There was always a first time for everything. This Kristoff had known ever since he was small. He could still remember the first time he'd gone ice harvesting, for example, an event he now looked back on in a sort of endearing embarrassment. He could still remember how he'd slid clumsily across the ice, accidentally knocking into a few harvesters and causing them to bark at him angrily. He could barely lift up a block of ice on his own, and he fell into the water more times than he would have liked to admit. It was all very frustrating. The older guys just seemed to do everything better than him, they sang louder, carved faster, lifted heavier, and got more ice than he did. They even walked cooler than he did, and by the end of that first day, Kristoff had trudged home, feeling completely devastated.
"I just want to be like them," he had muttered, kicking some snow aside.
He was startled from his grumbling however, as he suddenly came across a small baby reindeer, who was injured and lying in the snow. It was trying to help itself up, but with no avail, and instead wound up just squirming around in the snow helplessly. The reindeer spotted Kristoff and at first looked frightened, but then relaxed, a hopeful pleading filling his eyes instead.
Kristoff took pity on the injured creature and ran over to him immediately. He knelt down beside the reindeer to inspect its leg, which was bent at an unnatural angle. "Hey there, little guy!" He'd whispered, petting him softly. "What are you doing out here all by yourself?"
The reindeer had rested his head against Kristoff, nuzzling him softly.
"Do you have a family?" Kristoff asked, reaching up to scratch a spot behind his ear.
The reindeer sneezed, and Kristoff decided to take that as a 'no'.
"Well, you can be a part of mine!" He picked the reindeer up carefully, buckling a little under the weight. "Whoa, you're kinda heavy huh?" He'd said, laughing slightly. If reindeers could give annoyed looks, then this one did, and Kristoff couldn't help but laugh even more. "Sorry," he apologized.
Kristoff had then brought the reindeer back to his family's cabin; a small, isolate place out in the woods. "Welcome to my home!" He said.
The reindeer had smiled and leaned over to lick Kristoff's cheek. Kristoff laughed, blushing as he brought the reindeer inside the cabin. There were two bedrooms and a main room that contained a small wood stove, a fireplace, and an old-looking couch. There was also a circular oak table, as well as three mismatched chairs seated around it. An icebox sat in the corner of the room, but it was almost empty.
Kristoff crossed the room, laid the reindeer down on the couch, and propped a pillow under its injured leg. "Looks like it's just you and me for now," he said merrily, going over to light the fireplace. "My mom and dad had to go on a trip to Strengereid,you know, over the North Mountain? They haven't come back yet, but I know they will. My dad's really good at traveling mountains." He paused to glance out the window. The mountains stared back, and Kristoff tried to ignore the lurking feeling of fear that hung over them. "He said it himself, the trip would only take 3 days," he continued, his voice quieter this time.
The reindeer sneezed again, and Kristoff rushed to his side. "Here," he said, placing a blanket over him. "You're really cold, aren't you?"
The reindeer shivered slightly, and Kristoff wrapped his arms around him in a big hug. "Here, let me get you a bandage," he said, going over to look through the cabinets. He dug past old wood carving tools, some little bits of rope, and a couple rusty nails before he found some gauze appropriate for use. "Here you go!" He said, wrapping it around the reindeer's leg. "All better!"
The reindeer stuck out his tongue and smiled up at Kristoff. Kristoff couldn't help but feel like the reindeer could understand what he was saying, even if he was only an animal. Its eyes shone with gratitude, and Kristoff could practically hear him saying 'thank you'. So, Kristoff decided to do it for him.
"Thank you!" Kristoff said in a slightly obnoxious voice, pretending that it was the reindeer talking. This came across as highly amusing to him, and he rolled over laughing, unable to contain himself.
That had been the first time he'd spoken for Sven, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. From that day on, they were best friends, partners in crime, blood brothers, and most of all; inseparable. Sven was the first real friend Kristoff ever had, someone who listened to him and understood him, and someone who he felt he could be himself around.
