’s lens captured the intricate details of the bakery, from the artful arrangement of desserts to the interactions between staff and customers.

While filming, Elsa’s hands worked their magic with practiced finesse. The vlog became a canvas, each frame painted with the passion and dedication that Elsa poured into her creations. Anna couldn’t deny the magnetic allure that Elsa exuded, and her camera seemed drawn to the mysterious pastry chef.

As the day wound down and Anna packed up her equipment, Iduna approached once more, her eyes twinkling with a knowing gleam. “You’ve been capturing the essence of Fjord Flavors beautifully, dear. My daughter may be a bit of a mystery, I’m afraid. There’s a reason I suppose, but I think she needs someone to talk to.”

Anna nodded, grateful for the hospitality she had received. “Thank you,” she paused before continuing, weighing her words. “Do you think I’m the person to talk to her? I’m just a vlogger, I can’t say I’m really friends with Elsa.”

Iduna chuckled softly. “Well, dear, I watch your vlogs and I know my daughter,” She looked directly into Anna’s eyes, her expression hard to read. “Sure, sometimes the best stories are the ones left untold. But I have a feeling Elsa might be willing to share a bit more, given the right nudge.” She winked and walked away.

Encouraged by Iduna’s words, Anna glanced over at Elsa, who was now meticulously arranging a display of delicate pastries. The hat cast a shadow over her features. Anna swallowed, she wanted nothing more than to have a meaningful conversation with Elsa. Even with her face covered, the woman drew Anna in like a moth to a flame.

Approaching Elsa with a newfound resolve, Anna couldn’t suppress the curiosity that fueled her, if Elsa was a cliff, she willingly jumped over the edge.

“Elsa?” Anna began.

Elsa jumped and visibly tensed, forcing Anna to fall silent. She turned slowly, cold blue eyes locking with Anna’s. There was fear there, a panic that stirred under the surface. And Anna wanted nothing more than to reach out and calm the storm.

“Elsa?” Anna tried again and was met with a scowl as Elsa rushed forward and placed a hand over her mouth.

“How did you learn my name?” Elsa demanded in a hushed whisper. Anna was distracted by how close their bodies were, never mind the strong hand over her mouth. With Elsa this close she could really see her face and the delicate features, the sharp cheekbones, the soft lips. She was beautiful.

She looked familiar…

Someone cleared their throat on the other side of the bakery and Elsa stepped back, letting her hand fall but her eyes never left Anna.

“Come into the back, we need to talk.”

“Aye aye, Captain,” Anna mumbled, she ran over to her bag and scooped up her belongings before following Elsa behind the counter and through the door into the back room.

***

The back room offered a small reprieve from the prying eyes in the bakery. Elsa closed the door behind them, the muffled sounds of the bakery now distant. She turned to face Anna, the air between them charged with unspoken tension.

Anna broke the silence first. “Okay, spill. Why the secrecy, Elsa? Which, by the way, your mom told me, alright?”

Elsa sighed, feeling the weight of the years of hiding settle on her shoulders. “I’m sorry I touched you without asking, it just caught me off guard and I got scared.” She took off her hat and ran a hand through her hair, letting her bangs fall. “As for the name thing… well, that’s on me. I should’ve been more careful I guess. But the secrecy, it’s a long story.”

Anna grinned, and Elsa could sense her eagerness and curiosity. “Long stories are my specialty. Lay it on me.”

Elsa motioned for Anna to sit at a small well-worn table in the corner. The old chair creaked as she sat down and gathered her thoughts, her gaze fixed on the floor. She was so tired of hiding, but so scared of being open. Yet this weird nerdy girl with a camera that kept coming back day after day had worn down a wall. And Elsa felt this urge to open up to her. Anna felt safe, and she liked that feeling.

With a sigh, she decided to just open the floodgates and see what happened. “I used to be a TV chef, you know? A pretty famous one, actually,” Elsa began, the memories stirring a mix of nostalgia and regret. “I had my own cooking show, traveled the world, won awards. It was everything I thought I wanted.”

Anna’s eyes widened with genuine surprise. “You were a TV chef? Seriously? That’s amazing! That’s why you look so familiar, I used to watch your shows. I was so upset you lost Iron Chef, that judge was stupid. Why’d you stop?”

Elsa sighed again, the weight of the past pressing upon her. “It’s a glamorous life, but it comes at a cost. The constant scrutiny, the pressure to maintain an image. I felt like I was losing myself. And then my dad got sick. So, one day, I decided to step away. I came back here, to my family’s bakery.”

Anna’s excitement tempered with understanding. “But why the secrecy? You could’ve been a sensation, Elsa! People would love to know the famous TV chef behind Fjord Flavors.”

Elsa’s eyes met Anna’s, revealing a vulnerability that went beyond the façade she had carefully crafted. “I don’t want the fame, Anna. I found solace here, away from the spotlight. I wanted to be able to focus on my dad and help him, and I did till my money ran out.” She picked at a piece of dried flour on her apron. I didn’t want people to see the TV chef; I didn’t want the food critics coming here and tearing this place apart just because I was famous. I just wanted them to enjoy the pastries.”

Anna nodded, absorbing the sincerity in Elsa’s words. “You’re not just hiding from the world; you’re hiding from your past. From who you used to be.”

Elsa simply nodded.

Anna’s gaze softened “You know, Elsa, I get it. Fame isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. But your story, it’s captivating. People would understand.”

Elsa offered a small, appreciative smile and stood up. “Wait here.” She ran up the stairs into the apartment, pausing to check on her father who was softly snoring away. After grabbing the box she was looking for she ran back downstairs to find Anna looking around at the various machines.

“Look, I don’t know if this is the right thing or not, but if anyone was going to break the news that Chef Elsa has been here in this little bakery, I want it to be you.” Elsa held out the box to Anna who took it with a confused look.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a bunch of my old TV stuff, tapes, and photos, things you can use in your video. Everything in that box is all yours, consider it a gift.”

“No Elsa, I can’t take this,” Anna said, handing the box back. “You kept your privacy for so long, why now suddenly?”

“Because maybe you’re right. I thought people would judge me. But as you pointed out, people would understand. And I’m selfish for not using my fame to help my dad. So here we are.”

“Okay, but I have a better idea than I box of the past.” Anna bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling. “Two things, first, let’s let up an interview and I’ll film it. Second, let’s go on a date, get dressed up, have some drinks, and just talk about whatever.”

A warm feeling bubbled up inside Elsa and she couldn’t help but smile. “You mean that?”

“Well yeah, I have my camera stuff with me.”

“No, about the date?”

Anna’s face turned bright red. “Oh I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have overstepped, I just thought that uh… I’m sorry.”

“Hush, I would love to go on a date with you. I’ve been waiting for you to ask.”

#elsanna #December 2023 contest #prompt: spice #submission

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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 months

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December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #8: It Doesn't Count

Words: ca. 2,300 Setting: modern AU Lemon: no CW: none

They’re out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant with Kristoff and Hans for their annual day-after-Friendsgiving tradition, when Anna turns to Elsa and says, “Okay, Elsa, kiss me.”

“Um, what?”

“My lips are all numb from the Sichuan pepper! So it doesn’t count.”

Elsa quickly glances across the table; the boys are bickering romantically and therefore not paying attention. “You’re right, that doesn’t count,” she says, and then leans in to sneak a kiss on Anna’s waiting lips. Her lips are wonderfully soft and especially warm; Elsa lingers briefly, but quickly catches herself. Or so she thinks.

“They’re doing it again,” Hans observes, wiping his face with a napkin after having cleared his plate. Kristoff just grunts in reply, still busy scarfing down his noodles.

Elsa blushes and stammers but Anna simply says, “It doesn’t count. My lips were numb.”

Kristoff rolls his eyes. “I’m not sure that’s how it works.” He turns and elbows Hans lightly in the ribs. “And you. I saw how you were looking at them. Those eyes are supposed to be for me.”

“I’m allowed to look!” Hans retorts. “If two hot girls are kissing you’re telling me I can’t look?”

“Not when one of them is your ex-girlfriend and the other is her sister!” Kristoff replies grumpily.

“Oh, relax, Kristoff,” Anna chides, pointing her chopsticks at him. “You were the one who stole him from me, as I remember it. Besides, I’m in a girls phase now so your love is safe for the time being.”

“We can see that!”

“Shut up, Hans,” Anna says, before diving in to her food once again.

After a little while it seems that the topic of conversation has moved on from the kiss and Elsa breathes a small sigh of relief. “I don’t know how you guys can eat so much right now, I’m still stuffed from yesterday’s turkey.”

“I always have room for Chongqing hot chicken!” Anna proves her point by deftly popping another morsel of fried meat into her mouth with her chopsticks.

It’s at this point that Elsa feels her lips start to tingle slightly, and she touches her fingers to them to verify what she already suspects. “Oh, I really don’t like Sichuan pepper.” It takes her a moment before she realizes that the others have gone quiet and are just looking at her. “What?”

=//=

Elsa has just set the oven to bake a batch of cinnamon rolls when Anna gets back to the apartment, earlier than expected. She wipes her hands with a kitchen towel and rounds the corner to find Anna struggling to get her winter boots off, scattering wet snow around the entryway in the process.

“Here, let me help you. Aren’t you supposed to be at work right now?”

Still struggling, Anna mumbles something in reply that Elsa doesn’t catch, and then huffs in defeat and sticks out her legs. Elsa kneels on the floor, flecks of snow soaking into her jeans as she wrestles the boots off of her sister’s feet.

“Thanks,” Anna says. “I had a dentist appointment earlier so they let me off work early.”

“Oh right, the cavity you got because of your incorrigible sweet tooth. And here I am making cinnamon rolls for you anyway.” Elsa stops and squints when she sees the look in Anna’s eyes, realization striking her. “Oh no, I know what you’re thinking.”

“My face is so numb right now,” Anna says with a wide and slightly awkward grin.

“Anna.” Elsa tries to give her sister a reproachful glare but it proves ineffective.

“I’m not going to get feeling back in my lips for at least an hour.” Anna takes her boots from Elsa and sets them on the drying mat. “Come on, let’s go to the couch.”

Elsa lets herself be led by the hand into the living room. “You want me to kiss you for a whole hour?”

“At least!” Anna plops backward onto the couch and pats the adjacent cushion.

Sighing, Elsa acquiesces and sits down next to her sister. “Anna, what are we doing?”

“What we’re doing doesn’t matter, because it doesn’t count. Right?”

“It doesn’t count,” Elsa repeats.

“Exactly, that’s the rule. Besides, it can be an early Christmas present for you.”

“For me?!”

“You’re the one who will get to feel something!” Anna laughs. “I’m just going to be trying not to drool out of the side of my mouth. Actually, can you get me some water?”

Grateful for a moment to wrestle with her thoughts, Elsa pops over to the kitchen and fills two glasses of water, though as she’s leaving she feels like she’s forgetting something. Back on the couch, Anna manages to drink about half of her glass without making too much of a mess of herself. Still, there’s a smattering of water on Anna’s cheek when she sets her glass down; Elsa reaches up and wipes it away with her fingers in her customary sisterly manner, and then on impulse she darts in and quickly kisses Anna in a rather un-sisterly manner.

“You really couldn’t feel that?”

“Uh-uh,” Anna shakes her head. “I mean I could feel a bit of pressure, vaguely, but other than that, nothing.”

“That really shouldn’t count, then,” Elsa says, decisively.

“That’s what I’m say—”

Elsa smothers the rest of Anna’s words with her lips, and keeps them there for several seconds.

“That was nice—” Anna tries again, only to be cut off once more when Elsa abruptly maneuvers herself to straddle Anna’s lap and resumes the one-sided kiss.

In her mind, Elsa is using the mantra of it doesn’t count like a hammer to squash all the uncomfortable feelings brewing inside her that threaten to ruin the moment. She’s having fun. It doesn’t count. She amuses herself by giving Anna’s lip a soft bite, and when that doesn’t get even the slightest reaction Elsa bites just a little harder, which does.

“Did you… did you just bite me?” Anna eyes her suspiciously.

“Twice, actually,” Elsa says, and plants a kiss on Anna’s lip where she did it. “You didn’t even notice the first time.”

“That’s cruel. You’re being mean to me.”

“I am not! It was only a light nibble, it wouldn’t have hurt even if you could feel it.” Another kiss. “Or, is that the problem? Because you want to feel it?”

“Yes. That.”

“I’m not going to bite harder, I don’t want to hurt you.”

Anna still seems a bit miffed, but doesn’t saying anything, and Elsa takes that as her cue to continue. She’s a little overeager when she presses forward this time, and the momentum presses Anna against the back of the couch. This puts her slightly below Elsa, and as the kissing continues Anna slides down lower and lower, until she says wait, hold on and together they reorient until Anna is lying on her back and Elsa is propped up over her on her knees and elbow. Elsa gazes down at her sister, at how fucking pretty she is, basking in how much she’s enjoying having this semblance of power over her. With her one free hand she caresses Anna’s face, high on her cheek.

“Can you feel that?”

Anna nods, and then she pulls Elsa’s face close with both hands and kisses her clumsily.

After a few moments, Elsa pulls away and chuckles. “You’re really bad at that right now, you know.”

“Don’t care,” Anna replies, and pulls her down again.

Elsa doesn’t need her mantra anymore, she’s just lost in Anna.

They don’t end up kissing for the whole hour—Elsa remembers the cinnamon buns a little too late, but they only get a little bit burnt.

=//=

It takes some creative bookkeeping, but Hans and Kristoff manage to invite both Elsa and Anna to their company New Year’s Eve party as plus-ones, even though they’re dating each other. Hans assures them it will be an opulent affair, so the girls dress accordingly. Elsa wears an elegant blue gown together with an elaborate French braid that Anna says makes her look like royalty. Anna, perhaps somewhat predictably, wears something sultrier: a little black off the shoulder dress that puts her gorgeous freckles on full display. Elsa thinks she looks stunning.

The venue is indeed luxurious; the company has booked the entire top floor of one of the tallest buildings in the city, along with the rooftop garden and the accompanying bar and lounge. They meet Hans and Kristoff at the entrance to the building and ride the express elevator together all the way up to the top. Hans lavishes both girls with compliments; Anna returns the favor with admiration for the boys’ matching tuxedos, though Elsa can tell that Kristoff is far from comfortable in his. She suspects that, once the two of them have made enough money working for this tech company, he’s going to drag Hans out to the countryside somewhere and take up farming.

The party is in full swing once they make it through the security area. Every single person is dressed to the nines, a veritable sea of rich and/or attractive people in every direction, flooding the air with conversation and laughter. Elsa is pretty sure most of them are terrible people in one way or another, but she still puts on her best smile as Hans introduces them to one co-worker or socialite after the next, all of whose names she instantly forgets. The food, at least, is a saving grace: Elsa endeavors to quash her bubbling anxiety with a plateful of truly incredible sushi and a healthy dose of wasabi, to surprising success. Still, it’s a literal breath of fresh air when Anna steals her away from the boys and leads her out onto the rooftop area. There are fewer partygoers out here, most of whom are congregated over by the bar where the patio heaters are warding off the brisk December evening. Thankfully, Anna had been smart enough to stop by the coat check on their way out, so it’s not unbearably cold as Elsa walks with her through the garden, which is blessedly free of other people. The trellises along the paths have been decorated with various evergreen fronds and wreaths, and a few banners proclaiming the coming new year.

“You looked like you were going to die in there,” Anna remarks, after they find a bench to sit down on.

“I was doing okay,” Elsa replies meekly.

“You were literally eating your feelings, I could tell.”

“Okay, you’re right, I was dying. You know how I get around that many people.”

“I do,” Anna says, with a smile that radiates love.

Anna extends her arms and Elsa leans into her embrace, allows herself to be comforted. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Shush.” Anna kisses the top of Elsa’s head. “That’s never going to happen.”

Elsa thinks there a number of ways that could happen, but she doesn’t mention them. She gets precious few quiet moments like this with Anna, who is so often bursting with unfathomable chaotic energy, and she wants to savor it. So she does; she closes her eyes and lets her heart float up into the clouds.

She has little sense of how much time has passed when Anna finally breaks the silence. “Elsa, you’re not going to believe this but, um, look up? On the trellis-thing.”

Elsa looks up. “Is that—”

“Mistletoe? Yep.”

“You’re right, I don’t believe it.”

“It’s right there! You know what we have to do. It’s a rule, and I didn’t even make it up.”

Elsa sits up straight and looks at Anna. “Sisters are exempt from that rule.”

“Usually, yes,” Anna concedes. “But… it doesn’t count if we have no choice. So the exemption doesn’t apply to us.”

“You just made that up.”

“I did.”

Elsa glances at Anna’s lips, thinking fondly of that one afternoon the previous week. “It’s going to be different if both of us can feel it, you know.”

“I know,” Anna replies, and her eyes are bright with anticipation. “But it doesn’t count, so it’s okay.”

“Well, if it doesn’t count then I guess I have to agree.” Elsa glances around the garden, just to see if anyone is looking, but no one is. “Okay, you can kiss me.”

Somehow, despite all of this deliberation and everything that has happened between them before this, Elsa still isn’t prepared for when Anna kisses her. Even with all of her disclaimers about how the kiss doesn’t count, there’s no ambiguity about the way Anna presses her lips to Elsa’s: sweetly, passionately, and above all, romantically. It’s a confession in disguise; it’s a kiss that says, I’m in love with you.

When it’s over, Elsa needs a few moments to collect herself. It was one thing to have suspicions about what was going on between them, but another thing entirely to know so clearly how Anna felt about her. When she manages to meet Anna’s eyes again, she expects to find a look of mildly smug satisfaction, but is surprised to find her on the edge of tears. She always thinks of courage as something that comes easily for her sister, but maybe this time it didn’t.

“Elsa? Please say something.”

“I love you, too,” Elsa quickly assures her, as if the words could convey the depth of that emotion. But they can’t, and so she needs to do more. She takes Anna’s hand and says, “Hey, can we get up for a sec?”

