A Long Winter (1/3)
Word Count: 4997
Part one of a three part series, so make sure you follow for the other two chapters which will be posted around this holiday season!
Christmas was coming, Anna's favourite time of the year. Except for the fact that she had to show up at her family Christmas party again with no boyfriend. It was something that never failed to embarrass her each year, this year especially now that Elsa was officially engaged. It was going to be a string of 'oh you're next Anna' and 'when are you going to find someone Anna?' for the whole duration.
She loved the party, she really did. With her parents gone, they didn't see much of their extended family but this gave everyone an excuse to come together in one place and celebrate, Arendelle style.
One thing she did hate was work. She was currently working in a coffee shop as a barista which she hated so much. Anna had bigger dreams, dreams of opening her own proposal company and helping people ask that one perfect question to their significant others. Her sister had said that she just wanted to live through other's happiness. Which was true, she loved making people happy
But that would never happen, she was stuck in a dead end job with a workaholic co-worker who didn't even talk to her. Most days she sat daydreaming until Kristoff or Mr Grumpypants (which she called him behind his back) would nudge her arm and tell her that Clark was in for his morning black coffee.
Kristoff was.. handsome but extremely rude. Well that's what Anna got from his persona anyway, she had a deeper feeling that he was a big softie on the inside but she'd never know.
"Anna, come on, it's rush hour!"
"We're not the bloody motorway Kristoff, people can wait."
It was Friday afternoon when Anna got a call from her grandma.
"Hello my darling." Anna really cherished her grandmother, she worked hard to get everything she wanted in life and she couldn't help but admire that.
"Hello, how's everything?"
"It's good, it's good.. Anyway what's this I hear about your boyfriend?"
Anna looked puzzled. "What?"
"Don't play foolish with me, your Aunt Marie told me that your nephew Steve said you were dating some guy you work with? Christopher?"
Anna was shocked. "Kristoff?"
"Yeah that's the man. How is he? Please tell me you're bringing him to the party?"
"Wait what?" Anna almost laughed at the thought of her and Kristoff together. "Why does he think I'm dating Kristoff?"
"You're not?" Her grandmother sounded sad, she'd always said that she wanted to see her grandchildren get married before she died and with Anna being the only one left she didn't want to disappoint.
"Oh yeah, Kristoff? Pfft. Yeah he's my boyfriend. I l-love him." She had to stop herself from going into a fit of giggles.
"So he's coming yes?"
"I'll have to ask him, you know, he's busy with work and that."
"You work in the same place Anna."
"Oh right, yes. He'll be there. Okay, I have to go now grandma, I'll see you next week. I love you."
"Love you too sweetie, say hello to Kristoff for me."
Anna coughed loudly to cover her stifled laughter. "Oh I will don't you worry."
When Anna hung up the phone she couldn't move. Kristoff. Ew.
She could pretend she was really sick and couldn't make it to the party. No that wouldn't work, she'd still come to the house anyway. Maybe she could pretend Kristoff's pet rabbit had died. No that wouldn't work.
Ugh, she was stuck with it.
"You what?"
"I had to agree, grandma was so happy!"
"You and Kristoff?"
Her sister hadn't been the most helpful in the matter, she'd spent the first ten minutes after Anna had told her bursting into a fit of giggles.
"Yes." Anna said with a small voice.
"Oh my god Anna, this is brilliant!"
"Shut up. He's not that bad." Elsa shot her sister a raised eyebrow expression. "Okay, maybe he's a little grumpy but don't deny he's handsome."
"Okay, I'll give you that.. But- wait. Are you- are you blushing?"
"What, no!"
Sure enough Anna's face was a deeper shade of pink than it was two minutes ago.
"You are! You like him."
"No, I don't. Besides he's grumpy and the only words he's ever said to be have been stern ones so let's just leave it shall we?"
"Jeez okay okay. But seriously Anna, what are you going to do?"
"I'm gonna ask him."
"And if that doesn't work?"
"Then I'll kidnap him." Elsa gave Anna a death glare before smirking slightly. "Okay fine, then I'll tell the truth."
"To be quite honest Anna, I think you should tell the truth anyway."
"Says you, Miss 'secretly engaged for seven months' you're a fine one to talk."
"Okay shh.. I'll give you that one." She wrapped up her little sister in her arms. "I'm just worried about you, that's all."
"You don't need to be, I'm fine."
"I know, now come on. You better get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."
"What?" Oh. OHH.
"You've gotta ask him. I'll cross my fingers that he says yes!"
"So will I." Anna muttered under her breath before leaving Elsa's house, smiling at the decorations, she'd really outdone herself this year.