Every day that passed seem to bring some other "first" with it, some minor, some not as much. There was certainly no forgetting the first time Kristoff had gone to sell ice in Arendelle. He had been about 10 years old, and very, very nervous. He'd stood on the side of the street, calling out to everyone who passed by, but not too many people had seemed interested. Selling ice turned out to be a lot harder than he thought it'd be, even on the hottest days of summer. It would take a lot of time and practice until he was able to know where the best places to sell were, what time of the day to be there, and exactly what to say. And practice he did. Whether rain or snow, holidays or weekends, Kristoff was on the streets, working his hardest to sell his harvests. By the age of 15, he had grown to become one of the best ice harvesters and sellers in Arendelle. It was the first time he'd gotten any real recognition, something he was appreciative of, but not really keen to. He didn't enjoy being the center of attention, and preferred to keep to himself.
Firsts weren't always so great, though. Kristoff would never forget the first time he'd gone to a funeral, well, an official one, anyway. Every citizen in Arendelle had been required to attend the one honoring the passing of the King and Queen. It had been a dark day, one of the darkest he could remember. The whole town was quiet, and the world had just seemed black. The ceremony had been long and somber, and Kristoff had found himself feeling remorseful for someone other than himself or Sven, which was new for him. He couldn't help but pity the young princess as she walked up to her parents' graves, placing bouquets of flowers on them all, he himself knew what it was like to lose your parents. He would never forget the day when he finally accepted the fact that his parents never made it to Strengereid, and that they were never coming back for him. It had to be just as awful as what she was going through now.
Being at the funeral brought all those painful memories back, and it took everything in Kristoff not to flee at once. When the ceremony was over, he had rushed off, not wanting to stick around for too long. On his way out, he could still remember how he'd accidentally ran into the princess, who had been dashing away from the scene red-eyed and sobbing.
"I-I'm sorry!" Kristoff had stammered, waiting for her to yell at him, or do whatever it was that angry royals did.
Anna had just shaken her head, mumbling something about how it was, "all her fault, anyway," and pushed past him, jumping into a carriage and riding off. It wouldn't be until years later when they'd cross paths again, under completely different circumstances, of course.
Kristoff remembered that he had watched her ride off. He found himself wishing he could talk to her more, that he could explain to her how he knew exactly what she was going through, and that things would eventually get better. It was the first time Kristoff actually had the urge to comfort someone, and he wasn't exactly sure how he felt about that.
But life went on. Kristoff fell into a routine; wake up, get dressed, harvest ice, go home, eat dinner, sleep.
And repeat.
Occasionally, he'd mix it up a little by going to Oaken's shop for some new supplies or taking a trip down to Arendelle to sell some ice. But it was never anything extremely new. And for a long while, there were no more firsts. Every day he did the same thing and every thing he did the same way.
But then that all changed when Anna, that princess he'd almost ran over at a funeral, came crashing into his life. She was loud and giggly and fun and sweet and brave and maybe even a little crazy, but perfect in his eyes. There was no other way to describe her-she was just Anna. And that's all Kristoff needed. He had never met anyone like her, not that he exactly went out of his way to meet people or anything.
She was his first love.
Yes, Kristoff had to admit, firsts could be almost anything; from embarrassing to sad to silly, or even to sweet. And Kristoff had yet to have a sweeter first than his first kiss. He knew that made him sound like the biggest sap of all time. He knew that if anyone found out he felt this way, they'd label him a lovesick idiot for sure, but it was true. He could still remember that excited, fluttery feeling he'd gotten in his stomach, the tingling sensation he'd felt as she pressed her lips against his cheek, driving him crazy without even knowing it. And with her two simple words; "We may," he had never felt happier.