“Um, sure?”

Elsa guides her over to the other side of the path and positions Anna’s back against one of the trellis posts there. She briefly looks up for confirmation, then tells Anna, “There’s no mistletoe here, so none of the rules apply this time.”

Anna nods in understanding. “That means it counts.”

“Yeah.” Then Elsa pushes Anna up against the trellis post with the full weight of her body and kisses her like her life depends on it.

#elsanna #December 2023 contest #prompt: spice #submission

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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 months

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December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #7: Snow Diplomacy

Words: ca. 5,000 Setting: modern diplomacy AU Lemon: lime CW: none

There was something to be said about the places where real power lived, it was not in the grand and lavish halls of government. It often was to be found in chambers like this, boring conference room. Where for the better part of a week the Norwegian delegation had tried to smooth out negotiations related to trade and tariffs. The primary goal was to guarantee a steady supply of spice into the European free trade agreement area. The last treaty was set to sunset in about two years and not wanting to deal with a tight deadline, Norway had sent a pre-emptive mission to China to set in place a framework that would last for another decade at least.

Looking across the table Anna saw an equally bored counterpart tapping his pen on the copy of the agreement. She knew the document like the back of her hand, she had written at least two drafts of it. The finalised version had been passed off to the diplomatic mission to check it for localization and finished it for the meetings they were in now.

“Dear minister, I understand that there have been issues that have arisen with the review on your side?” the ambassador spoke before the interpreter repeated it back in Mandarin. It were these moments that she wished that she had picked a different career path in the diplomatic office. She enjoyed seeing the tense discussions between nations happen, however sitting here for what felt like forever wasn’t it.

As soon as the Chinese minister of trade finished his statement, she perked up as their interpreter translated it into Norwegian again. She noted down the main notes that were brought up. She’d type up a comprehensive review of it later that evening, but for now shorthand would do.

“…as stated before we appreciate the Kingdom of Norway’s commitment to the independence of Chinese internal politics…” she nearly rolled her eyes as her sister tapped her foot to her heel. Glancing over she could see Elsa leafing through the proposed trade agreement. Even without speaking she knew what her sister had meant with it, ‘you can’t roll your eyes at the Chinese trade minister in a meeting.’ Or something to that avail.

Trying to focus on something else, she started to listen to the ticks of the clock on the wall. Counting all the way to twenty, she returned her attention back to the person who was speaking. Catching up on the conversation she noted that despites best efforts on their side no real progress had been made since they had entered the conference room that morning.

Quickly writing a note on the corner of the page she pushed it to her side so her sister could see it, ‘tariff free salmon?’ It was part of the options that had been on the table a couple weeks ago when they had been briefed on this mission but had gotten cut in one of the earlier drafts of the agreement.

Her sister looked at it and then crossed out the question mark, confirming the new direction they were going to take as soon as the entourage would be debriefing in the Norwegian compound. Elsa on her part pulled out another piece of paper and wrote a couple words on it. Her handwriting was far nicer than Anna’s, but she didn’t have to take notes throughout the entire meeting and for one she was the only one that had to be able to read them. Folding it in two she slipped it towards the ambassador who was nodding along with the Chinese response, glancing at the text before slipping it into his copy of the agreement.

“Dear minister, I feel the need to close this meeting for the day. It’s been a rather long process today and I fear that unless we feed ourselves something this evening we might not make it back .” With the message being translated, and with nods from the other side of the table they all got up and were escorted out of the conference room towards the several cars that the Embassy had provided them.

The drive back was mostly spent in silence, with Anna typing away at the meeting minutes that would be added to the documentation that this trip has racked up so far. She was pretty sure that she got all the main points as she handed the laptop off to one of the other embassy staff members. Letting them compare their own notes to make sure nothing was missing in the report.

After getting it approved she returned it back to her bag as she let out a sigh. It had been a long day, even with them being in the country for nearly a week still wasn’t doing wonders to the seven-hour time difference. At least they had been given a twin suite to stay in for the duration of these negotiations. Not that they spend much time alone on either side of the complex. The current setup left most of the working area on Elsa’s side and what had been shown as her side was mostly used for leisure.

Which brought her back to the present, looking over at her sister she could see that the early hours were having an equal effect. Mostly people would have thought that she was just resting her eyes, but Anna wasn’t most people. Spending the better part of a decade living together in small shitty apartments as they worked their way up the ladder of diplomacy, they knew each other in and out.

As someone was about to announce their arrival she raised her finger to her lips as she nodded to her sister, “I’m just gonna take her back to her room, I’ll be back later after she’s done with her beauty nap.”

“Not that I’d need that,” her sister quipped as she fluttered open her eyes, she didn’t look as tired as she had when she had gotten into the car. But there definitely were some dark circles that were forming under her eyes.

“Na, you need a nap princess,” she quipped as they exited the car and left the rest of the delegation to grab some food in the cafeteria. They probably should grab something too, but for the moment both of them were done with the day. Anna knew that Elsa could have sat in that meeting for another five hours if the occasion had called for it. Though now, as they had left the tiredness was rapidly taking over her body.

“I’m fine Anna.”

“I’m sure you are, but we both need to at the very least lay down for like an hour.”

“That does sound like a nice proposition,” Elsa said as she swiped her card next to the elevator. The doors opened on an empty well-lit room. Leaning on one of the sides she watched as her sister tapped on the floor number. They had learned the hard way a couple years ago that cameras in elevators sometimes did have someone watching the feeds. So, in silence they rode up until their floor opened up for them.

Opening the door on her side Anna pushed her sister in before closing the door behind her. The lights stayed off as she quickly pulled off her shoes as she heard a poof from across the room. Looking up she could see the outline of her sister laying sideways across the bed. ‘I’m fine, my ass,’ she thought as she slipped out of her shirt and threw her bra onto one of the chairs. For a moment she was considering trying to get out of her pants but decided against it.

“Set an alarm for like an hour,” her sister demanded as she herself started to worm out of the sweater she had been wearing. Tossing it vaguely off the bed she rolled on her back.

“Can you get my shoes?” Elsa asked her as she started to undo the buttons on her shirt.

“Sure, but that’s another point for me then.”

“Sweetie, I’m tired as shit, first a nap then we grab some food. After that I will do whatever you want, but for now sleep,” Elsa said as she stretched her arms above her head.

“Sounds like a plan,“ Anna said as she laid next to her sister as they shuffled around for a moment to get comfortable. She ended up being the big spoon and cradled her sister as they both drifted off to sleep. The darkness of the room quickly faded as they lost sight of the way their body was laying on the mattress and they slipped deeper and deeper into the darkness of sleep.

“Beep!”

“…”

“Beep!”

“Why does the alarm sound like it’s a call?” a groggy Elsa asked as she opened her eyes.

“BEEP!”

Gathering her thoughts Anna opened her eyes and reached for her phone. It didn’t feel like a sixty-minute nap, glancing at the number that was calling she suddenly shot up.

“BEEP!”

“It’s mom,” she said as she threw the phone over to Elsa. Between the two of them at least she still had her boobs covered. It was strange being in your early thirties but still feeling like you’re, a teenager sneaking around when parents are in the situation.

“Hey mom,” Elsa answered as Anna threw on a sleepshirt she had brought with her for a more comfortable setting.

“No, you caught us just before we headed off to bed. Still keeping busy with business,” she explained as she got up from the bed and walked over to her own side of the suite.

“Anna was in the bathroom, so I grabbed her phone, you want her now?” she asked as she grabbed one of her own shirts. Anna watched her pull it over her head as she continued to speak, intermittently humming in agreement as she started to make a couple of coffees in their room’s bar area.

“I think it’s gonna be a couple more days, but we should be home for yule. I doubt it will last that long. Either they’ll agree, or we’ll capitulate and find some other way to get the deal done,” lifting her face from the phone she called out to her. “It was mom, just checking in with us.”

“All right, I’ll talk to her later then,” Anna said as she took one of the cups that Elsa had prepared. While this was the kind of smoke and mirrors teenagers tried to get away with, they had nearly perfected it. Both of them didn’t really care about relations outside of their friendship for the majority of their childhood. Always part of the group but never the best friend of anyone in it. The two of them were more often seen together than not. And one fateful night at midnight she had taken the chance, while all their friends had gone outside to watch the fireworks Anna had slid up next to her sister.

“You got someone for midnight?” she had asked her, knowing full well that all the other people were standing outside.

“Maybe, but I doubt it would happen,” Elsa had told her as turned to face her.

Outside their friends started to count down from ten as the new year came closer and closer.

“You never know,” she said as she started to close the gap, “anything can happen on new year.”

Somewhere in the distance cheers erupted as fireworks were shot into the sky, but all the sound was dampened as they both locked eyes with one another.

“Happy new year,” Elsa said as Anna smooched her. There was a little surprise in her sisters’ eyes but quickly she closed them and leaned into the kiss.

“Dreams can come true,” Anna muttered as they leaned back for a moment.

“That they do,” Elsa responded as she kissed her again.

Both of them had decided to not break the news to their parents that they were in a gay incestuous relationship. The chance that they would disown them, but they didn’t want to sit through like five years of awkward family dinners.

Returning back to the present Elsa motioned for her to come closer as she handed her phone back to her. With a quick peck on her cheek, she left the room to grab something else to wear.

“Hi mom,” Anna greeted her, “how’re you and dad?”

“We’re doing all right kiddo, just wanted to check in on my kids. You didn’t call yesterday so we got worried you guys would be stuck for far longer than planned there.” She sounded happy, probably placated by the conversation she had had with Elsa before.

“I don’t know mom; I can’t tell you specifics but either we’re gonna get this done in the next couple of days or we are just gonna go home without doing it.”

“I’m sure you guys will figure it out, can’t let the streak die now you’ve hit a hard problem for once.”

“I don’t think that having successful diplomatic missions is a kind of streak…” she started to explain before her mom cut in.

“If I can put it on my fridge I’m counting it,” if anything her mom had a sense of humour. Even when they were kids their drawings and tests had stuck around on the family fridge for ages. She had kinda thought it would stop when they graduated from elementary school but as by wonder their assignments where stuck to the door with slightly stronger magnets all the way up to the master’s thesis her sister had written. It had been a solid hundred pages thick and had finally fallen to the floor five days after their mom had put all the magnets on it.

“You can do whatever you want mom,” she said as she looked over at Elsa as she entered the room again with a note, ‘I’m gonna grab a couple of sandwiches for later, want the usual?’ giving her a nod, her sister headed out to venture into the evening air of Beijing.

“Your sister said you hadn’t had a chance to explore the city yet, are they really just carting you to and from meeting there? I thought that they would even allow for a day of rest in between the negotiations.”

“Well, they did for the rest of the embassy staff, but we arrived only on the day of the first official negotiations, so we skipped past the banquet they held in honour of the deep and trusted relationship between our two countries,” she explained.

“Sounds like they were trying to placate the other people into being more amicable for the negotiations.”

“It’s possible, but it’s more likely that the minister needed an excuse to have a possible reason to spend a lot of money above board, though if anyone asks you about that I didn’t say anything.”

“Your secret is safe with me sweetheart, I doubt that the Chinese audit of their internal government structure would venture all the way out to us to check a receipt,” she joked. It was kind of a funny sight, a set of black cars pulling up on their childhood home as agents of the Chinese government tried their best to interview their mother.

“Anyway,” Anna said to change the topic away from possible liable stories that could be pulled out of context by some kind of wiretap, “How’s dad holding up? Last time I spoke to him he had been isolating the roof of the cabin near Lommedalen.”

“Oh, he’s fine. He’s out there somewhere with the young bucks teaching them how old men used to hunt. Namly with a crate of beer and a wallet to pay a butcher for the meat of a deer.”

“I hope he’s not pulling Kristof along too much,” Anna said with a smile. It had been kind of funny seeing one of her friends’ become friends with her dad. If it had been someone else she might have thought it was because her dad wanted a son to hang out with and teach all the tricks of the trade.

But in her youth he had been delighted when she wanted to join him out in the forest for days at a time, they had hiked for so long her sister had gotten worried and nearly called the emergency services to check up on them. Their mom had managed to calm her for long enough that she could call their dad on his special satellite phone. With a couple of words from him and a lot from her Elsa had been convinced that she wasn’t killed out there by a bear or something similar.

“I’m sure the lad is fine; he’s been popping in frequently whenever you girls hop around the world for weeks at a time,” the tone was playful, but Anna knew that there was something implied there. If it had been different she might have even considered it, but now it was way past that decision.

“I’m glad that dad has someone else to hang out with than uncle Oaken.”

“Me too, they were probably going to go insane if it was just the two of them out there.”

The click of the lock let her know that Elsa had returned, she came in with her back to the door holding a couple plates of food in her hands.

“I’m gonna have to leave you, we still have a bunch to do and it’s getting late here,” she told her mom.

“Of course, tell your sister I love her.”

“Of course.”

“And I also love you, don’t think I forgot,” their mom said as she disconnected the call.

“Love you too,” Anna said to the death line.

“Anything interesting?” Elsa asked her as she put the plates on the table.

“Kristoff is off drinking with dad and Oaken, we should probably send him a thank you for taking that bullet.”

“I thought he liked going out with them?”

“I mean he does, but having to listen to Oaken snore after he’s drunk isn’t fun for anyone. Did you know that the first time…”

“You spent the night with them, you thought there was a motorbike approaching your camping space? No, you haven’t told me about that a million times already,” Elsa said with a chuckle.

“You weren’t there Elsa, the man’s got an engine in his throat somewhere.” She protested as she took in the food her sister had gathered. It was mainly a couple of sandwiches that the chefs at the compound made around the clock. Diplomacy didn’t keep a clock so neither did the working schedule of the personnel here.

Taking a first bite really revealed how hungry she had been. Quickly finished the sandwich as she took the cup with noodles. In about ten minutes the two of them finished off most of the food, a couple of bottles of water were the only thing left of the massacre.

“You up to review the old proposal and see if we can fit it into the negotiations for tomorrow?” Elsa asked her as they sat back on their chairs.

“I’m down to run through it, but I doubt that we can even rewrite the negotiation proposal in one night. We might, and I say might here, be able to get the cliffs notes to the local public servants for them to write up the text overnight.”

“I’ll text Neils to give them a heads-up,” Elsa said as she pulled out her phone.

“Sure, but you do realise that we have about eleven hours until we’re back in that conference room again? I’m still pretty sure I can give you the large lines that the salmon concessions were about, but it’s gonna be a lot of cramming to get it done in time.”

“We’ve done more with less,” Elsa winked at her, “at least we had a forty-five-minute nap and food this time.”

She hated to admit that her sister had her death to rights at that moment, she knew that they could do it. It was going to be a long night and maybe even one where sleep would be forgotten but if it worked they could be on their way home in two days. For a well-deserved week of nothing.

“I’m not hearing any more complaints so… I’m gonna say four for the first draft that the offices downstairs can start working on then?” she asked her.

“Yeah sure but let them know it’s gonna be a rough first draft, and that I need you to check it over again before it goes to the ambassador’s morning briefing.” She thought for a moment, “The printing room is past the ambassador’s residence right?”

“I think so, you wanna break the news to him already?”

“Strike when the iron is hot,” Anna reasoned as she stood up.

“Send the files to the printer, both the first draft, the concessions draft and whatever else might be relevant, see if we still have that Finish treaty on file. I want to make sure that we aren’t crossing them by accident.”

“Will do, I’ll get started reading the text so I’m on the same page as well.”

“Great,” she let out a sigh and gave her sister a kiss on her forehead, “be good.”

“Aren’t I always,” Elsa told her as she stuck out her tongue, “Go, we are burning time.”

Leaving the suite behind Anna took a moment to centre herself again, the list of tasks she had to do was easy. Find the ambassador or his assistant, then know that there was going to be a shift in the strategy in line with the note that they had passed him earlier that day, convince him that they would do everything they could not to anger their partners across the table, find the printer room and grab the documents.

Rushing downstairs, she followed the helpful arrows that dotted around the compound. The residence was a small building set in one of the more secluded parts of the structure. She had been told it was the living spaces of the senior officials that often spend years in their assignment. The privacy away from work was a welcome addition to the office there had been assigned.

She was lucky enough to bump into him as she came around the corner, and without much trouble she got the go ahead to make whatever chances they seemed fit to make this deal work. He also was helpful enough to get his assistant to show her the communal printing office.

He was a young girl who had recently graduated and was setting her first steps in the diplomatic world. She reminded Anna of herself nearly a decade earlier, she also got told by Niels as she walked back to her suite that Elsa had called ahead and that there was going to be a couple people on standby for them to drop the draft off with.

Returning back to the suite was rather quick, the ride up the elevator was spent mostly skimming back through the draft that Cassandra had dropped on her desk a month ago. She had taken point on writing the barebone version of the treaty, which lucky for them also included the concessions that the Norwegian Kingdom had been willing to give the Chinese government.

Walking back into their rooms, she found Elsa sitting like a gremlin, having pulled one of her legs onto the chair as she was scrolling through the lengthy document Anna held in her arms.

“One day you’re gonna get stuck like that,” she announced her presence as she dropped the relevant document next to her sister. “Here, now you can highlight it so we both can make sense of this nonsense.”

“Didn’t you say you wrote part of this?” Elsa asked her as she grabbed the pile of paper and leafed though it to get her position back.

“I didn’t say it was well written, it was a rough draft that didn’t make it.”

And like that they settled in passing only a couple of words between them for about an hour as they read and reviewed the contents of the four documents that were laying on the table. Where they had started out as pristine stacks of paper held together by a couple of strings, they rapidly where annotated and coloured in with several highlighters.

Elsa preferred to underline the text she wanted to come back to where Anna just drew a line next to the part in ink. To anyone but them it would have seemed like someone was purposely destroying the paper in rapid speed. For them though they knew exactly what they were looking for. The concessions were in essence just a symbolic expansion on the trade that Norway already did with the rest of the world. Their Export was nearly a hundred and fifty billion kroner for seafood, the percentage coming from China was a not insignificant percentage of that total. From the preliminary projections there was another fifteen to twenty billion kroner to be found if the export to them would be done more friendly.