Anna spent the whole of the next morning reciting what she was going to say to Kristoff. She could lie, but how could you come up with something that big.
"Hey Kristoff."
"Hello Anna, you ready to start distributing the new Christmas drinks today?"
"Uhm. Yeah." Anna began setting up the coffee machines whilst Kristoff watched over her, something he did every morning since the spillage incident where the coffee granules ended up all over the floor.
"Good."
"Hey, Kristoff can I talk to you for a second?"
"Is this about me covering more of your shifts? Because I'm not doing that again."
"No, no." She fidgeted with her dress a little whilst gathering up the courage to ask him. "So my family kind of think that we're dating."
"Wait what why would they think that?"
"Well, I don't know, but they do and I couldn't bring myself to tell my grandma that we weren't. I mean she's getting older and I think she just wants to see me happy and with my sister engaged and everything I think she's worried that I'll never find someone even though I keep telling her that I don't have to find someone right now, she just lives in the past you know? Doesn't really understand that women can want more than a husband in life do-"
"Anna, shh."
She was taken aback by this and almost started crying, but she took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm sorry, I've been told I talk a lot when I'm nervous and I was just nervous to ask you because I mean we hardly speak and when we do I feel like you hate me or something so-"
"Anna, you're doing it again and besides, I don't hate you."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing."
"Okay, sor-damn."
He laughed at her blabbing nature and she was quite sure that it was the first time she'd ever heard him laugh or even seen him smile. She felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach, this was a completely new feeling for her and something inside told her that she wouldn't be able to shake it off.
"So will you?"
"Fine, only if it'll make you be quiet for five minutes."
"Yup, see mouth closed for renovations." She made a zipper motion in front of her mouth and tossed away the imaginary key.
"You're weird."
Anna raised her eyebrows and let out a small chuckle and continued with her daily workload.
Two days later Anna suggested that they both sit down and get to know each other a little and come up with a fake back story for them. Kristoff reluctantly agreed and once everyone had left, content with their coffee, the pair sat down on one of the comfy sofas at the back of the shop.
"So Kristoff Bjorgman.."
"Yes, Anna Arendelle?" He smirked.
She smiled. "Well good, at least we know each other's names, that's a start right?"
"I guess."
Anna nervously played with the ends of her braids whilst attempting to come up with a back story. "Okay, so we obviously met at work right?"
"Right."
"And who made the first move?"
"You."
"Why me? Why can't you be the hopeless romantic?"
"Because you're you."
Anna was offended by the comment and frowned at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're all happy and stuff and I just always seem miserable." He sighed. "I'm not that bad you know. I don't mean to come across as rude or anything. It's just, I don't know I hate work."
"Yeah I get you. Anyways, okay so how about the fact that we both had feelings for each other but I was the one who brought it up."
Kristoff thought for a moment before agreeing. "Yeah, you blurted it out accidentally whilst we were closing up shop. I was helping you put on your coat because the sleeves were inside out, and then you looked me in the eyes and said it. I like you."
"I knew you were secretly a big softie!" Anna came out of her Kristoff spell. "But yeah, sounds good."
She nearly cried. The way he could even make up a simple, sweet gesture made her heart soar. She didn't know what this feeling was but she guessed it was something that she could get used to.
"Okay so there's our cover story. What about your family?" Anna questioned, immediately regretting it once his face dropped. "I'm sorry- if you don't want to talk about it that's fine, it's not necessary for me to know."
"No, I mean.. It's fine. Um, I lost my parents in a house fire when I was seven." If Anna didn't regret asking enough before, she certainly did now. "And my mum was long gone and my dad told me to just run, run out of the building.. So I did."
"Kristoff, I'm so sorry, I didn't know, I"
"No no no, it's fine. I was really close with my neighbours growing up. An older woman lived there called Bulda looked after me as well as her seven kids. She's amazing, she still cooks me a roast dinner every Sunday, even though I'm 25."
"That's sweet, what was she like? Your mother that is."
"She had the most beautiful brown eyes and blonde hair. I remember she would sing the same rhyme to me every day before bed. She was the type of mum that would read poems to me before bed and we would drink hot cocoa together, she was the best."
Anna felt tears prick at her eyes. "And your dad?"
"He was in the army and I didn't see him much. He'd only been home three days when the fire broke out. It was still hard to see him go, he was my idol."
"I bet."
They both sat in silence for a couple of minutes, smiling up at each other occasionally.
"I lost my parents too."
"Oh, Anna I'm sorry."