And tonight, those fluttery, sappy feelings were even worse. Anna was sitting beside him in the sled, and had wrapped herself around his arm. She had a dreamy smile on her face as they navigated through the snow, and occasionally he could hear her humming softly. Kristoff couldn't help but smile down at her; his eyes filled with all the happiness only a newlywed could possess. Elsa had crafted Anna's wedding dress out of ice and snow, an intricate masterpiece that sparkled and shimmered as it caught the light. Tiny snowflakes were strung throughout Anna's hair, which was curled and swept up into a graceful updo. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold winter air, and her eyes were sparkling with excitement.
She looked beautiful.
"Hey, eyes on the road," Anna said, interrupting his thoughts. She smiled and leaned up to place a kiss on his nose.
"Technically speaking, there is no road out here," Kristoff smirked, but he followed her command nevertheless. "We are in the woods, if you can't tell."
Anna rolled her eyes, but still cuddled close to him. "You're so mean," she said.
"I don't know what you mean," Kristoff said, laughing a little too hard.
Anna snorted. "Was that supposed to be a joke?" She asked, giggling despite herself. "Because that was horrible."
Kristoff grinned at her. "Uh…no." He turned his attention back to Sven, who was pulling them along. "Just a bit further, buddy," he said, leaning forward to pat Sven on the back. "You know where to go."
Kristoff and Anna, as usual, had spent quite amount of time squabbling over details of the wedding. Most of them were minor, but somehow even simple things such as the colors of the tablecloths at the reception seemed to start a shouting match. It was Elsa who had finally settled things: Anna would plan the wedding, and Kristoff was in charge of the honeymoon. Kristoff had spent a lot of time thinking of what would be perfect for them, but he knew Anna just wanted something simple, maybe even a little sentimental. After a long while, Kristoff had managed to think of a place that he thought would be perfect, he was just hoping Anna would like it just as much.
Sven smiled back at Kristoff, his tongue wagging out as he lurched the sled forward abruptly.
"Whoa-kay!" Anna exclaimed. She reeled forward, falling onto Kristoff in the process.
"You alright?" Kristoff asked, letting go of the reins to help her up.
Anna brushed herself off, sending some snowflakes swirling off into the night. "Yeah, I'm just a klutz," she said, blushing as she felt Kristoff wrap one protective arm around her.
"Well, we're almost there," he said encouragingly. "About 5 more minutes, okay?"
Anna nodded and shifted in her seat excitedly. Kristoff had to stop himself from doing the same. Tonight there was going to be another first, one that both of them were looking forward too, but also feeling extremely nervous about at the same time. They both knew it was on the back of each other's minds; the air between them felt charged with excitement, and they kept throwing each other bashful glances.
"What do you think they're going to do with all the extra wedding cake?" Anna suddenly asked. "I mean, Elsa's not going to just throw it all out, is she?"
Kristoff straightened up and laughed. "Of course, that's what you're most worried about."
"I'm serious!" Anna exclaimed, pushing him playfully. "That was really good cake, okay? And if it's not there when we get back-"
"Olaf will probably eat it," Kristoff shrugged.
Anna frowned as she thought. "But…how? Olaf can't eat anything-he only has one tooth! How would he chew anything? And I'm pretty sure he doesn't even have a stomach."
Kristoff burst out laughing, for reasons even he didn't really know. "Well, considering he's survived impalement, I'm going to have to agree with you on that one."
Before they knew it, they had pulled up to the spot. Kristoff got out of the sled and went around to the back. He retrieved a large sack of carrots and came back to untie Sven. "Here you go, buddy," he said, setting down the bag and petting him affectionately. "Thanks for taking us out here."
Sven only snorted, and immediately bent down to munch away at his new treasure.
Kristoff went back over to Anna's side, bowing and holding out his hand in an over-dramatic manner. "My lady," he said, using his best "prince" voice.
Anna smiled at him before stiffening and sticking her nose up in the air. "Oh my, and who might you be?" She asked, using her prissiest voice.
"Only the man who will sweep you off your feet and whisk you off into a night of enchantment," Kristoff replied, never ceasing his royal grandeur.