There was of course the chance that other nations would step to the world trade organisation, but Anna doubted that anyone would really be willing to take that step. Norway kept relatively good relations with most nations around the world, be it from direct diplomacy to funding humanitarian aid. If things were to boil over she was pretty sure that it could be dealt with before other drastic actions were taken.

“So, what we’re willing to offer is the additional cost that we ask of countries of importing Norwegian Salmon to be waived for the People’s Republic of China, in exchange to be first among nations to bit on spices that they export to the rest of the world?” Elsa asked when she dropped one of the stacks on the unused bed on her side of the suite.

“Essentially, I think we can push for a guarantee of quantities of the product, but I doubt we have to do that. It would be nice, but it would also be a hassle if we didn’t have the need for spice for some reason and a metric boatload was to be stowed away with no use,” Anna confirmed.

“Let’s hope they bite,” Elsa said as she started to write down the main points that Anna was going to put into diplomacy shorthand, so it could be passed off as a rough draft. Between the two of them they managed to finish the document a quarter to four in the morning. Sending the mail off to the office Anna suggested that the two of them needed some fresh air. Or at least some air that wasn’t working for six hours straight in a room while consuming copious amounts of coffee.

“One day we’re gonna think we were mad for working like this,” Elsa told her as she took her arm in hers.

“I think that now,” Anna responded as she leaned into her sister as they entered the nearly deserted courtyard of the embassy’s compound. From where they were standing they could see the office where their draft had come in from. Three people were backlit by computer screens as they started the arduous process of cutting up an existing trade agreement and retrofitting it with an entirely new part.

“Well, at least we have fun,” Elsa continued. Choosing to ignore Anna’s comment for the moment. Looking up they were disappointed that the night sky here was more a shade of grey rather than the deep dark it was at home.

“At least I’m here with you to have that fun,” Anna conceded.

They both stood there in silence as they watched a far-off blinking light cross over them in the sky. It was nice out, not too cold, just a nice breeze bringing in the cool air from high above.

“Do you think they’ll go for it?” Elsa asked her after a moment, her voice had been sudden, as if she had started to doze off while standing up.

“I hope so, otherwise Friedrich is going to be having an aneurysm,” she joked about their boss back in Norway.

“Eh, that’s the least of my worries.”

“Yeah, but really it’s a great deal for them, if they make it out of the negotiations with the treaty as it is they can probably become the dominant trade partner for all Norwegian seafood in the region.”

“Wanna head back to nap or do you wanna wait here for them to finish up?” Elsa asked her as she nodded over at the offices.

“Bed, the great attractor,” she mused. “You can be big spoon this time around.” With that they headed back and managed to take off all their clothes as they ducked underneath the covers. Looking at their phone they saw it only ten past four in the morning. If they wanted to make sure that the document was of quality they would have to get it at around seven, and then brief the ambassador on it at a quarter to eight as they drove over to the Chinese ministry.

As soon as the phone went off Anna wanted to crush it between her fingers. Elsa besides her had slowly started to get up herself. Neither of them were going to be having a fun day, they realised as Elsa walked into the shower and blasted herself with cold water.

They made their way to the offices where Niels was waiting for them, a stack of paper in hand and a small box on top of it.

“I’m not accepting anything until they sign that,” Elsa said as he tried to hand her the box.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he spoke as he handed the document over to Anna. She gave it a once over as she nodded to her sister.

“Let’s go make this happen.”

#elsanna #December 2023 contest #prompt: spice #lime #submission

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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 months

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December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #6: Anna's secret 11 spices and anxiety disorders

Words: ca. 2,000 Setting: modern AU Lemon: no CW: mentions of childhood abuse and homophobia, throwing up

Anna has been humming to herself happily, pouring random seasonings into the bowl for… Elsa wasn’t exactly sure how long, but definitely way too long for one dinner.

“Anna. You managing there okay?” Elsa finally asked her.

Anna sprinkled in some more rosmarin (didn’t she pick up that jar like three times already?), and looked at her. “Wonderful! It will be ready… uhhh soonish.”

“And, um, honey, what recipe are you using?” She looked at the bowl. She knew the chicken should be there somewhere, but it was currently buried under so many powders she couldn’t see it.

Anna laughed at her. “Recipe? You should know by now that my cooking is entirely vibes based.” She nodded proudly to herself, and added some more thyme. And then some more.

Elsa looked at all the (now mostly empty) jars littering the countertop. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Anna looked at her confused. “What is? I can cook too, you know. I’ve been living on my own for like two years before we moved in together. And I had to cook for myself after you left, because our parents certainly wouldn’t.”

That stinged a bit, and Elsa winced slightly. “Oh Jesus shit fuck Christ, sorry, I didn’t- I understand why you did, they sucked, I would too, I know you couldn’t take me with you-” she moved around the countertop and reached out her hand, but seemed to think better of it, and instead joined her forehead with Elsa’s. “We talked it out, okay? But the fact remains that I am capable of cooking, at least enough to feed myself.”

Elsa kissed her forehead and moved back. “I never doubted it! It’s just, you know…” She gestured to two empty jars of thyme. “the amount of spices you’re using seems… excessive?” She finished her sentence diplomatically.

Anna moved back to her station and waved her hand dismissively. “I’ll be fine, I’ve been doing it like this for years now.”

****

Elsa held Anna’s hair back as Anna threw up into the toilet again. She’s been at it for two hours now.

Anna wiped her mouth with her hand. “I may not be fine.”

Elsa opened her mouth to lecture her again, the doorbell rang. She cursed under her nose and looked at Anna. “Will you be okay for a moment? I got an important delivery today.

“Sure! I’m practically- wait no, another one is coming.” She kneeled back down to the toilet bowl. She gestured at Elsa to go.

*****

“AND I DON’T WANT YOUR FUCKING FLOWERS, IF YOU THINK THIS IS ENOUGH TO FIX ANYTHING-” Anna heard Elsa yell. Not the delivery guy then, probably. Or a creepy one? Regardless, she had no idea what was going on, and would love to go and see, but alas-

she emptied her stomach again.

Who would try to fix something with flowers? Hans would be dumb enough to try that, but wouldn’t care enough. Kristoff was dumb and caring enough, but they were fine, as far as she was aware.

“FIVE YEARS OF RADIO SILENCE, AND NOW THIS? HOW DID YOU EVEN FIND US?!” Five years? Find us? Oh fuck this could not be happening. She needed to get to Elsa now.

She quickly got up from the floor and ran to the voices. She knew how Elsa reacts to stuff like that. Anger, shock, fear, panic. And she hated when anyone but Anna saw that, and especially if the person at the door was who she thought it was.

After a few steps she got dizzy and had to catch a door frame to stay up. She swallowed down the bile with disgust. Finally, she entered the hallway, just in time for Elsa to back away and bump into her.

“Just leave, please just leave. I don’t want- can’t deal with this again.” Elsa almost whispered, tears running down her cheeks, as Anna grabbed her shoulders and looked to the door.

There, with a disappointed (the fucking audacity) expression, stood their mother, a bouquet of flowers still extended towards Elsa. Anna felt Elsa shake under her hands and moved in front of her, covering her from their mother’s sight. She looked at the older woman.

“Get the fuck out of our house before I call the cops.” She spat out, knowing the time was running out as Elsa began hyperventilating.

The woman looked offended. “Can’t a mother visit her children?”

“Nope! Goodbye.” Anna slammed the door shut and locked it.

She turned to Elsa, who moved away and was pulling on her hair, shaking. Anna cursed the shitty timing of her kitchen experiment and their mother.

First step: calm Elsa down. She felt her stomach rise again. Correction: first step, do not throw up on Elsa. She swallowed down again.

“Elsa? Can you hear me?” Scared eyes met her own. She seemed to at least be present enough to recognize her surroundings, which was a relief. The doorbell rang and she could hear her mother’s insults and banging on the door. This was less good, as Elsa immediately flinched and looked back down, hiding her head in her hands.

Anna kneeled in front of her, and lightly put her hand on Elsa’s shoulder. “Let’s go to our room, hmm? You will feel better there.”

Elsa muttered something incoherently, and Anna decided to risk that it was a confirmation. She guided her sister back up. Elsa didn’t resist.

They entered their room, and Anna closed the door, finally somewhat muffling the still ringing doorbell. She helped Elsa sit down on the bed and handed her her stuffed seal.

“Elsa? Please look at me.” She whispered, the effect ruined by the still audible doorbell. “Fuck this.” She muttered, sending Kristoff (who thankfully lived in the same apartment building) a quick “come kick our mother out she is trying to break the door down thx xoxo” and looked back to her sister.

“She won’t get in, the door is locked. You’re safe now. I’ve got you.” She whispered into Elsa’s ear as she hugged her closely.

Elsa took in a sharp breath. “I’m scared.” She whimpered, and Anna’s heart broke again.

“I know baby, I know.” She rubbed her back. “But I promise you you’re safe. We both are. I told Kristoff to get her out.” As she said that, she realized she could no longer hear her poor doorbell.

She felt Elsa shudder in her arms. “Breathe with me, please. Repeat my patterns, okay?” She said, and started breathing heavier and louder for Elsa to pick up.

Elsa tried, but was still too shaky. Anna continued to set up the pace and whisper quiet reassurances for the next few minutes, until finally Elsa got her breathing under control. She was visibly exhausted, and sobbed quietly.

“How did she find us?” Elsa asked, her voice hoarse.

“I don’t know.” Anna admitted, rubbing Elsa’s back lightly.

Elsa lifted up her gaze. “What if she comes back?”

Anna smiled at her. “I will kick her ass.”

Elsa snorted quietly. “Again?”

“A thousand times if need be.” She put her hand over her forehead and struck a dramatic pose. “In the defense of my one true love, I shall fight the villain and protect my queen.” She kissed Elsa’s hand. “A little role reversal from when we were little, huh?”

Elsa closed her eyes and exhaled, relaxing slightly. “Hmm, I certainly don’t mind that.”

Anna left a trail of kisses up her arm until she reached her neck. “Then so be it, Your Highness.”

Their lips met, and for a brief moment, everything was fine again. Anna would be lying if she said she wanted to end it, but her stomach was still rumbling, her sister-lover still crying, and their mother still knew where they lived. Not that the last one could really be helped, definitely not in this economy. She broke the kiss.

“Sorry, I really need to get back to the bathroom. Will you be okay?”

Elsa nodded slightly, and Anna left.

Her phone was blowing up and she took a look on her way. Kristoff asking about what happened and about them. She quickly sent him “We’re okay, Elsa less so, come over tomorrow we’ll talk” and went to finish her business.

*****

Elsa took a deep breath. Anna just left, and that was fine, she was fine and definitely didn’t need her sister to babysit her 24/7. Her younger sister, who was allowed to go to the bathroom on her own, thank you very much. Elsa is a big girl now and she can handle a minor episode on her own. For five minutes. Hopefully.

Where did we go wrong?! How could we let this happen?! Weren’t you with this Hans boy just last-

Nope! Not going there. No still-very-painful memories to drag and overthink! She certainly didn’t regret coming out to her parents and ruining her life as a result.

Elsa paused at that. She was right, she didn’t regret her coming out, mainly because it stopped Anna from repeating that. And well, if their parents were going to be assholes to one of them, she was glad it was her. Even if now Anna was left to pick up the pieces (and tell her to never say that because it’s Elsa doing the work with Anna’s and therapist’s help).

Don’t think we haven’t noticed how you look at her. You’re disgusting little piece of-

She closed her eyes and her breath quickened.

Still fine! Just, needing a lot of oxygen, as living things usually do. She hoped Anna wouldn’t take too long.

Not that she needed her, of course, it’d just be nice to have her back here, in embrace range.

She heard footsteps, and Anna entered the room again.

She smiled at Elsa. “Did you miss me?”

Elsa tried to smile back, but managed only a quiet whimper. Anna immediately sat on the bed and embraced her again. “I’m here. We’re gonna be okay.” Elsa nodded into her chest and felt a kiss on the top of her head.

“Should we try to get some sleep?” Anna asked, and Elsa agreed.

****

The doorbell rang, and Elsa tensed. Anna quickly got up to answer the door. “It’s Kristoff, remember? I invited him over for today because he wanted to talk about yesterday, which, fair enough, and also we could use some non-abusive company.”

Elsa nodded and relaxed slightly, as Kristoff came in.

“Hi Elsa. Oh wow, you look like shit.” Anna smacked him, and Elsa snorted lightly.

“Thanks. Nice to see you too.”

Kristoff sat down, as Anna prepared tea in the kitchen.

“So… are you okay with me here? Anna said I could come over but if you prefer to be alone…”

Elsa waved her hand dismissively. “Nah, you’re good. I could use a distraction. Or, I guess, talking stuff out. Both.”

Kristoff scratched his head awkwardly, and asked. “So, what’s up with your mom?”

Elsa sighed. “You remember my PTSD diagnosis?” He nodded. “It’s her. It’s all her.” She shuddered. “And dad too, I guess. But mostly her.”

“You don’t need to tell me anything more.” He said.

She closed her eyes. “It’s simple, really. I came out to them, they turned out to be extremely homophobic, I moved out on my 18th birthday.”

She felt Anna’s hand on her shoulder, as she came back into the room. “You forgot to mention that we came out to each other first, and you decided to come out before me to test the waters.” Anna looked at Kristoff. “And yes, I do feel guilty about it even though it’s totally their fault.”

“They also noticed my crush on Anna and got like, ten times worse.” Elsa added.

Kristoff winced sympathetically. “Ouch. That must’ve been tough.”

Elsa sighed again. “Yeah, I’m just glad they left Anna mostly alone.”

Anna sat down on the floor next to her and hugged Elsa from behind. “I think this calls for some comfort food.”

Elsa looked at her, eyes shining with excitement. “Spicy nuggies?”

Anna nodded. “Spicy nuggies.”

“I think” Kristoff said. “That you two need to chill, so I’ll order them.”

They both shrugged. Who would say no to a free meal?

#elsanna #December 2023 contest #prompt: spice #submission #cw: mentions of child abuse #cw: mentions of homophobia #cw: vomit

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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 months

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December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #5: Vanilla Blooms

Words: ca. 5,000 Setting: modern AU Lemon: no CW: mentions of Hans/Anna

Elsa looked the man up and down, not even caring to hide the grimace on her face; not that anyone would notice, either, as everyone was currently too busy focusing on the newly engaged couple, and not the bitter elder sister of the fiancée hiding in the corner.

Well, not exactly ‘hiding’; she was sitting at her assigned place at the dinner table, pretending to follow along with the conversation. And nobody really thought of her as bitter, or at least she hoped they didn’t. Aside from her current expression, which she allowed herself to display purely because she knew all eyes were now on the ring on her sister’s finger, she’d been quite civil this entire evening.

Even when addressing him.

The ‘him’ in question was three full sentences deep into talking about the engagement ring, and try hard as she might Elsa’s lost focus about a second after he’d opened his mouth. Something in her brain simply couldn’t bear to even hear him speak, much less talk to him aside from necessary pleasantries, so instead she focused on the only person she actually cared about at the moment.

Her sister, sitting right next to her new fiancé, nodding along to what he was saying though her eyes betrayed she was paying maybe an ounce more of attention to him than Elsa was. Her lips were curved in a small, polite smile. Her hand, splayed out to show off the ring on her finger, was placed on the table firmly, but with a certain stiffness that told Elsa she was not entirely comfortable with the attention.

That, or she was not entirely comfortable with this whole situation to begin with, though that might just be Elsa’s empty hope.

Their eyes met—Elsa almost looked away, a little embarrassed she was caught staring, but she quickly scolded herself that she shouldn’t feel like this in regards to her own sister—and that absent fogginess was gone in an instant; her pupils dilated slightly, Elsa noted, and the corners of her mouth rose just a tiny bit.

Nothing more than a simple acknowledgment of her presence, but it made Elsa’s insides somersault and churn. She allowed herself to hold her gaze for a few heartbeats before she excused herself from the table.

She made her way across the restaurant floor to where she’d previously spotted the tastefully small sign leading her towards the bathroom. Even his choice of dining establishment had to be so pretentious they almost hid the fact there were toilets in the building.

Once inside the quite dim, but grandiose in a marble and gold kind of way room she barely managed to look at her own reflection—some loose hair made its way out of the braid she’d styled her hair in, but aside from that her makeup and clothes were still impeccable—and wash her hands before the door opened again.

It wasn’t exactly a shock to see her there, but Elsa’s heart still skipped a beat; Anna made her way over to the sink until their hips brushed as she leaned in towards the mirror, her hand fishing out a lipstick from the tiny purse she was holding.

“Pretty dull for a party, huh?” was the first actual thing she’d said to her this evening aside from a greeting. “Makes you wanna gouge your eyes out.”

Elsa huffed, looking at her through the mirror. “They all seem to be enjoying themselves.”

Anna finished applying her lipstick, then loudly smacked her lips together. “It’s a dick measuring contest for wealth and the length of the sticks up their asses, of course they’re enjoying themselves.” A good elder sister would scowl at the language, but Elsa couldn’t help the smile breaking on her own lips. “Honestly I just want the evening to end.”

“I take it you’re not exactly happy with the engagement?” Their eyes met in the mirror and Elsa instantly regretted saying this out loud; it was kind of an unspoken rule the past few months to not mention the subject, not when it was just the two of them, not when Anna could actually speak freely. “Sorry, I didn’t—”

A hand on top of hers on the marble sink cut her off. “Of course I’m happy,” Anna said, quietly yet with a distinct sarcastic note, glancing at the tightly shut door. “Mom and dad are fucking elated with what this means for their business, and what more could I ask for?”

Elsa’s breath hitched in her throat when she saw the tears in her eyes, and the only thing she could think of was how much she wanted to hold her.