"It's getting better, it happened a few years ago now. They went on a trip and never came back. I remember crying for days once I'd found out."
"What happened to you?"
"I was seventeen so I wasn't as young as you. My sister had just moved to London and she came back to look after me whilst I finished up high school."
"Are you and your sister close?"
"Very. We never used to be, but now I don't know how I could live without her. She's my rock. My sister and my best friend."
"It's always good to have someone on your side."
"That's true."
"So anything else I should know about? What about your family at this party?" Kristoff questioned, trying to lighten up the mood a little.
"Well my grandma is going to be there, she holds it every year at her big house. All my Aunts and Uncles, cousins. I don't have a massive family but it's nice to see them all once in a while."
"Yeah."
"Okay, I should probably head off." Anna went to put her wool coat before Kristoff pulled her back down.
"Wait, stay for another coffee?" He pleaded.
Anna wasn't used to seeing him like this. Even still located in the work setting but not physically working, he was like a completely different person.
"Okay, but I think I'm going to make one of those honeycomb hot chocolates with lots of whipped cream."
"Sounds great."
"Want one?"
"Sure, why not." Anna got up to make the drinks, falling over the table leg and landing into Kristoff's lap on the way. She immediately stood up and walked off to the machines.
Five minutes later and she still wasn't back.
"You need some help?" Kristoff called.
"No, I'm all good." BANG. "Okay maybe a little help."
"So tell me a bit about yourself?"
"What is this, a job interview?"
Anna giggled. "No, it's a fake boyfriend interview."
"Well, not much to know.. I work here, I have a dog called Sven-" This made Anna burst into laughter and Kristoff was left wondering what the heck was so funny.
"What?"
"It's just, I thought Sven was a rabbit."
"What made you think that?"
"Because you made me run to the store last month for carrots for Sven. What kind of dog eats carrots?"
"Mine."
"Oh right then. So about me, I'm awkward-"
"Got that part." Kristoff interrupted which earned a punch in the arm from Anna. "What about goals? Aspirations? Come on, we both know that working here is a bore."
"I'm not going to tell you, it's too weird."
"No come on, I won't laugh."
"Well, okay. I want to open my own proposal agency."
"That's not what I imagined when you said weird." He smiled sympathetically.
"I mean it's doable I guess, I just don't believe in myself enough yet."
"Why?" Anna looked at him confused. "Why do you want to do that?"
Ever since Anna was younger she'd been fascinated by the whole proposal thing. When she was very young she remembered asking her mother where she got her 'shiny' ring from and she had said that Anna's dad had given it to her as a sign that he wanted to be with her forever. Ever since then, she'd decided she loved that idea.
Then she recalls when she was seven and was at the park, holding her fathers hand, Elsa on the other. They were out on one of their daddy-daughter days at the park. Then she'd seen a man get on his knee and produce a very flashy ring out of his pocket. Anna wanted to run up there and hug them once she'd heard the woman's response, but her dad reminded her that it was a sentimental moment between the pair.
"It's just such a magical thing that should be done in the right, meaningful way. I mean some people don't know what to say when it comes to proposing, where to do it or whether it's even the right time. I just want to help people have that special first moment, you know?" Anna shook her head and placed it in her palms. "I'm sorry, I'm doing it again."
"No, no. That's such an inspirational idea."
"Thanks." Anna glanced at the clock. "Oh goodness, it's seven already? I'm supposed to be babysitting my next door neighbours little girl at eight and I haven't had any dinner yet."
"Yeah I best be heading off to, you know, to feed Sven."
"The dog." Anna laughed. "I can't believe I thought he was a rabbit."
"I can't believe it either."
"Thanks again for this. Everything. It means the world to me, and my grandma too."
"No problem, I owe it too you for the crap I make you put up with here."
They awkwardly hugged at the door before parting both ways down the empty high street flooded with Christmas lights. The chilly breeze making Anna curl up into her coat and scarf as she walked home.
Kristoff woke up to the sound of his phone vibrating on the top of his bedside cabinet. He groggily opened his eyes and reached over to check the phone.
You have four (4) new messages off Anna A.
Kristoff sleepily shook his head to refocus his eyes. They hadn't spoken to each other properly since they'd said their goodbyes last Thursday. Friday had been an awkward one in work, they just didn't look at each other Kristoff made sure that he didn't raise his voice at her. It was now Sunday and Anna obviously didn't know that this was Kristoff's lie-in day.
Hi Kristoff, I hope it's okay that I text you! I was just wondering that since it's our day off and everything, maybe we could get to know each other a bit more?
He opened the next message.
