23A/N: So this fic was not supposed to exist. At all. But I got an unrelated request for a fic on Tumblr, and before I knew it, I was writing the first night after the events of "Two Steps Forward". If you're not the type to overdose on mush and feels (or don't want to read sexual content — please heed the rating!), you might want to give this one a pass. Otherwise, enjoy!
"Rapprochement"
You really think he loves you, don't you.
You.
Just you.
Oh, Anna.
If only…
If only…
Anna woke slowly, her breath tight in her throat, cool dampness against her cheeks, something dark and hazy and shapeless twisting at the edges of her memory, undefined and amorphous but altogether unsettling even as it remained just out of reach.
She couldn't quite remember what she'd been dreaming.
But given the slow curl of fear in her belly, the drying tears against her cheeks, she could imagine.
Anna snuggled more deeply into the blankets, tugging them up until only her eyes were visible. The room was dark, illuminated only by the faint, fading shine of moonlight as the night wore on, deep and quiet.
It'd been awhile since she'd had a nightmare, especially about…
But she could guess pretty easily at the catalyst for this one.
Smiling just a fraction to herself, through the lingering, confusing tears of a fading dreamscape, Anna rubbed her thumb against the metal band circling her left ring finger, running the pad over the carefully-set jewels. She could see it so clearly in her mind's eye, even as it remained hidden under the blankets, even though it'd only been given to her just a few hours earlier.
(Kristoff had managed to drop it three times — he'd been so completely unwilling to put her down after she'd accepted, seemingly terrified that if he did she'd change her mind, maybe even somehow manage to disappear, that he'd shifted her weight awkwardly to one arm and tried to reach into his pocket for the ring, but then he'd nearly dropped her, so he'd grunted and slung her over one shoulder and she'd yelled in protest, kicking her feet against his chest, and then when he'd finally gotten the ring, his hands were shaking so badly that he dropped it and had to chase it halfway across the room… where he'd promptly retrieved it, dropped it again, and again, until Anna finally laughed and climbed down to get it herself.
Of course, her triumph was short-lived when she managed to drop it as soon as she did, but then she'd finally brushed her fingers over it at the same time Kristoff did, and they'd stared at each other for a long moment, soft and warm and teary-eyed, before she finally retrieved the ring and handed it to him, curving her right hand around his wrist as he very, very shakily slid it onto her finger.
"Elsa helped me pick it out," he'd blurted out as she admired it, and Anna could see her sister's influence in the cool, brilliant twist of diamond and sapphire.
"It's beautiful," she'd said, genuinely, leaning up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.
"Well… I mean, it had to… well, match you. Kind of." Kristoff had blushed, adorably awkward, and Anna couldn't help but smile and pull him into a long kiss.
"When did you get so sappy and sentimental, huh?" she asked, grinning at him.
"Don't give me that — this whole thing is all your fault, feistypants. 'Take me up the North Mountain,'" he'd mimicked in a teasing voice, lightly tugging one of her braids. "You've been trouble since day one."
Anna laughed and caught her hand in his, holding it to her cheek, eyes bright. "Are you ever sorry?" she'd asked, very softly.
Kristoff's smile had faded as he stared at their clasped hands, the ring on her finger glittering in the lamplight, and Anna felt her heart constrict and her breath catch as the faintest sheen of tears appeared in his eyes.
He'd inhaled on a shaky breath, gently stroking his thumb over her cheekbone.
"Never," he'd said, leaning down to kiss her.)
Anna turned her face in against her pillows, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
It's going to be okay, she told herself, twisting the ring around. It's going to be okay.
A brief, fading glimpse of green-gold eyes hovered at the edges of her memory, flashing soft and sweet to cruel and mocking, back and forth, utterly seamless, and Anna took a deep, steady breath, holding it tight in her throat and chest before exhaling slowly.
It's going to be okay.
It wasn't the first nightmare she'd had, and it likely wouldn't be the last.
Anna.
You can't marry a man you just met.
You were right, sis, Anna thought, a touch ruefully. But you sure can be hurt by one.