Which, coincidentally, she got to do the next second when Anna all but launched herself at her. “Let’s just not talk about this, please,” she whispered into Elsa’s shoulder. “Let’s make the best of this stupid evening and then forget about it until—”

The choked sob caught her off-guard; her arms, previously slack and uncertain, quickly and tightly closed around Anna, brushing her auburn hair out of the way.

She held her for a few moments, letting her sort herself out through what Elsa assumed was a valiant attempt at not losing it and crying; she wasn’t sure Anna’s mascara could take that.

Too soon did the dry sobs turn into deep breaths, and too soon did Anna take a step back. “Thank you,” she said, her makeup still intact except for a small smudge of her freshly reapplied lipstick which Elsa made a mental note to look for on her neck before leaving the bathroom. “I think I need to keep a handkerchief with your perfume for emergencies, the vanilla calms me down.”

She didn’t even let her digest that before she was out of the bathroom.

Not even two months later, she sat stiffly next to her own mother in a bridal shop, waiting for Anna to emerge in yet another dress that one or all of them were going to hate.

She was slowly losing hope there even existed a dress beautiful enough to match her sister.

“And?” her voice snapped Elsa out of her gloom and made her look up; she was standing in front of the mirrors in dress number twenty eight. “What do you think?”

Elsa could practically feel the disapproval emanating from their mother. “It’s a bit loud,” she said through pursed lips, which basically meant there was no way in hell Anna was allowed to wear such monstrosity to her own wedding, even if it was her favorite dress in the world. “We should aim for something more… classical.”

Anna sighed, then turned to Elsa. “You think it’s too loud?”

That emanating disapproval turned into a threatening aura while Elsa thought of what to say. “It’s a lot,” she decided on in the end, pointing to the puffy, meringue-like sleeves. “Maybe if it didn’t have these—”

“It would still be hideous,” their mother cut her off. “The bead pattern is shoddy, the neckline is too deep, the padding around the hips makes her look fat, the…”

Elsa tuned her out as she shot an apologetic smile to Anna, who, with a groan, turned back to the fitting room.

Their mother’s tirade continued for another few minutes while Anna changed into the next dress, and Elsa almost wished she could just leave right now; she promised, though, and she knew Anna would straight up go insane if she was left alone with their mother, so the pounding headache building up just behind her eyes was a price she was willing to pay. For one day.

She was almost ready to blow up and tell their mom to shut up when the fitting room curtain opened again, and Elsa’s breath got stuck in her chest.

It wasn’t much; a simple, white v-neck chiffon over a satin base. She’d tried two similar ones before, and they both fit her just right— but they still lacked something.

That something turned out to be a splash of barely-there, warm yellow in the form of small embedded vanilla blooms along the neckline.

She could hear their mother ready another barrage of faults, but she wasn’t listening to her. “It’s gorgeous,” she said quickly, right over their mother’s droning voice, and her heart raced when she saw Anna’s face light up. “You look wonderful.”

“You think so?” She twirled around to reveal more little vanilla blooms on the train. “I really like this one.”

Elsa’s mouth was dry. “It looks like it was made for you.”

Their mother stopped speaking and was now looking between them with her mouth half-open. “This thing?” she said after a moment, motioning to the dress. “It’s so— simple it’s almost pedestrian—”

Anna crossed her arms over her chest, and Elsa tried not to look at how it accentuated her breasts in the low neckline. “I like it,” she huffed. “Elsa likes it too.”

Their mother blinked. “Honey—” she was visibly distraught with the idea of Anna walking down the line in this dress, and it was honestly almost funny to see her struggle to come up with arguments without coming across as too bossy. “There’s so many different dresses— we can even go to a different store if you don’t like anything here!”

“I like this dress,” Anna repeated firmly. “I want this dress, not to go to another store.”

Elsa smiled, trying but probably failing at hiding the pride at Anna putting her foot down.

“And while we’re at it, I don’t want that flower place you chose,” she fired off, their mother now almost as white as a wedding dress at Elsa’s side.

“But it’s a gift from Mr Weselton—”

“I don’t care, it’s my freaking wedding last time I checked. That place makes really boring bouquets,” she sighed, and Elsa was internally just cheering her on. “I want Elsa to make mine.”

And at that, Elsa got just as white as their mother.

In the end they settled for the place Mr Weselton recommended carrying out the order for the flowers at the ceremony, except for Anna’s bouquet; that one she was adamant was to be made by Elsa.

Elsa, who did not own a flower shop, and was at best just a hobbyist florist; Elsa, who was now spending a huge chunk of her waking time worrying about designing the perfect bouquet to fit her sister, the dress she was wearing (which, in the end, Anna also got her way with) and the occasion.

Which was extremely hard to do when all she wanted was to beg Anna not to get married. Not to him, at least.

She sighed, letting another arrangement of (fake, she was not going to buy real flowers just to test things out) flowers fall on her desk. Nothing was right. Nothing made sense.

She should not be making a bouquet for Anna because Anna should not be getting married, not at barely twenty to a decade older man she’s known for— what? Eight months, if that? And most of it spent negotiating this whole ordeal like it was just another business endeavor for their parents.

Which, for all intents and purposes, it was. Hans Westergaard was the heir of the rival company, and getting him and one of their daughters together had long been on their parents’ agenda. Elsa staunchly refused, hoping they would get the hint that this was an insanely stupid and old fashioned idea—but instead, what she got was for them to give up on her and focus all their attention on Anna.

All their bad attention.

Now her baby sister was being sold off like priced cattle.

She rearranged the flowers once again before she let out a frustrated groan and let everything fall back on the desk, again. Nothing was right.

No arrangement fit.

There was nothing a fucking bunch of flowers could fix when Anna was getting married to some guy with the most punchable face Elsa had ever seen. No flowers to convey how extremely worried she was. No flowers to convey how sorry she was that this duty fell on her.

No flowers to convey how jealous she was of this man.

She put her face down in her folded hands and let out a muffled scream. She was making a wedding bouquet for the girl she was so deeply and hopelessly in love with. The girl who also happened to be her sister.

Fucked beyond comprehension.

It was a few hours later, sitting in the exact same spot, barely having moved an inch in her depressed stupor, that she realized what she’d been missing this entire time.

Anna’s maid of honor brushed past Elsa in the doorway, still muttering about Anna messing with her hairdo; Elsa had no real clue who this woman was aside from ‘a friend from college and daughter of their parents’ associate’. She’d herself refused to be the maid of honor, or even a bridesmaid for that matter, as a sign of silent protest against Anna’s incoming marriage. Their parents didn’t seem to get the hint, but Anna seemed to understand it perfectly.

“She seems cheerful,” she commented once she shut the door behind her, but not before they heard the maid of honor yell some frustrated instructions at the church staff.

Anna smiled, her hands now folded in her lap after apparently messing up hours of work at the hairdresser earlier this morning. “She’ll get over it,” she sighed. “I think she’s more invested in this whole thing than I am.”

Elsa bit her tongue. There was no point in arguing that this was exactly why Anna was making a mistake; not when that mistake was about to happen less than half an hour from now, not when she’d shot her down so many times before. “I brought the flowers,” was what she settled on instead, bringing forth the bouquet she’d held behind her back until now. “It’s not much but—”

Anna’s eyes lit up, and she quickly jumped up from the red velvet loveseat she’d spread out on. “It’s gorgeous,” she breathed, her hands reaching to trail across the thick petals of the white orchids and array of white roses, then stopping just short of resting on top of Elsa’s fingers around the stems.

“You’re gorgeous.”

Her eyes shot back up to meet Elsa’s, who just realized what she said.

“I mean— y-you look gorgeous,” she corrected herself quickly, her voice pitched up. “It’s uh, it’s gonna match with your dress…”

Anna’s eyebrow rose in question, and Elsa couldn’t bear to hold her gaze anymore, not after what she’d said just now. Without verbal explanation, she pointed to one of the smaller flowers in the center of the arrangement, all but hidden by the bigger blooms.

“Is that— a vanilla flower?”

Elsa felt it more than saw, her eyes glued to the wood paneling on the walls, but Anna’s face was now lowered towards the flowers, and by extension Elsa’s chest; she heard her take a deep inhale.

“I-it’s one of my own,” she explained quickly, hoping her voice didn’t betray just how flustered she was right now. “I figured it was gonna match your dress and— I wanted to include something personal…”

She’d spent months caring for the little plant and timed it almost perfectly. She cut the flower off shortly before leaving her house and quickly incorporated it amongst the other, more grand orchids; it didn’t stand out visually at all, just a little splash of yellow if one was to look for it, but it was there and that’s all she could hope for. That, and for it to not wilt before the ceremony was over.

“It smells just like you.”

That comment was not something she’d anticipated, though. “Yeah, I— I guess, my perfume…”

Anna shook her head. “It’s not just that. It’s warm. It makes me feel safe,” she all but whispered the last part, and Elsa finally looked back at her to see the clear fear in her eyes. Figures the first time Anna would openly acknowledge it was just before the wedding. Then, just as fast as it showed up, it was replaced by something much softer when their eyes met again. “Just like you.”

Their faces were only a few inches apart, and Elsa could swear she could hear both their heartbeats combined.

Then, their little bubble universe where it was just the two of them, safe and undisturbed, popped when they heard their father announce they had to hurry up through the closed door.

“Thank you,” Anna said loud enough for their father to hear, but still keeping her eyes locked on Elsa’s. Her hand finally moved lower to grasp the flower stems, brushing and intertwining their fingers together before she added, quietly. “And I’m sorry.”

She leaned in to place a soft kiss on Elsa’s cheek before she finally took a step back. A step that felt like four billion steps as their hands broke contact, and Anna pulled the bouquet closer to her own chest. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

With a curt nod, and a lot to think about, Elsa left the room.

She sat in the pew closest to the altar, wedged awkwardly between her mother and one of their grand aunts that she’d last seen maybe at her grandmother’s funeral. The constant hum of hushed voices was overwhelming, driving her almost to the brink of insanity as she stared intently straight ahead, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress so tight a worried little voice at the back of her head wondered if she wasn’t going to tear it apart.

Had she had a choice, she’d be at the very back. As far away as possible from the main event, from this man she was forcing herself to not look at, from the judgmental gazes of the bridesmaids because ‘why in the world would her sister not be a bridesmaid too?’ , far away enough that maybe the two words Anna was going to say in only a few minutes now would not reach her.

She was just one ‘I do’ from losing her forever.

The tightness in her chest turned into breathtaking pain when she heard the first notes of the piano; the voices hushed, now replaced by the tell-tale rustle of a over two hundred people turning in their seats to take a better look at the approaching bride.

Elsa remained staring straight ahead, even when her mother just short of punched her shoulder to point out the ceremony was beginning for real.

She didn’t need to look to know Anna was now walking slowly alongside their father, a soft, fake smile plastered on her face as she stepped over the sea of flower petals on the red carpet in the aisle. She didn’t need to look to know their father sported an expression prouder than he’d ever had before, his dense mustache fighting to hold an unprofessional grin over a transaction gone well. She didn’t need to look at Hans to know his eyes were empty, completely devoid of any love as he watched his future wife approach the altar.

She didn’t want to look but she couldn’t stop herself once Anna climbed the few stairs, now free from the last anchor to her previous life as their father stepped back to sit beside their mother; she didn’t want to but she saw the slight tremble of Anna’s arm, the whiteness of her knuckles around the bouquet that would go unnoticed by most.

She didn’t want to but she saw the rise of her chest when she took a deep breath, her head bowed ever so slightly towards the flowers; there was no way that she herself could actually smell it from where she was sitting, but she imagined the scent of vanilla reaching Anna and stopping the tremble.

‘Safe. Just like you.’

Their eyes met across the cold stone floor for a millisecond before Anna’s gaze turned towards her groom.

It was only then that the full meaning of the words hit her; to Anna, Elsa was like vanilla flowers. A base scent to help others shine, an ever present entity that you don’t even realize is there, familiar and comforting, not until it’s gone.

The priest started speaking, but the thudding of blood in Elsa’s ears drowned him out.

The scent that truly makes your favorite perfume, but you’re sure it’s orchids. You’re sure it’s roses. You’re sure it’s cinnamon, or peach blooms, or jasmine but none of them smell right once you remove the base. On its own, barely noticeable, but your brain seeks it out without even thinking about it.

The priest’s voice droned on, chopped up words making it through to Elsa, but she’d lost any ability to truly process them.

She was vanilla flowers; she was the constant in Anna’s life, safe and warm, always there for her. Always waiting, but never brave enough to act. Reaching out her hand but never grasping Anna’s, though they made contact; though Anna’s eyes pleaded to pull her out of the fog.

She was waiting for the universe to change things for her because she herself wasn’t able to act, and all she was in the end was a flower that’s scared to bloom.

She didn’t even realize she stood up until she heard the murmur of voices.

An errant ‘who is this’ from across the aisle, followed by ‘the bride’s sister’. A hushed ‘what is she doing’ from somewhere behind her. A hissed ‘sit down right now’ from her mother just beside her.

And finally, her brain processed the last words of the priest, who was now looking at her expectantly.

“…or forever hold your peace.”

Her throat went dry.

Her knees buckled, ready to sit back down and apologize. Make an excuse. She had a cramp. She thought there was a wasp. She just realized she forgot to turn off her iron—

But then her eyes met Anna’s again.

“I love you,” she blurted out and the church exploded in muffled questions from uncountable mouths. With a flush, she continued, “platonically,” she hoped that cleared up the confusion, but her mother’s nails now digging into her hand attempting to pull her back down told her otherwise. “You’re a wonderful woman, Anna, and I can’t bear to think you’d marry—” she held herself back as much as she could “—this man. You don’t love him. You barely even know him.” Her voice cracked, and she was almost sure her mother was ready to murder her on the spot. “So please—” she felt like a prisoner begging for mercy just before execution, but her eyes never left Anna’s “—please just…don’t do it. You’re worth so much more than this.”

With that, she yanked her hand free and not waiting for any response hurried towards the exit.

She was hyperventilating so hard she thought her eyes were gonna pop out of her skull. She did not just fucking do this. She did not just interrupt her sister’s wedding in front of who the fuck even knows how many people she at best barely knew at all and yet managed to immensely disappoint, and at worst just made think she was some crazy, strange woman in love with the bride.

Which she, for the record, was. She just also happened to be her closest family.

The door opened again and out came an angry banshee shaped like her mother. “What the fuck did you just do!?” she asked her politely, making her way over to Elsa to grab her shoulders in her steel, sharp nailed grip. “What in hell was going on in that thick head of yours—”

“Mom.”

Her mother’s eyes widened, as Elsa felt her own do and they both turned their heads back towards the door. Anna stood there, panting, one hand still holding the flowers while the other hiked up the long train of her dress; she clearly just ran the length of the aisle to catch up with them.

Their mother’s voice, for what it’s worth, attempted to calm down when she spoke to her. “Anna, dear, we’re fine here, you can go back—”

“No.” Anna’s expression was as fierce as their mother’s was shocked. “I want to talk to Elsa.”

She approached them, dropping the dress to take hold of Elsa’s wrist and pull her out of their mother’s grip, but despite her best efforts their mother just kind of dragged along.

Anna shot her an angry gaze that Elsa’s never seen her make before in her life. “Alone, mom.”

Obviously taken aback as much as Elsa, their mother dropped her arms and murmured something neither of them could hear as Anna dragged her down the meandering corridor.

“Anna—”

“Not now,” she shushed her, the tone of her voice hard to gauge. They took another turn and Elsa realized where they were now; she didn’t pay much attention when the made this walk in reverse before, too distraught and occupied with her conflicted feelings, but she could clearly tell now Anna was dragging her back to the ‘changing room’.

She couldn’t help but notice she was still holding the flowers.

When they finally made it there, Elsa opened the door and slipped in, then immediately turned around to look at Anna shutting and locking the door behind them, her back against the wood as if she was scared their mother was about to follow them and try to force her way in.

A moment of silence passed where they just stared at each other.

“Did you mean it?” Anna asked finally, quietly, her shoulders dropping as she finally decided she couldn’t hear any footsteps in the corridor.

Elsa cleared her throat. “I told you before I didn’t think you should marry—”

“Not that,” she cut in quickly as she made her way across the room to stand in front of her, finally putting the flowers down on the vanity table Elsa was now backed up against. Anna’s face was flushed pink, her eyes laced with uncertainty. “What you said at the beginning. That you love me.”

Too stressed to talk, Elsa nodded.

“Platonically?”

Her eyes widened and she gripped the table behind her. “Anna, what—”

Anna sighed. “I know what the answer is,” her voice was shaky, just above a whisper, and she glanced back at the door. “I mean— I think I know. But I want you to tell me.”

It took everything Elsa had in herself to not look away from her when she spoke again. “No.”

Anna’s brows knitted. “No?”

“N-no as in— I love you, not platonically.” She gulped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to— I didn’t want to tell you, definitely not in front of all those people, but I just couldn’t—”

Anna’s brows relaxed again. “Thank you,” was enough to shut Elsa up, but if it wasn’t, Anna’s lips covering her own definitely would. They were softer than she could ever imagine, softer even than the satin of her dress when Elsa’s hand shot up with a mind of its own to hold her at the waist. She wasn’t sure which one of them was shaking (she had a feeling it was both) when Anna’s body pressed into hers, pushing her further into the vanity. Something fell over with a bang, but Elsa didn’t care; her entire being was now only focused on the lithe figure in her arms.

For a moment she almost forgot where they were, and what just happened.

“I love you, too,” Anna whispered against her lips when the kiss broke. She pulled away, her eyes dashing between Elsa’s. “What do we do now?”

Elsa, still elated after hearing the first four words, was suddenly thrown back into reality. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “You’re not…gonna go back, right?”

Anna shook her head. “I didn’t mind…you know, marrying Hans.” She grimaced now, as if the name alone was disgusting in her mind. “I thought that I could never be with the person I love, so I didn’t mind just making sure our parents couldn’t bother me again.” Dumbly, Elsa pointed at herself, and Anna let out a laugh. “Yes, you.”

“How long?”