But obviously I don't mean in a weird way or anything, it's just that we need to make out (not literally) that we've been together for a while so we need to stop being so awkward around each other you know what I mean?
Anna didn't know the meaning of awkward, he thought as he opened the next message.
So I was thinking that maybe we could go for a walk through the park or something? I mean it's a chilly day but we could wrap up, and I spent all day yesterday wrapping Christmas presents so I could use some fresh air.
And the final text read..
Oh my goodness, I just realised that you worked yesterday so this is probably your only day off. I'm so sorry, don't worry about it, we'll do it another day. I'm so sorry Kris.
Kris, he thought.. Nobody have ever have him a nickname before and he strangely liked it. He checked his watch, 10am, well it wasn't too early he concluded, so he text back.
Hey Anna, no don't worry about it. The park sounds great, shall I meet you outside the front of Woodland Park at 11?
He waited a couple of minutes for a reply and then he got a 'yay, okay!' And then started panicking about what to wear.
He didn't know why he was so nervous about seeing her again. I mean, he'd seen her five times a week for the past 5 or so months but never once had he interacted with her in the way he did a few days prior. Come to think of it he'd never interacted with anyone that way before. Anna was so bubbly and kind and everything he wasn't but deeply wanted to be. He wanted to have her positive attitude, a part of him thought that this was the reason he'd decided to help her. Another part thought that it was because deep down he was truly sorry for the way that he'd treated her for the past few months, like she wasn't even a real person.
He'd always been fond of her, since she'd walked through the door asking about the job advertisement in the window. He knew that she was pretty and would be great with the customers, that's why she was at the desk and he was the one who made the drinks and didn't have to speak to people. He recalled when she first called in sick after 3 months of non-stop work and he never even said to get well soon. He regretted this now. And that one time she cried in the staff office because she'd had an argument with her sister and he'd never even comforted her.
But this was a new day and he was beginning to feel like he was a completely changed person. He wanted to smile with Anna and hear her stories, no matter how long they may be. He wanted to hear her laugh and have her listen to every word he had to say as if she had a real interest in his life.
A shower and a well needed shave later, he was out the door and headed to meet Anna. He was dressed in what he considered his best casual outfit. A knitted grey jumper and a pair of jeans as well as a winter coat and a nice scarf that Bulda had knitted him last Christmas.
He smiled a little when he saw Anna walking towards him. She was dressed in a grey wool dress, black tights and a grey long coat. She accessorized with a red check scarf and a pair of gloves. She wore her hair curled and loose on her shoulders and warm ear muffs. She looked stunning, but Kristoff wouldn't admit that of course.
"Bloody hell, it's freezing." Were Anna's first words.
"Well hello to you too, and this was your choice!"
Anna laughed. "Well I didn't know how cold it was going to be! I was in bed when I text you."
Kristoff just rolled his eyes and put his hands in his pockets to keep warm. "How about we get some take out hot chocolate?"
"Sure, as long as it's not from work because Bill is on tills today and he takes forever."
Kristoff laughed and shook his head as they went down the road towards a different coffee shop.
Kristoff paid for their cocoa, even after Anna's protests of 'no I invited you out, I'll pay for them' and 'at least let me pay for my own.' He also bought her a chocolate brownie after watching her eye it up and when he gave it to her, she let him take a little bite.
They both wandered into the park looking at all the beautiful Christmas lights that had been set up for the holidays, the trees almost looked like they were glistening with snow.
"Shall we go ice skating?"
"W-what?" Anna stumbled.
"You know, ice skating?"
Anna began playing with the buttons on her coat. "Oh I-I don't know how to skate."
"That's no problem. I'll help you stay upright."
Once Anna had reluctantly agreed and they both paid and put on their skates, they stepped onto the ice. Kristoff told Anna to place her hands on his shoulders and he placed his on her elbows to keep her steady as she stepped onto the slippery surface.
"See, you aren't that b-" He definitely jinxed it. She fell completely against his body and he wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her from sliding backwards and onto the hard ice. "Okay maybe I spoke too soon."
He skated her over to the edge where she took off her gloves and began wiping her eyes.
"Hey, why are you crying?"
"Because I can't do anything right, I'm so clumsy and awful at stuff like this."
He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. It takes some getting used to. You just have to be persistent and you'll get it."
And with that he grabbed her hand and she slowly made her way around the ice, she even let go of his arm for a split second before she nearly fell straight on her bum, so Kristoff gripped at her waist and told her to come closer.
"You're so good at this."
"I had practice."
"Did you have ice skating lessons?"