Anna gasped and placed a hand over her heart in mock astonishment. "But sir, I am a married woman!" She exclaimed.
Kristoff reached forward and grabbed her, holding her bridal-style in his arms."And I am a married man," he smirked, starting to walk. In the center of the clearing, there was a small cabin, and Kristoff began to make his way over to it, trying not to trip in the deep snow.
Anna giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck for security. "Well, I suppose I can give in to your enchantments, at least for tonight. I must say, you dare may be the most handsome man I've ever met!"
"And you are the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on," Kristoff said back as he opened the cabin's front door. He set her down and the couple collapsed, laughing at each other's silliness.
After she had finished laughing, Anna stood up. She peered around the cabin curiously, trying to figure out the significance of the place. "Ah…where exactly are we?"
"My old home," Kristoff said, smiling shyly at her. He went over to the fireplace and lit it, suddenly feeling strange as hundreds of memories came flooding back. Nostalgic recollections of stormy nights, lute-playing, and star-gazing filled his head, and he smiled. He'd had some bad memories here, sure. But there was no ignoring the overwhelming comfort being in this cabin gave him.
Anna brushed off the old couch and sat on it, wincing as it sunk down a little more than it probably should have. She glanced over at him, looking slightly nervous. "So…ah, you lived out here? By yourself?"
Kristoff nodded and went to sit beside her, yanking off his boots as he sat down. "Yeah, sometimes. Especially when I was younger. I mean, later on I had a place with the trolls, but sometimes I just needed a little peace and quiet." He snorted. "You know how my family is."
Anna smiled, but only a little. "You must have been so lonely," she said softly. She placed a gentle hand over his and rubbed her thumb over it.
Kristoff shrugged, not wanting to dive into all the emotional trauma of his life. "Not really," he instead said.
Anna gave him a look. "Oh sorry, Mr. Mountain Man," she said, puffing out her chest and deepening her voice to imitate him. "I forgot you're a big, tough guy. No emotions."
"Hey, hey," Kristoff laughed, pulling her over to him. "I have emotions, I just don't blab about them like others I could mention."
"I do not!" Anna protested, poking him in the chest. She placed a quick kiss on his cheek and giggled as Kristoff responded by leaning down to kiss her neck, cheeks, and nose.
"Do too," He countered, pushing her back slightly while still leaving behind titillating kisses.
"Not," Anna insisted, lying down. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer. The couch sunk even lower under their weight and squeaked slightly, but neither Kristoff or Anna noticed. They only had eyes for each other.
"Mmm hmmm," Kristoff hummed, nuzzling his head in the crook of Anna's shoulder.
"No way."
Kristoff left a trail of kisses down her neck, feeling pleased as he heard her breath hitch. His hands had found their way to her upper thighs, and he began stroking them softly. Anna writhed under him and quickly grabbed his face, directing his ministrations to her lips. The fireplace was slowly warming the room, and soon the only sounds heard were the crackling of the flames, as well as the couple's frantic breaths as they leaned in to kiss each other again and again. Kristoff's head was pounding the whole time, and he found it was becoming harder to think clearly.
Anna whispered his name feverishly, and Kristoff growled hers in return. They gripped every part of each other that they could reach, overcome with passion. Anna was just reaching forward to pull at his jacket when Kristoff parted from her, feeling dazed as he tried to ignore the jumping feeling in his chest.
The couple beamed at each other as they tried to catch their breath, both looking starry-eyed. Kristoff smiled down at Anna, but found himself feeling extremely nervous as he realized where this was leading too. Anna was just so perfect, and Kristoff didn't want to hurt her. But at the same time, he wanted this, he wanted her,and most of all he wanted to show Anna just how much he loved her.
Anna was staring back up at him, and he could tell she was feeling the same way. Her face was full of nervousness, but also excitement, and she let out a few shaky breaths before she spoke. "Kristoff, it's okay," she murmured, raising a hand to cup his face. "I want this too."