“I don’t know. Long enough I can’t remember when it started.”

Elsa sucked in her breath. “Me too,” she said, and finally let herself feel comfortable enough to cup Anna’s face in her hand. “I hoped it would go away, but…”

Anna pressed into her hand. “I hoped that too,” she murmured. “But now I’m too happy to want that anymore.”

The absurdity of it finally surfacing, Elsa let out a laugh. “We’re a bit fucked up,” she said, and Anna snorted.

“Just a bit.”

She looked up at her with half-lidded eyes and Elsa’s breath caught in her chest. “I love you,” she repeated again, the words she’d been thinking for so many years now out loud almost sending her into euphoria. “I love you so much.”

“Enough to leave everything behind?” There was that pleading in her eyes again. “I don’t think we can just come out there, tell our parents I decided to not marry Hans and things be just…okay between us and them.”

She’d thought about that before. The few times she’d entertained the idea of confessing her feelings to Anna, and the even fewer times she’d entertained the idea of Anna returning them, she’d always stop herself at that. The consequences of it all. Ideally, she would have wanted to not tell their parents.

Realistically, she’d all but publicly announced her love for Anna. Even with the stupid ‘platonically’ addition it was just a matter of time before their parents (and everyone else) put two and two together if Anna chose to not to go through with the wedding.

She took a deep breath. “Yes.”

They could run. Start a new life somewhere, together. She could open that flower shop she’d always wanted to.

Anna smiled up at her. “Do we just leave here and not tell anyone?”

“Pack our shit and be gone in an hour?”

“You know I love road trips.”

Elsa bent down to kiss the tip of her nose. “Are you sure about this?”

Her heart hammered in her chest, waiting for Anna to answer.

“Yes. Let me just get my stuff.” She took a step back and turned around. “Could you grab the flowers?”

Elsa did so—and with some amusement, noticed the vanilla flower bloomed wider.

#elsanna #December 2023 contest #prompt: spice #submission #cw: hansanna

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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 months

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December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #4: A Life Worth Living

Words: ca. 4,000 Setting: modern AU Lemon: no CW: Second Person POV

You were the kind of person that used salt as seasoning.

It was something your friends would regularly make fun of you for. They’d say your favorite dessert was vanilla ice cream and your favorite snack was crackers. When they came over for dinner, they’d bring their entire spice cabinet with them. During Friendsgiving, they’d fix you a plate of mashed potatoes and plain chicken as a joke.

And then it stopped being a joke when you asked for seconds.

This philosophy went far past your taste buds, everything you did lacked substance. You worked a steady 9-5 office job with no plans to move up the ladder. You went out with your friends on Saturday and did your grocery shopping and meal prep on Sunday. On your weekly calls with your mom, you’d always say you were doing fine, and every time she asked if there was anything new with your life, you’d say no. Almost with pride.

As far as you were concerned, the ideal life was one with no risks. No surprises. No spice. The ideal life was the one you were living.

But then you met her.

It was an unfortunate sequence of events that led to your encounter. A power outage caused your alarm clock to not go off in the morning. In a panic, you left your apartment with your hair wrangled into a ponytail, two different kinds of socks on your feet, and your coffee sitting on the kitchen table. No one even noticed you were late.

You tried to get back into your normal routine, but the lack of coffee was killing your attention span. And with the office coffee machine broken, you braved a trip to the coffee shop down the street that your coworkers always talked about. As soon as you stepped inside, it felt like all eyes were on you: the outsider, the mistake, the one perverting their sense of normalcy.

It was too much change with too little time to prepare, and it almost sent you into a panic. Even the nice, sweet-voiced barista couldn’t calm your nerves.

You took your small black coffee as soon as it was on the counter and turned to hurry back to the office. And that’s when you ran into her: the woman with the long, copper hair and the striking blue eyes. The coffee landed mostly on you, but the woman still stepped back. It gave you a full view of her denim shorts, vintage tee with a smiley face on it, and her brown, too-large flannel with the sleeves rolled up.

You’d never forget the first words she said to you: “Oh shit! I could have killed you!” Not knowing how to respond, you rushed to the bathroom to wash off the burning coffee stain.

She followed you into the bathroom, apologizing profusely as you ran your button-up under a sink. The water burned your fingers as badly as your stomach. Through gritted teeth and a pained hiss, you told her it was okay. These things happened.

“It shouldn’t have happened!” she said, sounding like she’d apologize for even being born if you asked. “I mean look at you with your shirt, and your pants, and your…hair. God, you’re probably some super important office person with a super duper important meeting to get to. I’ve totally ruined your morning, haven’t I?“

You told her you had no meeting; you didn’t tell her your morning wasn’t going well to begin with.

“And you’re so nice and understanding, ugh!” she exclaimed, pressing her back against the wall. “I’m horrible.”

By the time your shirt was free of coffee stain and smell, it was too drenched to put it back on yet. Thankfully, you were wearing an undershirt, but it was a tank top and your office had a dress code.

That was when the woman took off her flannel and held it out to you like a peace offering. You wanted to tell her you weren’t going to wear some random person’s shirt (flannel also went against the dress code), but her baby blue eyes changed things. Next thing you knew, you were buttoning up the flannel and she was telling you that you could go ahead and keep it.

“Like a gift, you know? Or an apology. Apology gift! Those are things.”

You shook her head, rejecting her apology gift, and promised to return it to her as soon as possible. You exchanged numbers for necessity, she put herself in your contacts as Anna, the Worst.

When you got back to the office, no one noticed your change in attire.

——————————————————————————-

It didn’t take long for Anna to become what you were dreading: a catalyst. Before she came along, everything about your life was fine– predictable and mundane, but fine. And she threatened to upend all that, to pull out your rails and reshape them into tracks full of unnecessary twists and turns.

Anna was the kind of person who would show up to your place of work with a bouquet as an apology and see nothing wrong with that. Anna was someone who would text you at ten at night and thank you for how soft her flannel was now. Anna was the only person you’d ever seen busking by the coffee shop where you’d first met, hugging anyone who put change in her guitar case.

She wasn’t a bad person, far from it, but she was the textbook definition of spontaneity and, dare you say it, whimsy.

It was a terrible way to live. You’d seen people you love act impulsively and it always ended badly. Your mom and dad got married at a drive-thru chapel in Vegas and divorced three years after you were born. One of your friends in high school jumped off a waterfall on a dare and drowned. You got a puppy to help with your anxiety and it ran away from home a week later.

At some point, you realized that doing anything outside of the norm would be punished by fate or karma or something.

So you played it safe. Anna never played it safe; one day she almost got hit by a car while running up to you on your way to the office. And all so she could ask: “Hey, I know this is super sudden but I’m going out with a couple of friends tonight for karaoke, and I was wondering if you wanted to come?”

It was the easiest no of your life. You were so well-practiced at rejection that you could do it in your sleep, and you’d perfected your craft so there would never be any hard feelings from the rejected. Though you still didn’t know Anna that well, you knew she wouldn’t be offended by the no.

So, why did you say yes?

——————————————————————————-

There was still time to back out of the invite by the time you got back to your apartment. You could have made up an emergency or told Anna you had to be up early for work the next morning. If all else failed, you could have been brutally honest with Anna and told her that being around her was bringing too much chaos into your life.

But then Anna sent you the address and said she couldn’t wait for you to come, and you replied saying that you felt the same.

The karaoke place was actually on the far side of a bowling alley (because of course it was). It consisted of a row of private rooms that you needed to rent out for an hour or two. Anna burst through one of the rooms when you arrived and greeted you with a hug that almost knocked you off your feet. She smelled like cherries, and her shorts were so short that they almost disappeared underneath her sweater styled to look like Van Gogh’s Starry Night.

Her two friends seemed okay, but since you didn’t know them you stuck with Anna the entire night. She didn’t seem to mind. They sang first– a couple of 80s pop songs from artists you probably should have known. And then, suddenly, all eyes were on you.

Exactly what you didn’t want.

Your plan coming into tonight was to try and blend into the background, hoping Anna and her friends would be having too much fun to notice you never sang a single word. The private room made that impossible enough, but now you had to deal with the purest form of peer pressure you hadn’t felt since high school.

This time, you do say no, but they insist on just one song. One song and they won’t bug you for the rest of the night. How wonderful, they were those kind of people.

Anna saved you, though. She told her friends that if you didn’t want to sing, then you didn’t have to. It should have made you question why she even asked you tonight in the first place, but Anna had her hand on your thigh while she was speaking.

So, you do sing a song. You don’t remember which one, just that it impressed the room enough that everyone started clapping. Anna didn’t look impressed, though, she looked proud. Proud. Maybe the two years you were forced to do middle school choir were good for something after all.

Anna was up next. You’d heard her singing before, but that was on the street through a crappy mic and muddled up with other people joining her. This was the first time you’d get to really hear her…and you weren’t prepared. From that first soft, sustained note, Anna lured you in like a siren on the shore. Her voice held the same attributes as her character, and for the first time, you actually found yourself enjoying her whimsiness.

And as she continued to sing, that enjoyment turned to admiration which turned into something much stronger. Much scarier. At the end of her song, amidst the wild and supportive clapping of her friends, Anna smiled at you.

You smiled back.

——————————————————————————-

From then on, you and Anna started spending more time with each other; sometimes with your friends, sometimes with her friends. Her initial introduction into your life may have been strong and sudden, but her growing on you was as subtle as a whisper in the wind.

What wasn’t subtle, however, was the change in how you felt about her. The karaoke night was merely a sign of things to come. Seeing Anna on your way to work went from an expectation to a need, she brightened up your morning more than any cup of coffee could. Your conversations were getting longer and more personal– sometimes you would even text her first. And worst of all, you started making your schedule fit around hers.

Maybe this shouldn’t have been a surprise. If you were being honest with yourself, your life was so air-tight that it was hard to breathe. Predictability could only lead you down one path. What would have happened if you didn’t like where you ended up?

Anna was the breath of fresh air you didn’t think you needed, she and her overalls and rainbow socks. Nothing about her life was planned out, she did what she wanted to do at any time, and things always seemed to work out for her. Anyone else might have made that look exhausting, but to her, it was an effortless dance.

Eventually, you realized the difference between you two: you knew how to live, but Anna knew how to be alive.

You fell for her. Hard. No one had ever made themselves such a priority in your life until Anna came along. It didn’t make sense, it went against your entire way of life, and if you thought you were scared before, well, now you were downright terrified.

So, you shut her out.

It started by ignoring her texts before it devolved into avoiding her altogether. This was hard to do since you’d set a routine of seeing each other almost every morning, but that was easily fixed by you getting to work much earlier than needed. You knew it wouldn’t take long for Anna to get suspicious, but you’d hoped she would read between the lines and leave you be. That didn’t happen.

After rejecting a dinner invitation, she confronted you.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked early one morning as you were heading inside the office. “Because it feels like you’re avoiding me.”

You tell her, through a carefully crafted response, that things have changed a lot at work and it’s been putting you under a lot of stress. At first, it seemed like Anna believed you, but you should have known she was too smart to be fooled so easily.

“I know what it looks like when you’re stressed,” she said. “And this isn’t it. Elsa, just tell me if I did something wrong? Please?”

The word ‘please’ gripped at your heart, ready to squeeze it until it broke. Your plan had evaporated like the steam coming out of the coffee cup in Anna’s hand. It wasn’t her, you said, it was…life. Life was getting in the way, and you promised to be a better friend and not let life get to you.

“Or you could let me help you? Whatever’s going on, you don’t have to go through it alone.”

She reached for your hand, and maybe you should have let her take it. Because when you pull away, the look on her face etched itself into your mind. Anna looked hurt, like a puppy left on the side of the road watching their owner leave them through a cloud of exhaust. You pulled away even more as you told Anna she should just go, and you started making your way into the office.

“So, that’s it then? You’re shutting me out?”

You paused. You should have kept going– hell, even a slight hesitation may have been better– but instead, you paused. And that was the undoing for you both.

“After all the time we spent together, all the great, wonderful, amazing moments we shared, you’re just…done with me? With us? I-I can’t believe it! In the end, nothing mattered to you! I didn’t matter! Damn it, I was so stupid to think that maybe…that you…”

You clenched your fists as the grip tightened around your heart. Turning around, you say her name with a strained voice.

“Don’t,” she said sharply, rage overtaking her eyes where there once was pain. And she walked away, granting your wish.

——————————————————————————-

A month later, everything went back to normal. Once again, you lived your life on a well-kept routine with no surprises and no deviations. Things were exactly as they had been before Anna entered your life.

Except this time, you couldn’t enjoy it.

You continued to feel this ache in your chest, especially when you were alone. Wherever you went, the ghost of your past crept over your shoulder, ethereal whispers slipping between your ears. And of course you felt guilty over how you handled things with Anna, but you felt something even worse. Something you couldn’t understand or put into words until one of your scheduled talks with your mom.

Despite your shame, you told her everything. She didn’t judge you, nor did she shame you, but you could tell by her tone that she was still disappointed.

“My darling, when did you become so afraid of change?”

It was a long conversation, you never realized how much you had been holding in until the words left your lips. You laid everything out, from the feelings you harbored about her divorce with your dad, to the panic you felt when you were laid off from your first job, to everything you experienced with Anna.

You aren’t sure when you started crying. The tears were bitter and unearned; after all, you were crying over pain you caused. The word ‘sorry’ fell from your lips.

“You don’t have to apologize to me,” your mom replied soothingly. “You made a mistake, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn and grow from it. That doesn’t mean you can’t make things right again.”

Make things right?

…oh.

Seeing Anna again was something you didn’t think you deserved– you certainly didn’t deserve to talk to her again. But your mom sounded so determined that it could happen, and selfishly you wanted the same. Anna was the best thing that ever happened to you; a person like her only came around once in a lifetime.

If you were going to make things right with Anna, your apology needed to be louder than the offense.

Louder…

You had an idea.

——————————————————————————-

The speaker let out a harsh pop as you plugged in the cord, causing you to jump back as you expected the thing to explode or burst into flames. The sparse early morning crowd gave you dirty looks as you waved apologetically at them, holding a guitar up as if that was supposed to explain things.

A part of you still wondered if you should have done something more subtle, but you’d made it too far to turn back now. Besides, subtlety wasn’t the point.

Employees from the coffee shop poked their heads outside, familiarity crossed their eyes followed by a pleasant look of surprise. They had no idea you were a busker like Anna, and that was because you weren’t. Singing was something you only did in the shower, and the only song you knew on the guitar was one you learned a week ago.

Once you checked to make sure that the guitar and microphone were on, the clock started ticking. You knew that just being out here would have your heart racing a mile a minute as the eyes of the world looked down on you. The slightest glare or the faintest chuckle felt like a knife twisting into your back, one mistake and your failure would be broadcasted for all to see.

But you refused to back down. This needed to be done for Anna; this needed to be done for yourself.

You tapped the microphone, a couple of people stopped to listen but everyone else was in too much of a hurry to get where they needed to be. That should have made things easier when you started talking, but it just made it feel like you were talking to a wall.

You told the infant sunrise that this was something you’d never done before, and you strummed a staggered chord. It rang out, sounding like it was supposed to, so you played the next chord. And the next one. You repeated the chord progression that took you hours to memorize and perfect, working up the nerve to get close to the microphone again.

But doubt started to creep in, instead. Its tendrils crept up your spine trying to pull you back from the world. You took a breath and it felt like breathing in water– ironic, considering your mouth had never felt dryer. And you were about to stop playing, but then you remembered why you were doing this. It wasn’t just for Anna, it wasn’t just to make up for what you did, it was because you wanted to know what it meant to be alive.

So you tried again. You stepped up to the mic and you started to sing. Soft and breathy at first, like you were still trying to hide, but you couldn’t help but get into it the longer you went on. And why wouldn’t you? It was the first song you heard Anna sing.

For a moment, you let yourself wonder if Anna chose this song at karaoke specifically because you were there. It may have been a coincidence, but the lyrics were so cheesy and romantic, and you found yourself finally understanding them. When the song was over, you were met with a sparse amount of applause and a few cents on top of the guitar case.

But Anna wasn’t there. Neither was she there after the second playthrough, nor the third. She didn’t arrive when a couple of the coffee shop employees figured out what you were doing and gave you a free bottle of water for support. She wasn’t there when a kind soul took time out of their day to teach you a new song to add to your repertoire. She was nowhere to be seen when a little girl gave you a balloon because she thought you were pretty.

You played well until the world was just as awake as the sky. Your throat was sore and so were your fingers, but you vowed to stay here until Anna showed up. And, much to your surprise, a small crowd had gathered to hear you play. When you told them that you only knew a couple of songs, not only did they not mind but some people even volunteered to teach you other ones. The coffee shop was giving out free cups of hot chocolate and cookie samples.

It all felt like some sort of fairy tale or a fever dream. All of these people were willing to take time out of their day to listen to some total amateur fumble their way through an impromptu concert. This was ridiculous (nonsensical, even), and yet…you couldn’t help but smile.

This was what you were missing: moments of pure, uncompromised humanity. Life was meant to be more than just something you lived through, it was something worth celebrating. And here you all were, laughing and singing and creating a moment to remember.

You didn’t notice Anna had arrived until she was right in front of you, making your heart stop with her blissful smile.

“Since when did you know how to play guitar?” she asked, letting out a breathy laugh.

Getting Anna’s attention was part of your plan, apologizing in front of a group of strangers was not. You hoped they would read the room and disperse, but they all stayed and held their collective breath, waiting to see what would happen. And to make things even better, Anna didn’t seem to mind having this conversation in public either.

Well, you committed to this grand gesture, you might as well see it to the end.

You had been holding on to your apology for so long that you had it memorized. But now that you could finally say it, you were hesitant. Not because you were having second thoughts, but because you realized that Anna was worth more than this. Your words needed to come from the heart, not from the head. So you let go of the words, and you said what you needed to say.

“Anna, life’s not worth living if you’re not in it.”