But it'll be okay.
It'll be okay.
And little by little… she was actually starting to believe that it would be.
Anna rolled slightly to one side as the mattress shifted, the burly arm at her waist tightening just a fraction, and she managed a faint smile as Kristoff lolled his head against her bare shoulder, pressing a kiss to the sloping curve of her neck.
"You okay?" he asked, voice rough and thick with sleep.
Anna laid her arm along his and clasped his hand in hers. "Yeah," she said, tugging his arms more tightly around her, sliding her bare calves along his. "I think I am."
"Bad night?" Kristoff asked, turning her in his arms so that she was curled against his chest, one of his hands rubbing comforting circles over her back.
"Mm. Had worse."
"I know. I've been there for them." He held her just a bit tighter and kissed the top of her head. "Want to talk about it?"
Anna shook her head, gently nuzzling at his collarbone. "It's… not too bad. I promise." She smiled. "I like this a lot more than talking, anyway."
"Didn't know you liked anything more than talking."
"Oh really?" Anna pulled back far enough to smirk at him in the darkness, dragging her toes along his calf.
Kristoff laughed before leaning back against one elbow, reaching to curve his free hand around her cheek, eyes suddenly serious. "You sure you're okay?" he asked. "I know it's been…" He glanced down to her left hand, failing to keep the softness out of his eyes. "…it's been a little rough."
Anna nodded, absently toying with her ring again. "Yeah," she said quietly, glancing up at him. "But I think… I'm pretty sure it's definitely going to be worth it."
"Yeah?" Kristoff said softly, taking her hand in his.
Anna bit her bottom lip, nodding again. "…pretty sure it already is," she whispered, squeezing his hand and offering him a slightly wobbly smile.
Kristoff didn't bother to try to keep his elated, lopsided grin in check as he slid his fingers through her hair and leaned in to kiss her, soft and slow, gently nipping at her bottom lip.
Anna curved her hands around his shoulders, pressing her fingers tight to his firm muscles as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss, her heart beating a rapid tattoo in her chest. "Can we…" she said against his lips, just a touch breathless as she kissed him again, open-mouthed and lingering.
Kristoff gently nudged her nose with his and rested his forehead against hers. "Anything you want, remember?" he said, voice unsteady. "Always." He slid one hand down her side, over the sloping indentation between her ribcage and hip, fingertips calloused but gentle and warm as they stroked along her skin. "Yes?"
"Yes," Anna managed, lightly scraping her nails down to his chest. "Yes."
Kristoff trailed warm, wet kisses from her lips down to her throat, nuzzling against her neck before sliding one hand down to the small of her back, leaning her back and supporting her weight as he peppered kisses along her breasts, finally drawing one pert nipple into the warmth of his mouth, suckling gently as Anna keened and stroked his hair.
His free hand curved around her hip as he moved to settle her astride his lap, his erection hot and hard against her belly, and he started to raise her up, over, down…
Anna suddenly started, pulling away, and Kristoff stopped, holding her just at arm's length, hands gentle on her shoulders.
"Anna," he said quietly, voice just a touch breathless but steady, "are you okay?"
"I…" She glanced down, avoiding his gaze.
"Hey," Kristoff said, tilting her chin up. "We don't have to do anything if you don't want to. It's okay. I promise."
"No, it's not…" Anna smiled at him, a bit bashfully, trailing her fingertips over his thigh. "I just… can you just…" She bit her lip. "I just kind of want to feel…"
Words failing her, she finally settled for rolling onto her back, reaching over to take one of Kristoff's hands in hers. "I just want to be closer to you. Just for now," she said, very quietly.
Kristoff stared at her for a moment before nodding and slowly rising up over her, gently smoothing his hands over her hair, her cheeks, her shoulders before leaning down to kiss her.
"Tell me to stop and we'll stop, okay?" he said, pressing his cheek to hers.
"I know," Anna said, curving one hand around the back of his neck. "Now stop talking."