Kristoff bit his lip. "It's just…I've never done anything like this before," he said, trying to sound calmer than he felt.
"Like I have?" Anna said, raising an eyebrow coyly.
Kristoff blushed. "I just don't want to do anything to hurt you," he explained.
Anna smiled gratefully at him, and pulled him back down for a long, deep kiss. "You won't, alright?" she said, sounding breathless as she came up for air. "I love you, and I trust you."
Kristoff took a deep breath. "I love you too."
"Alright then…let's do this!" Anna said, starting to sound excited. "Yes, you and I, me and you, us, together, right now."
Kristoff chuckled, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her nose. "You sure know how to set a mood, feisty pants." He picked her off the couch, making sure to hold her with the best of care.
"What can I say?" Anna shrugged, smirking at him. "It's a talent of mine."
"Really? Since when?" Kristoff remarked, earning himself a playful nudge. He brought Anna into one of the bedrooms, closing the door behind them. Moonlight poured in through a window, basking the room in a mystical glow. There was a fireplace, just like in the main room, but Kristoff didn't bother lighting it. He instead headed over to the bed situated in the corner of the room. He laid Anna on it gently and sat back, taking time to smile down at her with warm, caring eyes.
Anna smiled back. She reached out behind herself to tug at her hair, causing her bun to come apart and cascade around her shoulders in wavy tendrils. Kristoff bit his lip, feeling a sudden tightening in his pants. Gods, the things she did to him.
Luckily, Anna didn't seem to notice. "That went a lot better than I expected," she commented, tossing her hair tie aside.
"Agreed," Kristoff said, laughing at the faux-exasperated expression on her face. He leaned down and began to kiss her, his hands going up to run through her luxurious hair. He could smell the hint of chocolate on her, not that he minded. It was sweet and comforting, and surprisingly made him want her only more. He parted his lips slightly and Anna let out a low moan, opening her mouth and giving him full entrance to explore.
Kristoff poured out all his love into the kiss, as well as every action after. He wanted her to enjoy this as much as possible, and by the way she nipped at his skin and pressed herself against him, he could tell she felt the same way.
The rest of the night went by in a stimulating, thrilling blur. It was a first alright, but this one was unlike any other that Kristoff had ever had. This first was awkward and giggly, loving and sweet, fumbling but fun, passionate and exciting, but most of all, it was the best first he'd ever had. And when it was done, all he could feel was pure love.
Kristoff collapsed beside Anna, running a hand through his hair, his eyes wide. Both were breathing heavily, and they turned to smile at each other.
"Wow!" They breathed, followed by laughter.
Anna snuggled up against him and rested her head on his chest. "You were amazing," she whispered, hugging him tightly. "Like, really, super amazing."
"So were you," Kristoff replied, wrapping his arms around her as well. He rested his chin on the top of her head, suddenly feeling very sleepy. "You were perfect, actually. I mean, you're always perfect, but just now, you were like…a lot…of perfect things."
Anna giggled. "Well that's a first," she joked, yawning slightly.
Kristoff shook his head. "No, you just are, okay? Like every day."
Anna smiled and leaned up to place one last kiss on his lips. "So are you." She shut her eyes again, and within minutes was fast asleep and snoring.
Kristoff smiled. A sense of peace filled him as he started to drift off. How he was lucky enough to have a girl as great as Anna, he didn't know. He had to be one of the luckiest people on the planet, actually. As a matter of fact, they were lucky to have each other-someone who loved them through and through, no matter what. Kristoff never was too keen on the idea of "true love," and all that, but he felt like he had that with Anna. And if there was one thing Kristoff knew for sure, it was that no matter how many firsts he'd go through, Anna would always be the first, and he would always be there for her, even when all those firsts turned to lasts. And most of all, he promised himself that they'd do it all together, even when the fleeting lasts, became the end.