It was dangerous to dream, to hope that Anna’s response would be positive, and you braced for the worst. But as it turned out, there was no need to. Despite the growing crowd and the guitar still awkwardly hanging by your side, Anna closed the gap between you two, responding in a way that left nothing to interpretation.

——————————————————————————-

After a long (and thankfully private) conversation, you and Anna both agreed to try and make things work. She admitted that she was still hurt from you lying and avoiding her, and you promised to do everything you could to take that pain away. She believed you.

A couple of weeks later, you had your first official date at the same karaoke place where you first fell for her. This time, she was the one with the surprise when she said she fell for you that night too. Your second date was a week later. Three weeks after that, you had your third date and made things official.

Meeting Anna was the best thing that ever happened to you; she made life worth living. With her by your side, you learned to take things as they come rather than try to control every moment. You embraced the spontaneity that she brought to your routine. And, after more than a little help, your spice cabinet had never looked better.

#elsanna #December 2023 contest #prompt: spice #submission

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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 months

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December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #3: NightLink

Words: ca. 2,900 Setting: modern AU Lemon: lime CW: none

Elsa’s delicate fingernails danced without pressing down along her backlit Macbook keyboard—tikitikitik—one of countless nervous habits she channeled through her restless hands on a daily, weekly, lifetime basis. She sat hunched over her kitchen counter in the dark, blinking into the cool glow of the laptop screen like a neurotic mushroom.

“You need to let loose,”Kristoff had said to her two weeks ago, during a lull while they polished up pint glasses behind the bar. “Spice up your life a little.”

“I don’t take romantic advice from guys who quote Spice Girls,” Elsa retorted.

“Yeah, well, you could use it. I see you vibrating with pent-up frustration whenever a female with a pulse comes up to order a drink. So, what’s the issue?”

What could she say? It’s not like she could tell him why no one was good enough, why no one could even come close to—god, it was shameful just thinking about it. So she just whapped his arm with a dish towel and said, “I’m not trying your stupid hookup site.”

But she was lonely. And yes, vibrating with pent-up frustration.

She tried the stupid hookup site.

Now, weeks later, she sat at her laptop and questioned the life choices that had brought her to this corner of the internet on her night off. NIGHTLINK proclaimed the banner in lurid scarlet script. Below that, in joyless contrast, was the Terms and Conditions page. Elsa had set that part of the website as her bookmark because the homepage’s bouncing, jiggling DickTok ads and lecherous mosaic of g-string thirst traps scared her.

But what scared her even more: a tiny red inbox notification blinking in the lower corner of the screen. The little speech bubble icon had been pinging patiently at her for the last ten minutes while she stared, stewed, screwed up the courage to open the new message.

What if it was from her?

“They’re just internet randoms,” Elsa chastised herself, rubbing her elbow. “Who the hell cares? Just read it.”

So she sucked in a deep breath and opened her messages.

[NEW] Subject: u want sum?

She let out a sigh. False alarm.

Her eyes drifted to the message thread second from the top:

[1:18 P.M.] Subject: still awake?

Elsa’s nails skittered across the keys in another fitful burst of phantom typing: tikitikitik. No new messages from the one person whose notifications made her heart skip a beat. It had taken her entire lunch break to craft and commit to a reply, so why crickets ten whole hours later?

Whatever. Just internet randoms. She opened the new message at the top of her inbox.

The sender, EforEveryone, hadn’t even bothered typing a body to the message. All he’d sent was a photo attachment; a tiny thumbnail beneath the subject linepreviewed the nice surprise he had sent over for her viewing pleasure.

Elsa grimaced. Why did so many of them turn the camera flash on for dick pics? Did they want their junk to look like a naked mole rat?

As for the rest of him: EforEveryone’s profile picture showed a shirtless, sunburned bro flipping the bird at—Elsa surmised—all the haters. She could just imagine his sleazy voice:

u want sum?

“No thank you,” Elsa grunted, then hit BLOCK. She’d set her preferences to women only, but like clockwork, a steady influx of thirsty internet dudes came sniffing around with zero sense of boundaries. Actually… zero sense. Full stop.

Navigating back to her inbox, she skimmed over more than a dozen subject lines proposing threesomes and/or drooling over the girl-girl preference listed on her profile.

Nearly all of them, except…

[1:18 P.M.] Subject: still awake?

Elsa clicked on the second message in her inbox. She couldn’t help it.

Her fingernails tapped a frenetic rhythm on the granite countertop while she gazed at the profile picture that appeared on her screen. ginger4u13 lay on her back, molten red hair fanned out on a pillow, while a lacy maroon bra pushed up generous cleavage. The picture cropped just below a tantalizing slice of the girl’s taut white stomach. A flaming heart emoji pasted on the picture obscured her face.

God, this girl was so… she was just so…

Elsa hated to admit that she might have a type.

And it wasn’t just the picture that excited Elsa. Just rereading that morning’s messages with ginger4u13 made Elsa’s cheeks burn.

ginger4u13:

i want to say something really forward, but i’m worried i’ll scare you off

it’s about your picture

Wanderlusting:

Try me.

Elsa’s reply had read like a deadpan delivery, but her heart had been pounding in her throat when the girl diverted from light flirting into this territory. Elsa’s own picture—a vacation snapshot from her January solo trip to Iceland’s Blue Lagoon hot springs—showed her half-submerged in a sweeping expanse of milky blue water, tendrils of steam rising up around her, with snow-capped black cliffs jutting out in the breathtaking backdrop. She’d censored her face with a black rectangle, of course, but the string bikini left little to the imagination. She marveled at her own daring in uploading the picture—at asking a Korean tourist to snap the full-body photograph in the first place—but it was a big hit with the horny straight guys and unicorn hunters flooding her inbox. As for the women…

ginger4u13:

looking at you in the hot springs, i can’t help thinking

that blush on your chest is so sexy

my mind goes to one of my favorite things about being with a woman

hmmm, i should stop

Wanderlusting:

You can go on.

I’m curious.

ginger4u13:

i love the way a woman’s body flushes with color when you heat her up with your hands

so when i see you like that in your picture, i just think…

ginger4u13:

sorry, was that too much?

Wanderlusting:

It’s not.

I like it.

Your words are triggering my imagination.

That was an understatement. Elsa had spent the entire morning pacing her apartment like a tiger in a cage. Elsa had never thought to appreciate this physical detail, but now that it was in her head, it was so incredibly suggestive. She imagined ginger4u13’s photo come to life, flushing pink just above her breasts the way the girl had described. She also imagined the girl’s chest heaving off-rhythm with quickening breaths, sweat gleaming at the hollow of her throat, a bloom of color heating up behind scattered freckles.

…What?

Elsa couldn’t know that ginger4u13 had freckles behind the emoji that obscured her face. Why would she imagine that? Her thoughts were wandering to such dangerous places.

“I’m going to hell,” Elsa rasped, mouth dry. She hopped off the stool and padded to the fridge for a bottle of water. Standing in the stark light pouring out from inside the fridge, she started in on what had become—in the last three days she’d been chatting with ginger4u13—her constant spiral of self-reassurance. Surely she wasn’t a complete degenerate for gravitating towards a girl who so, so closely resembled her literal sister?

Florence Pugh married a dude who’s nearly identical to her dad, Elsa thought as she sipped, and she keeps scoring roles in blockbusters, so it’s not some unforgivable offense that will get a girl canceled. This is just a subconscious affinity our monkey brains make when we select our partners.

She carried the water back to her laptop and hopped back up on the stool. On the tail end of that afternoon’s exchange, she had composed a proposition that took all of her courage to type. Only to be ghosted. Elsa groaned and dropped her head into her hands.

This is what I get for following Kristoff’s advice. I’m so bad at this, it’s pathetic.

To torture herself, Elsa scrolled down to reread her rejected proposition. Then her cheeks tingled as the blood drained from her face.

She’d typed the message, but hadn’t hit send. The sentence waited in the limbo of the chat composition bar:

Do you want to trade more pictures?

Elsa stifled a strangled cry of dismay in her fist. ginger4u13 must think she’s the ghost. Before she could second-guess herself, Elsa hit send on the message draft.

Wanderlusting:

Do you want to trade more pictures?

Elsa chugged down the rest of her water. When she looked back to the screen, she spotted a green dot indicating ginger4u13 had logged online. Barely thirty seconds had elapsed. Then, a typing bubble appeared.

ginger4u13:

yes

i want to see more of you

do you want more of me?

Elsa chewed her lip. Once again, her mind wandered.

Wanderlusting:

More than you know.

ginger4u13:

give me 5 minutes :)

i want to snap something🌶️just for you

Elsa sat frozen on the stool for a minute. She hadn’t thought this far ahead. She didn’t think she would get this far, especially not with an internet random who was so absolutely gorgeous and easy to talk to.

something 🌶️ just for you

That very minute, ginger4u13 was taking a photo exclusively for Elsa. Not a selection pulled from the selfie bank—a real-time glimpse. The thought electrified Elsa with excitement. She closed her laptop, hopped off the stool, and weaved her way through the dark kitchen into her bedroom. When she switched on the lamp next to the bed, she took a minute to appreciate how well her floor-to-ceiling mirror would suit full-body thirst traps.

She’d never used it for that purpose before.

But for this girl, who was so… who was just so…

Elsa pulled down her sweats and stripped off her T-shirt.

Five minutes later, she sat in her lingerie on the edge of the bed and swiped through her camera roll. The photos were… fine. Elsa had no idea how to pose herself seductively, and had settled for toying with her bra strap. At the very least, she could work a nervous tic into a suggestive pose, sliding the strap partway down her shoulder. She selected the photo where the light and shadow play best captured the subtle parentheses of her obliques—a feature she actually liked about herself. After hastily scribbling over her face in the photo markup editor, Elsa lay back on the bed and opened the NightLink app on her phone.

Nothing from ginger4u13 yet. It had been seven minutes; had she changed her mind? But Elsa had already committed to the photo shoot. She uploaded the thirst trap… and hit send. Then, after a minute, she figured the picture looked weird without any accompanying text, so she typed out:

Wanderlusting:

Just for you.

A typing bubble appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again, and once more disappeared. Elsa’s heart rate spiked—insecurity, suspense, and arousal clashed within her. A moment later:

ginger4u13:

you are so fucking

unbelievably

gorgeous💦

The wet emoji—Elsa blinked. What was the girl implying? That she was… that Elsa had made her…?

ginger4u13:

you’ve got me sweating now

Elsa cleared her throat. Right. She began typing an automatic “Thank you,” then thought better of it. Too sterile.

Wanderlusting:

Like I said, just for you.

If I’m being honest… talking to you has already had me sweating.

ginger4u13:

really?

Elsa hesitated. Then:

Wanderlusting:

Absolutely.

Your words, your picture

I think you might be just my type.

ginger4u13:

i’d love to be your type

Before Elsa could reply, a photo attachment filled her phone screen.

All the blood rushed to one pulsing point below her stomach.

ginger4u13 lay on her back, this time pulling the camera back far enough to show more of her body. She stretched out in dark lingerie, spine arched just so, showing off the smooth expanse of her bare stomach, her thighs tightly squeezed together. One hand squeezed her left breast, the thumb sliding her bra a few inches aside to reveal a taut, pink nipple. The photo cut off just above her lips—a tantalizing hint at an identity just out of reach.

Elsa drank in the photo for a full minute, skin tingling all over.

Just for you.

She fumbled and backspaced through typos. Then:

Wanderlusting:

Is it wrong that I want to touch you?

ginger4u13:

i’d want it

Wanderlusting:

Where?

The typing bubble appeared, then disappeared. Thirty seconds later, another photo dropped in. Embers erupted low in Elsa’s stomach. ginger4u13 lay in the same pose, only this time, her left hand had snaked all the way down past the waistband of her underwear and disappeared inside. The thumb hovered over the patch of skin between her navel and her waistband. Elsa imagined the tiny hairs there, imagined grazing them with her lips. She was throbbing, now.

ginger4u13:

right here

Elsa typed and scrapped one reply after another:

What would you do if

I would

I wish I could

You’re making me so

ginger4u13:

you’re making me nervous with all the typing

;)

Wanderlusting:

I’m trying to find the words for what

Sorry, accidentally hit send.

For what you’re doing to me.

ginger4u13:

try harder

It was also hard for Elsa to type with just one thumb. Her left hand kept drifting, as if with a mind of its own, to roam across her fevered skin, trailing along her bra cups, lightly scratching her inner thighs—

Kristoff was right. She did need to let loose some of her pent-up frustration, even if on some twisted level, she knew she was engaging in a fucked-up fantasy that played into her “subconscious affinity.”

ginger4u13:

if you can’t find the words, you can show me instead

yes, i’m greedy

after that fucking picture you sent, how could i not be?

Elsa stared into the whirring blades of the ceiling fan overhead, trying to think of a reasonable argument to slow down, too hazy in the heady mist of arousal to form anything more coherent than More, now, go, go, more.

ginger4u13 hadn’t asked for a video, but whenever Elsa managed to break her chains of insecurity, she was surprisingly prone to escalating one-upmanship. While she waited for the ten-second video to upload, she grabbed her discarded bra from the duvet and tossed it in the direction of her laundry pile chair. She obsessively scanned ginger4u13’s previous messages, breath coming in hot jets from her nostrils, while she waited for a reply.

i’d want it

yes, i’m greedy

Finally:

ginger4u13:

oh my fucking god

jesus christ

you have no idea how this makes me so… 💦

who are you?

Elsa froze. Frown lines appeared between her brows as she tried to wrap her head around the question.

ginger4u13:

easy on the typing bubbles, it’s a joke ;)

i’m just saying, though

if you turn me on so badly over the phone, of course i’m dying to find out what you’d feel like in person

your body, your hands…unless you just want to text…

Elsa hesitated. Her rational thoughts said, Don’t be an impulsive idiot. Her thrumming body said, Don’t fucking stop now. After a minute, she bit her lip and typed a reply:

Wanderlusting:

I wouldn’t rule it out.

ginger4u13:

i’m glad

you know, i’m forming this fantasy about you

about your body, and the way you’re touching yourself

ginger4u13:

should i stop?

Wanderlusting:

Tell me.

Please.

ginger4u13:

it’s hard to type though

my hand is occupied ;)

can i tell you over the phone?

Elsa sucked in a deep breath, anticipation racing like wildfire along every inch of skin that she’d exposed for her video.

Wanderlust:

Okay.

ginger4u13:

here’s my number

5550131127

call me

Elsa closed out of the NightLink app and readjusted herself, crooking her legs wider and easing herself fully flat on her back as she began tapping ginger4u13’s number into the keypad.

555 013—

What appeared on the screen gripped Elsa’s chest with an icy fist.

Contact: Anna 🍫 (555) 013-1127

NO. NO. NONONO NO.

Elsa scrambled to punch backspace. She tried typing ginger4u13’s number again. The same contact suggestion appeared. She opened Anna’s contact card and compared it with the number ginger4u13 had sent. Identical.

A full ten minutes of immobilized panic followed. With her head swimming in a thick gauze of dread, Elsa didn’t hear the ping of “ginger4u13”’s incoming messages. She saw them pop up on her lock screen, though.

ginger4u13:

where did you go?

ginger4u13:

hello?

Elsa imagined Anna lying on her bed across town, frowning into her phone—her phone with the spidery cracks from dropping it two stories off a hotel balcony on their sisters’ trip to Oslo last summer.

Emphasis on sisters’ trip. Jesus fucking Christ. Elsa had taken her top off for her own baby sister, sent her a video of full-on—of literally touching her own—

A sudden thought lunged, unbidden, to the forefront of Elsa’s sickened internal spiral:

What was her fantasy about me?

Elsa wanted to die. She’d gotten aroused—so painfully aroused—from looking at her own sister.

Another warped thought shot like a lance past all the others:

That wasn’t the first time, though, was it?

Elsa snatched up her phone, opened her thread with “ginger4u13,” and jabbed BLOCK.

That was enough spice for twenty lifetimes. Fucking Kristoff. Fucking Spice Girls.

A drop from a two-story balcony wasn’t sounding so bad right now.

#elsanna #December 2023 contest #prompt: spice #lime #submission

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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 months

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December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #2: The Bazaar of the Realms

Words: ca. 2,900 Setting: canon Lemon: lime CW: contains Olaf

The Bazaar of the Realms came to Arendelle not long after Anna ascended the throne. This grand gathering of kingdoms, meant to encourage friendly trade and general goodwill, was always a massive spectacle when it happened every ten years. As was customary, it shifted locations, being hosted by every major kingdom before returning to a prior host. And so it fell to Arendelle to host the year after it nearly met catastrophe, and to the people it was a much needed distraction. To Queen Anna and her sister the former queen Elsa, it was a chance to have fun again while still fulfilling their expected “queenly duties”.

“Elllllsaaaaa, hurry up!” Anna stands at the entrance of the open air market, waving frantically for her sister to hurry up. Olaf, the friendly snowman friend of the sisters, stood next to her looking around in awe as Elsa approached at a brisk walk.

“Anna, you’re not acting very queenly today.” Elsa casts her a sly smile as she offers her hand, which Anna takes without hesitation. The former queen had been feeling nostalgic that morning, deciding to attend the event in a dress that kept her appearance as the fifth spirit but was much stronger blue, reminiscent of the first dress she had made with her powers. It was a tad cumbersome walking in such dense crowds with its long trail, but a quick adjustment made it a simple cape instead. Not the most conventional look, but that suited her fine.

“Ugh, must you always remind me? Not like you were a model queen yourself.” Anna smiles teasingly, making sure Elsa knows her words were just in jest. Anna was dressed regally, the one thing she had went along with of her “commands” for the day. A long flowing green gown, with black and purple scattered throughout to give it some color. Not her finest dress, but even her maids had agreed wearing that to such an event, with people crowding and running everywhere, was probably not a wise idea.

“A fair counter, I’ll back off for now. Just don’t expect everyone to do the same, dear sister.”