Kristoff laughed deep in his chest as he settled in between her thighs, gently stroking his fingertips over her damp curls, dragging the pads over her heated flesh, Anna's breath catching on a gasp as he slid two fingers inside her, his thumb rubbing tight circles over her as her head fell back against the pillow, eyes fluttering shut as his fingers twist and slid in her, over and in and oh…
Anna inhaled shakily as Kristoff withdrew his fingers, settling his knees at the outside of hers, reaching down to grasp his length in one hand and very slowly guide himself into her, and she opened her eyes, forced herself to keep them on his as he slid inside, settling his weight onto his hands, forearms braced, and they'd done this so many times before, but for some reason, she could see his shoulders trembling.
Anna reached up to lightly touch his lips. "Are you okay?" she said, voice barely a whisper.
Kristoff's lips turned up into a smile, and he gently kissed her fingers. "Amazing," he said quietly, pushing in deeper. "You?"
Anna bit her lip and rolled her hips lightly against his. "Yeah," she managed. "I… I'd say that's a good way to put it."
Kristoff nodded, hips flush to hers, and Anna's head fell back again on a low moan at the feeling of him fully inside her, and there was a deep, delicious fullness to it but there was… so much more to it…
"Come here," Anna said, reaching up to grasp his shoulders, and her voice was shaky.
Kristoff hesitated before obliging, dropping down onto his elbows, carefully leveraging his weight above her, but he was laid along her, so close, their bodies touching in a thousand places, at a thousand points, and he dropped his forehead to hers as she wrapped her arms around his back, clutching at his shoulderblades.
"I love you," Anna said, turning her face in against Kristoff's neck as he pulled out slightly, only to push back into her, smooth and deep. "So much."
Kristoff nodded, leaning so that his lips ghosted over hers, silently forming the same words as he began to thrust into her, his hands warm and wide as they curved over her sides, and Anna brought her legs up so they were wrapped tight around his hips, desperate to be as close to him as she could, to his warmth, his safety, to the love that was so awkward at times but real and full and bright in a way that she'd never dared hope for.
Kristoff kissed her, hard, as he moved within her, pushing her farther and farther back along the bed until Anna was leaning against the pillows, just desperately rocking against him, twining her hands into his hair, running them over his shoulders, and she could see the faint glint of her ring in the muted moonlight as she slid her fingers over his skin.
"We're getting married," she said in a breathless, almost disbelieving voice, rolling her hips against his. "Kristoff. We're getting married."
Kristoff's eyes were dark as he glanced down at her before kissing her again, sliding his hands under her back to wrap his arms tight around her. "We are," he said, tone matching her own, with just a hint of added laughter. "We really are. Oh god, Anna…"
He twisted his hips in just the right way, catching on something deep within her, the hard ridges of his abdominal muscles grazing over just the right spot between her legs, and Anna cried out, digging her fingers into his shoulders as her climax overtook her, harsh and sudden, vision fading as the world seemed to tilt and tumble around her and she ground desperately against him.
He never made it long after her, not with her contracting tight and wild around him, arms and legs and tight, wet heat clinging to him, and Kristoff groaned as he pressed as deeply into her as he could, turning his head in against her shoulder as he emptied himself inside her, thrusting shallowly, eyes rolling back.
They were both breathing heavily, sweat gleaming in the dim moonlight as they pulled apart, just enough to see, to stare into each another's eyes, and they exchanged dopey, sated smiles before laughing tiredly.
"That…" Kristoff managed between breaths. "That was…that."
"That," Anna repeated, running a hand through his hair. "Was that the best we've ever done or was it just me?"
"Oh, trust me," he said, pressing a tired, heavy kiss to her lips. "That would not have happened without you."
"Well, I hope not." Anna smiled as Kristoff wrapped his arms around her and rolled slightly to one side, folding her in against his chest, nuzzling in against her hair.
"Just with you," he murmured. "Always. Promise."
Anna pressed her left hand to his chest, a small smile tilting at her lips. "You know," she said quietly, "I think I'm okay with always."