“Ooo, ooo, that lady’s got some pretty colors! Can we check it out?” Olaf suddenly speaks up, breaking his record streak of two minutes without speaking. The snowman looks the same as he always does, keeping perfect form anywhere with his permafrost snow. He was fun to have around sometimes, but right now Elsa was somewhat wishing he would go away.

“Hmm, let’s see…” Anna cranes her neck, trying to see over the crowd what Olaf had seen from between people’s feet. “Looks harmless enough, why don’t you go on ahead? Elsa and I are going to look around more on our own.”

“Okay!” Olaf runs off giggling to himself. “Oh, this looks fun! This is sure shiny! What’s this thing? Ah that’s…” Eventually his voice becomes impossible to make out as he grows more distant and the noise of the bazaar grows in volume.

“Much better, thank you.” Elsa smiles softly at her sister as the snowman vanishes from sight, squeezing her hand as they walk slowly through the stalls. “This place is oddly calm for how many people are here. Its like the chaos has frozen over… despite the heat. Its not just me that this is hot for Arendelle isn’t it?”

“Ah good, I’m not imagining things.” Anna smirks a bit as she fans herself with one hand. “Yeah it is oddly hot today isn’t it? I mean its summer but still, this is insane! Its like those Easterners brought their heat with them or something!”

Elsa watches Anna ramble for a few moments, feeling at ease in her presence despite their surroundings. An idea suddenly pops into her head and she seizes the opportunity when Anna half turns to look at a stall. Moving in closer, she lands a quick kiss on the queen’s cheek before pulling back with a knowing smile.

“E-Elsa!” Anna’s hand immediately rises to the kissed cheek, rubbing it as a blush covers her face. “This isn’t the place for that and you know it!”

“Oh I know, but it was worth it anyway.” Elsa’s smile turns from mischievous to curious as she darts off towards the largest stall in the bazaar. “This place looks interesting, no?”

“I mean, I guess? Its just a giant curtain against the wall. Don’t even see anyone there.”

“There’s… Anna, come on, you’re too far away! This one’s special, I think you’ll like it.”

“Special?” Anna looks at her confused as she tries to keep up, the crowd making it difficult since Elsa had a head start. “How do you know all this, we’ve never been to this place before.”

“I guess you wouldn’t remember, I barely do myself. The last time they were here, twenty years ago. When the Bazaar visited Corona and father was a fairly new king.”

“Twenty… Elsa, I was barely two years old! How can you expect me to remember something like that?” Anna finally catches up to her, stopping in front of the large curtain veiling the stall.

“That’s alright, its rather a fractured memory anyway. All I recall is from my hazy childhood and what they told me years later.”

“Well, you going to keep me waiting all day? What’s this big important thing you need to tell me?”

“Anna…” Elsa laughs briefly, looking around at the people trying to get to the stall. “You’ll have to make due with the quick version, so we can get out of the way.”

“Hmm…” Anna steps to the side, leaving the entrance open. “We got a moment, so tell me already.”

“Guess I walked into that one a bit. Fine.” Elsa steps to the side with her, sighing a bit. “Its really not that much of a story, I might have talked it up a bit much. It really was just this twenty years ago in Corona. We were there, and our parents, and the king and queen of Corona as well. It was almost a family gathering, and Father was happy to see his royal relatives again. But as Mother insisted, the Bazaar was not a place for simply fun and games. It was a place for fostering friendships between nations, and that we should not spend so much time with each other when our bonds are already strong. Father was resistant but in the end he yielded, and we parted ways for most of the trip.” Elsa pauses for a moment to catch her breath. “I’m afraid that’s it.”

“Really Elsa?” Anna glares at her annoyed, crossing her arms. “Just a cautionary tale again? I thought it was something important after all you said.”

“It is important, my dear sister. You’re the queen now, you can’t act immature. I understand wanting to enjoy this place, but Mother was right on one thing here. We shouldn’t waste the opportunity to expand Arendellan goodwill. Even if its just to one kingdom.”

“Okay fine…. can it at least be a cool one?”

“Yes, it can be a cool one.” Elsa smiles happily as she pushes open the curtain, passing through it into a much colder interior. The massive stall almost feels like a cave with how closed in and dark it is, lit almost entirely by candlelight and what little light can sneak in the cracks around the many heavy sheets functioning as curtains. Towards the back of the room, a man be partially made out but is too obscured in shadows to see his face. He is of a darker tone than people of Arendelle and is wearing loose purple clothing tied around him in a strange manner. One final oddity is him leaving his chest exposed, showcasing his muscular form.

“Ah, if it isn’t the royalty of Arendelle. Its been many decades since your kind graced my lands.” The man speaks in a slow and refined manner but doesn’t move from his seat, leaving his face a mystery.

“Your lands?” Anna cautiously sits on a chair near the entrance after making sure it feels sturdy. “This is Arendelle, its our land.”

“Ah, but that is not the way of things here. You reek of being new to this it seems. No matter, Agnarr was quite the same all those years ago.”

“Your words are coming dangerously close to insulting a queen, stranger.” Elsa glares daggers at the man as her hand ever so slightly frosts over. “I’d choose your next words carefully.”

“Oh look at this, I’m being threatened!” The man breaks into riotous laughter, slapping his knees before finally leaning forward and smiling a bright white smile. “I think as Sultan of Agrabah, I am allowed. Call me Ali, its not my name but it is the title of one who saved my home many generations ago. So it shall suffice more than my actual name.”

“You’re a weird one.” Anna calms down slightly but still looks annoyed as she watches Ali. “Sis, you sure you can’t still just freeze him a little?”

“… No.” Elsa leans back on a canvas wall carefully, her hand still frosted over. “It wouldn’t do to attack a foreign ruler. Unless he annoys us enough.”

“No promises there I’m afraid, I’ve been told I have quite the boisterous personality.” Ali leans back and lights a candle next to his makeshift throne, finally revealing his face. He is what some might call handsome, with a chiseled jawline and piercing eyes. “I’m sure you’re quite aware of my dashing good looks by now, but I’m afraid I must disappoint you lovely ladies. I am quite happily taken.”

Anna looks at her sister in utter bafflement as Ali keeps laughing, eventually giving way to the sisters breaking into laughter as well. The noise takes a moment to calm down as it fills the room, calming both the sisters down as they realize what sort of person they’re dealing with.

“Bold of you to assume we were interested.” Elsa smirks slightly, giving Anna a subtle nod as she does so. “You seem a capable leader, and so are we. It would be fine to keep it that way.”

“We?” Ali looks between them, brow raised in curiosity. “Is it not just the one of you who is queen?”

“We’re…” Anna looks at her sister for a moment and finds herself blushing, glancing at the floor quickly in an attempt to hide it. “Close. We’re very close, and we assist each other. Fix each other’s flaws, you know, that sort of thing.”

“Respectable bahavior, I am most impressed.” Ali smiles brightly again, taking a platter of cheese from the table next to him and eating a slice. “Although also a tad suspicious.”

“Pardon?” Elsa’s voice carries a slight hint of concern as she looks back at the sultan.”

“I’m not one to pry normally, but you two seem to fit together like the two rulers of a land. I am not aware of your kingdom’s affairs, no more than you’ve said at least, but you give off the feel of two ruling queens, bound together for life.” Ali chuckles as he bites into a large chunk of white cheese. “Or perhaps I am way off, that is a possibility.”

“I’m not sure I want to answer that.” Anna huffs, crossing her arms in annoyance. “You got a problem with that or something if we are?”

“Oh no no no, hardly. I’ve always felt that if there is love, it is not right for others to interfere. It is a beautiful thing, this thing called love, whatever form it may take. Your parents were like this when I met them so many years ago, and I sense a great deal of it within you two as well.”

“You’re not far….” Elsa’s face reddens as she starts to speak, covering her face with both hands as she peeks out to look at him. “What sort of love are you talking about? You just compared our love to our parents’ and…”

“You’re sisters, yes, I am very aware.” Ali looks between the two and nods. “And my words still hold true, whichever sort of love you two share. It will not be the easiest road, but many aren’t…. Now would either of you care for snacks? Nothing kills good vibes worse than bad ones.”

“Thank you, but no.” Elsa shakes her head, shifting in place against the wall before finally sitting down near Anna.

“Not to your liking? Perhaps your sister has different tastes?”

“Mmm yes, that does look good!” Anna jumps out of her chair and briskly walks over to Ali, leaning down slightly to peruse the platter. “Hmm…”

“May I make a suggestion?” Ali moves several slices of the cheese aside, producing a thin piece with a buttery color. “This is one of my favorites. But take which ones you like, just do careful of the red speckled varieties. Those are like the fire of the sun.”

“Okaaayyy, not feeling that adventurous today.” Anna grabs the buttery slice and sits back down quickly, prompting a sudden giggle from Elsa. “What’s got you all worked up sis?”

“You of course, that was kind of cute there.” Elsa looks at her with a loving smile, glancing at Ali out of the corner of her eye. “Seeing you like that just made me happy is all.”

“Ah, young love, it is a beautiful thing!” Ali leans over to his nearby table and rummages around, eventually producing a small box. “A gift, to two lovely stars of the north.”

“Oh no, we couldn’t.” Anna waves her hand dismissively, looking at her sister. “Right Elsa?”

Without a word, Elsa quietly stands up and plucks the box from Ali’s hand, grinning hungrily as she looks inside.

“Elsa? What’s in there, is it something gross?” Anna starts to stand, looking worried.

“… Chocccccolate.” Elsa’s voice draws out as she reaches into the box, picking up something within it.

“Did you say…” Anna rushes over and peers into the box, developing a smile of her own. “It is! And these look so good!”

“Here, try this one.”

Anna, following Elsa’s voice, looks up to see the snow queen with a delectable looking piece of chocolate between her lips, her teeth softly biting into it.

“Elsa, you, you…” Anna starts giggling as a smile crosses her face and she leans forward, kissing Elsa and biting into the other half of the large chocolate. Ali’s friendly laugh fills the room as the two embrace, sharing a long kiss that is suddenly interrupted as a loud voice calls into the room.

“Anna? Elsa? Are you in this giant echoey cavern obscured by the garments of a giant?” Olaf’s voice carries ahead of him, reaching the room mere moments before he pushes through the curtain and comes into view. The sisters break their kiss abruptly as they turn to look at him, remaining close to each other as they watch the snowman waddle into the room.

“What is this thing, it is most unusual!” Ali looks with immense curiosity at Olaf, seemingly having no idea what he’s looking at.

“Why Olaf, so good of you to find us…” Elsa speaks with annoyance clear in her voice. “Say Ali, could I interest you in a talking snowman? Free of charge.”

“Oh no no, I couldn’t!” Ali shakes his head as he looks at Anna’s brief glare that quickly fades. “Agrabah is far too warm for a creature such as him, charming as he is. But it is a kind gesture.”

“Oh, look at all the pretty colors!” Olaf suddenly runs over to the abandoned plate of cheese and immediately picks up and eats a large slice speckled with red.

“Uh oh…” Anna looks on in concern as the snowman swallows the slice, seemingly unaware of what it was.”

“Oh, I’m feeling all tingly!” Olaf rubs his face with his twig hands as sweat begins running down him. “IT BURNS! WHY WOULD PEOPLE EAT THIS STUFF, IT IS THE FIRE OF DEATH!”

The snowman runs out of the room screaming as the sisters and Ali break into laughter once more, calming after a moment as Elsa stands, holding the box of chocolates carefully in front of her.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Ali of Agrabah.” Elsa bows slightly, prodding at Anna with her shoulder as she does so.

“Ah, yes!” Anna gives a shorter bow quickly and somewhat clumsily. “”And for the chocolates!”

“Yes, of course, the finest for those who deserve it.” Ali smiles, leaning back in his chair. “I am most pleased to have met you, queens of Arendelle, and may our nations’ relationships remains sweet as well. It would not do for things to go anyway else.”

“Likewise, Sultan Ali. It was a pleasure indeed, I see what mom and dad were talking about now.” Anna waves politely before taking Elsa’s hand and heading out with her.

“Not bad Anna, but you can be more yourself. You don’t have to copy me that much.” Elsa casts her a side smile.

“I don’t? I was just trying to do like you said, be a good queen and all.”

“Nah, be you.” Elsa leans up and kisses Anna’s cheek, parting just as they pass through the curtain. “I like you as you just fine.”

#elsanna #December 2023 contest #prompt: spice #lime #submission

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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 months

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December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #1: A Piece of Me Left in You

Words: ca. 4,400 Setting: modern AU Lemon: no CW: some violence, plane crash, minor character death, nudity

Day-0: Fifteen Seconds

It began with a shudder.

A low-pitched mechanical whine rousing Anna from her mid-flight nap. Raising the shades, a gasp escaped her lips as she observed the sky blackened like dusk. The increasing vibration failed to wake the other passengers, nor did the seatbelt sign - its ominous chime echoing their fates.

Her eyes widened at ash drifting from the sky, grey clumps streaking past the window. The PA system crackled a pre-recorded message:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, please return to your seats and fasten-”

A violent lurch evoked gasps of terror. Anna fumbled with the buckle. Right before a muffled thwump reached her ears. Flickering flames reached her eyes a split second before she could comprehend the plane’s engine spewing fire, right before it gave one last mighty belch.

Then, silence.

Anna’s limbs flailed as they plummeted like a brick. Her ears popped from the descent, doing nothing to deaden the screaming around the cabin. Frantic commands on the loudspeaker competed with the passengers’ panicking cries in volume.

Brace! Brace! Brac-!

In the instant it took for Anna to lean forward, she’s torn from her loosely buckled seat belt by the impact. A tidal wave sucked her through the gaping fuselage, along with whatever was tangled around her wrist. The current dragged her downwards with her flimsy yellow companion as seawater filled her insides. Her face turned blue fighting the unmet urge to breathe. Someone’s hand closed around a fistful of her hair, before yanking the ripcord. The life jacket’s sudden ballooning dragged her to the surface, and her lungs strained as she swallowed mouthfuls of saltwater and air in a desperate bid to survive.

“Fuck, fuck,” Anna swore, clinging onto the life jacket. Waterlogged eyes unable to comprehend the smouldering devastation. Nostrils burning with smoke. Ears ringing from the noise and pressure. A sudden surge sent her into another flailing panic, only for the figure’s firm hands to pull her away from the swell.

“Stay still!” the voice commanded, dragging her onto a fuel-soaked foam plank.

Lungs heaving, Anna gasped a sputtery no no no as the other woman darted back beneath the waves. Seconds ticked by like hours, before she surfaced again, muttering, “Everything’s fucked off to the deep end-”

Anna stared at her with an open jaw, similar blue eyes dilated in shock, seaweed clumped onto her blonde hair. Chest pulsating with exertion. Two solitary figures bobbing on an ocean littered with burning fuel and shredded wreckage.

“We’d better leg it before the sharks come,” the other woman pointed towards distant shadows meandering in the water, “I don’t think we can get past the surf but it’s worth a shot.”

Her words shot through Anna’s deafened ears.

“Can you swim?”

Anna shook her head.

Without warning, she’s hauled off the plank towards what appeared to be a landmass in the distance. A visceral scream of terror vacated Anna as she’s dunked beneath the waves again, but this time she found assurance in the woman’s steady strokes. Clutching onto her belt for dear life, Anna allowed the tides and her swimming to pull her onto the shore. It’s not until she spat out a mouthful of sand, that Anna realised this stranger might’ve saved her life.

The adrenaline wore off like a steep fall from a cliff, and she slumped face-first onto the black sand.

Day-1: A Day

The acrid stench of smoke still burned in Anna’s lungs when she woke. Pale sunlight filtered through the sparse jungle canopy, and a distant rumble shook the ground beneath her. Every muscle and joint within her screamed once she tried to get up, and there was that voice again.

“Slowly, love-”

Groaning, Anna pinched her forehead, “This isn’t real.”

“Oh, this is very real,” the english-accented voice insisted, “this is as real as it gets now.”

Anna turned to the blonde woman, dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans. Tending a makeshift fire pit with smouldering coals adding to the smoke in the air. And that awful smell.

“What is that stench?” Anna complained, sniffling at its source.

She pointed at the smouldering volcano, rumbling in the distance, “Plane must’ve sucked in all the ash and died. Were you with anyone?”

Anna’s eyes widened, before she shook her head, “No - how about you?”

The woman stared at the coals for a good twenty seconds.

“My parents,” she whispered, tossing a branch into the flames, “My brother, his wife and his children.”

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry-”

Her voice shook, “Well it’s no use now, innit? They’ve fucked off to the bottom of the ocean!”

The blonde bolted up, wielding a pole with a sharpened tip. Her eyes were reddened, but there was a gritty determination in her stoic face that lent strength to Anna’s bones.

“I’m off to score some fish, no idea how long they’re going to take to find us,” she snarled, before pointing the stick at Anna, “there’s a rock pool with fresh water nearby, make yourself useful.”

As the woman stomped towards the beach, a sudden surge of helplessness welled up within Anna, like she was tethered to the only lifeboat on a sinking ship; about to be severed from her.

“Wait, wait - I didn’t catch your name!” Anna called out.

The voice called back, barely audible over the rumbling volcano.

“Elsa!”

Limping through the trees with a Garoupa impaled on her makeshift spear, Elsa gawked when she saw Anna weaving a basket on the jungle floor.

“Wait, what on earth did you do with this place?”

In the few hours Elsa was away fishing in the surf, Anna had transformed the sparse camping ground. She’d thatched together palm fronds with vine, creating a makeshift canopy. There was fresh water brimming in a broken, hollow log. Still clad in her soaking white dress, Anna sat cross-legged on a bed of palm fronds, while lengths of vine lay coiled beside her. And, what was that fragrant smell? Her mouth watered at the sight of skewered yams cooking over her coals. The sweetness in the air barely beset the looming stench of sulphur.

Anna rose to her knees, face clouded in worry.

“Did you see anyone coming to get us?” Anna asked.

“It’d be a miracle if I could see anything beyond a mile,” Elsa mumbled, laying her fish to roast, and wringing seawater from her blonde hair.

“That means they can hardly see us either,” Anna lamented, cupping her head in her hands. The silence after Anna’s words seeped with despair. A snivel reached Elsa’s ears, and it was all it took to soften her heart.

“C’mon, love, don’t give up,” Elsa whispered, kneeling by Anna’s side, “look at everything you’ve done while I was gone-”

The uncertainty clouding over Anna’s head sent a tremble through her mudstained hands. She looked at the woman’s blue eyes narrowing with grief. Despite the unfamiliarity, the untamed roughness of their surroundings and the violence they’d endured. The prospect of comfort from another stranger proved too much to resist, and Anna found herself slipping into Elsa’s embrace. Immediately, the sheer comfort of being held swept away all their fears into the ocean. If only for a moment.

“I haven’t had a chance to thank you,” Anna whispered into the damp fabric of Elsa’s shirt, “for saving me.”

“You saved yourself,” Elsa retorted, pointing at Anna’s deflated yellow life jacket, torn apart and fashioned into a water carrier, “but I will accept your yams as gratitude.”

Famished from a day in the sun, Elsa watched as the girl carefully scraped charred bits off the yam and smashed it onto a banana leaf. She mixed in flaked pieces of Elsa’s catch, and the steaming meal presented a tempting sight - even if they were starving. Devoid of cutlery, Elsa couldn’t help but reach out with bare hands.

“Wait,” Anna quipped, reaching for an empty coconut husk, into which she had ground some berries, “these are pepper berries. I fed some to the squirrels just to be sure.”

“You had the time for all this and to pick spices?” Elsa wondered, watching her sprinkle pepper on their meal, “I spent half a day out and caught one fish.”

“Fair trade, since I can’t fish for fuck. Dig in!”

Accustomed to a lifetime of mild English cuisine - the sudden rush of tropical spice spreading through Elsa’s mouth turned her face red. It’s hot, but at the same time it left her salivating, and it made her want more.

“Mm, spicy,” Anna commented, quenching her lips with coconut water, straight from a smashed-in husk. She handed the coconut to Elsa, and in that brief second, their fingertips touched. Their eyes met, reddened lips revealing the exact same unspoken words between two strangers, caught by sudden adversity.

What would I do without you?

Day-2: Thirty minutes

“We’d better keep an eye on that thing,” Anna whimpered, eyes lofted toward the smoking volcano in the distance. Even from the beach, they saw the craggy black summit spewing flames and spreading its soot across the sky.

“I am keeping an eye on it,” Elsa remarked, “the only question is - what happens when Mount Karen inevitably explodes and rains burning lava on us?”

“Assuming they don’t come for us, we’d have to get off this island in a hurry then,” Anna said, her voice trailing off as the realisation dawned upon her: only one of them could swim.

“Well, even if we made it past the surf, what then? If the volcano doesn’t finish us off, the sharks will.”

Anna’s voice broke under the strain, her words sputtering quicker and quicker, “I’d rather get mauled then roasted. Besides, there’s probably a better chance of getting rescued from the sea than a burning island-”

Alarmed by the growing intensity of her voice, Elsa spun around and grabbed her by the shoulders.

“I’m not leaving without you, Anna.”

Shaking her head, Anna found enough presence of mind to mutter, “Don’t do this, I can’t ask anything more of you.”

“But I can,” Elsa smirked, cradling Anna’s elbow, “And right now I’m asking you to learn how to swim. At least you’ll stand a chance against the sharks.”

Without waiting, Elsa motioned for Anna to follow her to the waterline. The girl took a few cautious steps into the tide, its calm coolness threatening to expunge what little she ate. She shut her eyes, and the memory of seawater entering her lungs stole all the colour from her face.

“What, now?”

“Yes, now,” Elsa ordered, unbuttoning her clothes and draping them upon some driftwood, “C’mon, love. Just thirty minutes, and we can call it a day.”

Seeking a distraction, Anna’s attention fell upon the pale, radiant skin undressed before her. Blood rushed back to Anna’s face as her eyes roved along Elsa’s curves. Black sports bra and panties. Toned muscles hinting her past life as a university swimmer. She bit on her lip as thoughts surfaced in her mind, “D-do I have to take off my clothes too?”

“Unless you want to end up soaking wet again.”

Anna hesitated, before pulling her dress over her head and laying it next to Elsa’s clothes. The sight of her naked, lithe figure didn’t go unnoticed. Elsa’s glance dipped, following the unbroken trail of freckles running down her collarbone and along the sides of her breasts.

“Staring is rude,” Anna sneered, drawing Elsa’s attention back to her eyes, “I have a husband back home, you know-”

Fishes swam around their ankles as they stood knee-deep in the water. Elsa frowned, trying to shake off that simmering feeling in her chest, “W-why aren’t you wearing a bra?”

“Where’d you think I got the wire to make your fish hooks?”

“Right.”

“Right, you have thirty minutes, then.”

Day-4: An hour

That was how long they took in a chorus of frenzied squealing and scurrying about before Elsa finally caught that wild chicken.

“No, no wait!” Elsa shrieked, as the squawking bird flapped feathers all over them, “What do I do with this thing now?”

Giggling at Elsa’s exasperated face, Anna yelped, “Kill it!”

“I don’t know how to kill a chicken!”

Stepping forward, Anna ended its life with a swift tug at its neck, and the bird flopped dead in her arms.

“Oh my god,” Elsa panted, heaving from the exertion, “that took us way too long.”

“At least we don’t have to worry about dinner today-”

Having ventured far inland pursuing the chicken, the sun had sunk over the ash-draped horizon when they reached the beach. Elsa watched closely as Anna methodically stripped its feathers and drained it for roasting. She took care to stud clove buds all around the meagre bird, and stuffed its end with a handful of floral-smelling spices. As the bird cooked over coals, the smouldering fragrance was like walking into a perfumery, a tea house, and a barbeque - all together.

Looking up from tending the fire, Anna remarked, “Sky looks like it’s clearing.”

A few rays of golden sunset peeked through the soot-lined clouds, but Elsa’s eyes were fixed on the girl crouched before her. Without realising it, she’d completely forgotten her usual routine of scanning the horizon endlessly for ships and planes. For the first time in four days.

“Where’d you learn all this?” Elsa asked.

“Grew up on a farm in Texas,” Anna answered, portioning the chicken with leftover fish and yams, “I learnt about spices from a college botany course.”

Elsa stared at her smoky-charred meal wrapped in a banana leaf. She couldn’t resist stuffing her face the moment the smell of roasted meat hit her. A medley of flavours flooded her mouth. At the tip of her tongue, she detected Cardamom, Clove, a hint of Anise and copious amounts of pepper. More fragrant than spicy, the taste sent her head into a spin.

“I think I like this blend better than yesterday’s,” Anna remarked, chicken juices running down her hands.

“And I could hardly care, after everything you’ve done for me so far-” Elsa scoffed.

“For us.”

Elsa turned to the girl, red hair fluttering with the sea breeze and gleaming in the dim sunlight. Her heart clenched when she saw Anna wipe a tongue over her lips, but told herself it was just the spice’s heat. The sky darkened again. Anna paused her chewing. The flickering flames lent an otherworldly glow to the girl’s freckled features, and Elsa found herself drawn deeper into the unusual silence which had befallen her. Alarmed by the sudden tear trickling down Anna’s cheek, Elsa shifted closer, placing an arm around her.

“No, no it’s alright, they’ll come get us soon-”

“It’s not that,” Anna argued, curling her fingers into Elsa’s, “oh god, it’s so stupid, I’m going to sound like an idiot if I say another word.”

She could feel the quickening throb of Anna’s pulse in her palm. Her own heart raced. Burying her face into Anna’s hair, she inhaled the scent of her copper hair, a mix of the sea they’d been forced into, and the spice that knit them together. Squeezing Anna’s hand tight, Elsa searched her mind for something that could coax more words out of Anna.

“We might be dead tomorrow anyway, so you might as well-”

Anna looked over her shoulder at the Volcano, which had fallen silent. Her lips trembled, words perched on the precipice.

“I’m stuck on an island, god-knows-where, no hope of rescue,” Anna sighed, wiping her cheeks, “but I haven’t been this happy in a long while.”

The words flew through Elsa’s ears as she pondered a response, before realising she really knew nothing about this girl.

A deep breath, before Anna confessed, “I discovered my husband cheating on me a month ago-”

“Oh my god, Anna.”

“It sounds so petty and trivial, telling this to someone who’s lost her family-”

Anna’s words brewed a potent mix of grief, empathy, and desire, manifesting as a thumping noise behind Elsa’s ears. She brought the girl’s fingers to her lips, and kissed them, savouring the taste of spice on her skin.

“It’s not until you’ve lost everything, that you’re free to do anything.”

Day-6: A Week

A muffled boom jolted Anna awake. Lurching upright, she snapped her eyes to the Volcano’s peak spurting glowing lava upon its slopes, before resuming its smouldering fury. Seconds ticked by as she watched in the dawn silence, as though the slightest breath would trigger an eruption.

“Mount Karen looks grumpy today,” Anna whispered towards Elsa’s sleeping spot.

Her heart sank at the silence answering her.

“Elsa?”

A feeble whine. Before Anna lurched over, outstretched arm falling upon the shadowy mound of Elsa’s sleeping body. She gasped as it came away with cold sweat.

“Oh my god, Elsa,” Anna shrieked, pressing a palm to her forehead, burning like the volcano.

She strained to hear the murmuring, before making out the words, “I don’t feel so good today-”.

Fumbling with a coconut shell, Anna spilled water on herself as she brought the husk to Elsa’s lips. A groan escaped her as she struggled to sit upright.

“I got stung by an urchin while fishing,” Elsa whimpered, in between sips of coconut water, “felt like shit but I thought I’d get better-”

“You should’ve told me,” Anna chided, cradling Elsa’s warm head to her bosom.

“What good would that’ve done?” Elsa whined, “I’m so terribly sorry, Anna. But y-you’ll probably have to take up fishing today.”

In an instant, all the buried fears within Anna’s chest boiled over. The fear of being stuck alone; or even worse, the fear of losing this woman - the singular source of comfort and life and hope to make it out. It all crashed upon her head. Instead of tears, this time - there was only a fierce determination to set things right.

“Wait, just wait, I’ll be back-” Anna assured, before scampering into the dawn mist. Hours crawled by as she combed her memory and the forest floor for anything that could alleviate Elsa’s illness. All the while circling back repeatedly to ensure Elsa hadn’t passed out.

“Stop, please stop,” Elsa complained, powerless to stop Anna from forcing down another mouthful of coconut water, “Stop whatever you’re doing, I’ll be fine.”

Despite her frail pleading, Anna refused to let up her intense search, until the sun was high in the sky - and the volcano resumed its grumpy fireworks.

“I knew this tea grew wild in the Pacific,” Anna muttered, breaking ginger roots into a coconut set upon coals, already simmering with a floral fragrance. She sprinkled more buds, before stirring the brew, bringing to life a spicy, woody scent. Elsa’s eyes widened at the smell. She shifted closer, inhaling the steam, and letting the aroma spread across every aching muscle in her body.

“Drink while it’s warm,” Anna whispered, wrapping a leaf around the husk. It only took a sip for the spicy, soothing warmth to fill her insides, touching her every pore with a golden glow.

“That’s some good stuff,” Elsa murmured, ginger tingling on her tongue, “try some-”

“No, it’s meant to help you get well,” Anna cooed, pressing a damp hand to Elsa’s head.

Her bones still ached with fire, but she pulled Anna’s palm against her cheek. Rough, calloused skin rubbing against the pale smoothness of her own. She blinked once, trying to suppress the aching hole in her heart this girl so easily filled.

“M’love, I feel better already.”

Day-7: An Eternity

“Elsa, Elsa! Wake up! Now!” Anna screamed, shaking Elsa awake. Sweat bathed Anna’s face as a forest fire swept towards them like a typhoon, driven by the morning breeze. Ash and burning twigs rained down, and a towering wall of flame blazed around them, threatening to cut them off from the sea.

“What-” Elsa murmured, watery eyes unable to comprehend the inferno. Unwilling to wait for an answer, Anna yanked her upright, hauling the woman onto her feet. They took two steps before tripping over onto the blackened jungle floor.

“C’mon!” Anna shrieked. Driven wild by the maddening fear of losing Elsa, she scooped her into her arms. Staggering with a warm body, Anna made a bare-footed dash through the undergrowth, barely reaching the tree line before her strength gave out. As she dropped Elsa on the sand, Anna turned and recoiled from the sight of Mount Karen’s slopes scrawled cherry red with lava, spewing flaming brimstone on the jungle.

A sputtering noise caught her attention. She took a few seconds to comprehend something as alien as a helicopter hovering over the beach.

“Hey! Hey!” Anna screamed, hoarse voice drowned by the blades and the raging inferno. She started hopping and waving her hands, white billowing dress sticking out before the smouldering carnage. A rescuer descended from a rope, holding out a harness.

“No, no! There’s another woman, she needs out now!” Anna insisted, shielding her eyes against the downdraft blowing sand everywhere.

“We can only fly one person at a time, we’ll come back for you-”

Without hesitation, Anna directed him to Elsa’s body, still mumbling incoherently. In the seconds it took to hitch her up, Elsa stirred awake, reaching for Anna. Amidst the maelstrom of sand, smoke, ash and fire, their fingers found one another.

“Don’t go,” Elsa pleaded, right before the helicopter whisked her away, tearing apart the fragile bond they’d found in catastrophe, and the chance connection of two distant souls. Hands clasped together, Anna watched as Elsa’s body disappeared into the horizon, leaving a void in her heart, and the burgeoning doubt if she’d ever see that blessed Englishwoman again.

Epilogue: A Year

The bland meal of fish and chips tasted like nothing in Anna’s mouth, and she resisted the urge to douse it with more malt vinegar. Still, she feigned a smile when the shopkeeper cleared her plate.

“Hope your meal was fine, love.”

“It’s lovely, thanks,” Anna lied, pointing across the street, “which house is she at again?”

“Number seven. You can’t miss it, there’s a lavender bush out the front.”

She thanked him, pausing at the door when he mumbled, “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

Stepping outside, Anna pulled up a scarf as wind bit into her face. It’s a long walk beneath the darkened sky, and she flinched each time thunder rumbled. But eventually she’s standing before the lavender bush with her heart in her throat; Dr E. Williams neatly engraved in gold on a red letter box. A deep breath, and her eyes fluttered shut, before she retrieved a box from her satchel and laid it at the doorstep of the brick townhouse. She’d barely turned to leave when a voice stopped her.

“What’re you doing here?”

Anna froze at the sight of Elsa approaching, stethoscope peeking beneath her grey coat, paper bag filled with groceries. Dark rimmed glasses. Her blonde hair had been tied back into a bun, and she looked a year younger than before. The sight spilled all the words of the English language from Anna’s brain.

“I…I came to leave you a gift-”

“No!” Elsa exclaimed, voice crackling with fury. Her jaw clenched with rage, “You don’t get to do this to-”

“I’m sorry, ok?” Anna pleaded, raising her hands, “I know you’re the private sort, you’ve never granted any interviews, just disappeared off the planet and moved on, while I’m just - look, I just don’t want to forget what you did for us alright?”

Elsa’s gaze softened, she looked at the cobblestone pavement, waiting for Anna to continue.

“And this sounds terribly selfish, but I don’t want you to forget me either.”

“It’s not that,” Elsa interrupted, hefting groceries in her arm, “I just - wait, can we talk inside? It’s freezing.”

The fragrance struck Anna the second she stepped into Elsa’s modest apartment. Immediately, she traced the source to a collection of tiny bowls on her mantlepiece, each filled with clove, anise, pepper, cardamon - all spices she’d used on the island. Another picture frame mounted scraps of her life jacket, fish hooks, the torn hem of Anna’s white dress she’d used to bandage her wounds. Above that was a photograph of the iconic moment they reunited on the Oprah show, and a Daily Mirror tabloid cover with the gaudy headline:

FREAK AIR CRASH DUO ESCAPE FROM HELL ISLAND. “IT WAS BLOODY AWFUL” - SAYS YORKSHIRE NATIVE.

Worse still, covering the walls were portraits of Elsa’s parents, her nephew’s watercolour paintings, photos of her brother and herself as children holidaying. The crash robbed more from Elsa than Anna could imagine.

“I hope you understand,” Elsa commented, watching Anna’s eyes rove the walls, “after all the funerals and lawyers and moving away, I tried so hard to forget everything that’s happened. After a year of trying I realised it was impossible. So I gave up trying to forget. And I focused on remembering.”

Anna turned to see Elsa’s lips shuddering, trying to hold back the tears. The woman came within a foot of her.

“I can’t forget,” Elsa’s voice shook, chest heaving beneath her white blouse, “I can’t forget someone like you.”

“Oh my god, Elsa, you should’ve said something-”

“What was I going to say?” Elsa complained, rifling a hand over her hair, “You seemed fine with all the interviews and book deals and lectures and-”

“What do you think I was trying to do?” Anna argued back, “All these months I felt I left a part of myself on that island. A piece of my heart that could never be mended no matter how much I tried to help other people with my experiences. What I was really missing, was-”

“-You.”

The gravity of her confession sent Anna tiptoeing forward and crushing her lips into Elsa’s. She staggered backwards beneath Anna’s weight, colliding with the kitchen table and crushing Anna’s gift packaging, revealing a humble spice rack, with jars of the same spices on her mantlepiece. Lost in the urgency, Elsa’s hands toppled a jar, spilling ginger powder upon her tear-stained fingers.

Shaking from venting her pent-up desire, Anna cupped Elsa’s face in her hands, heart clenching from the utter longing filling her eyes. The woman touched a quivering finger to Anna’s lips, before surrendering to her desires and leaning in once again.

Amidst the heat of their kiss, and the gentle breaths on each other’s spice-lined lips, Elsa heard Anna whisper.

“I don’t think I could ever forget you either.”

#elsanna #December 2023 contest #prompt: spice #submission #cw: violence #cw: plane crash #cw: minor character death

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