"Not exactly, I did ice hockey for a short while when I was younger."
"Oh, I didn't know people did that round here." She smiled, she wished she did something that cool when she was younger. All she did was travel city to city for business with her parents.
"Yeah, my dad actually got me into it, he used to coach until he went into the army."
Anna almost felt bad for asking, that was until she saw a small smile and a tear roll down his cheek.
"He was so good to me."
"I can imagine, if he was anything like you I'm sure he was an amazing father."
"I'm nothing like him, he was all sweet and kind and loving and I'm just moody and grumpy and horrible."
Anna frowned. "No you're not, you're none of those things. You're kind, just like him. You're the nicest person I've ever met."
"But I was horrible to you for so long, I didn't even comfort you that day I saw you crying in the office."
"Y-you saw me?"
"Yes."
"But I thought everyone had left, I was the one closing the store." She was utterly confused.
"I thought you seemed upset during the day so I wanted to make sure that you were okay but you weren't, obviously."
Anna smiled sincerely. "Then don't you see? You did care. You didn't realise it but you did. That's what matters Kris, that's what means everything. You're mum and dad would have been so proud of you."
He wanted to hug her, but he didn't. Instead he smiled softly, gripped her hand and pulled her off the ice.
Half an hour later and they were back walking through the other end of the park.
"The trees look so pretty like that."
"What? With no leaves?"
"Well yeah, but also imagine what they'd look like with snow on them."
"I think you spoke too soon."
Anna looked up to see white flakes falling from the sky, one landing right on her nose.
"OH MY GOODNESS KRIS IT'S SNOWING."
He laughed. "Yeah, I can see that."
"I love this weather, it makes me want to curl up inside."
"Don't you like being out in it?"
Anna shivered and pulled her scarf up to her mouth. "Nope. Too cold."
Kristoff laughed and reached for her hand, neither of them thought anything of the gesture.
"Want to come back to mine for a bit whilst we wait for it to stop?"
"O-okay, sure."
"So this is Sven?" Anna giggled as Kristoff took off her coat and hung it up on one of the two hooks he owned.
"Yep, not a rabbit."
"He's so cute." Anna ruffled the fur behind his ear and he excitedly jumped up at her.
"Okay Sven, calm down. At least let us get to the living room, we don't want you ripping Anna's dress."
"He's fine."
Anna awkwardly perched on the edge of Kristoff's sofa and took a look around the room. It was nice, very modern but still well decorated. He had a huge TV and a wide range of DVDs, from horror to Disney. She looked over to a shelf and saw that there was a picture of a couple and a young boy with blonde hair who must have been Kristoff. Anna thought that they must have been his parents. Next to that there was a picture of an older Kristoff hugging a woman who she assumed was Bulda. She smiled at these photos.
"So do you wanna watch a movie or anything?"
"Sure."
"What do you wanna watch?" Kristoff kneeled in front of his vast collection and began scanning through each one.
"You decide, I'm up for anything."
"Even Saw?"
"Okay, not that. Nothing scary."
"How about a chick flick?"
Anna smirked. "You own chick flicks?"
"Well duh, what else am I going to watch on Valentine's Day when I'm all alone." He chuckled and Anna laughed with him.
"You're so sarcastic."
"At least you got the sarcasm. Most people don't understand it."
"True." She watched as he slid the disc into the DVD player. "What'd you pick?"
"Wait and see."
She waited until the home menu popped up and her face lit up when she saw what it was.
"You own Dirty Dancing?"
"Guilty as charged." Kristoff sat down on his sofa and leaned against the armrest. He looked over at Anna who looked extremely uncomfortable. "You can make yourself at home you know."
She blushed and took off her boots and tucked her heels behind her, leaning her arm on a pillow that separated her from Kristoff.
An hour later and she was asleep, head drifting down the sofa.
Kristoff looked at her and decided that she couldn't sleep at that angle, so he moved over so that her head could rest against his shoulder and he pulled a blanket over her. He also tucked a little piece of hair behind her ear that was stray across her face. He decided that he liked this position and got himself comfy and drifted into a slumber himself.
When he woke back up it was 9pm and the snow had stopped falling, they'd been asleep the majority of the day. Well deserved, he thought after she woke him up this morning.
He looked down at the girl below him, she'd dribbled a bit down his arm and he was grossed out for a second. Only a second though and then he started finding it adorable and- oh crap. Did he just. Yep, she was adorable all right.
He didn't want to wake her but he also didn't want her to be late home so he nudged her softly and her eyes flickered open.
"Hey, the snow stopped, do you want me to walk you home?"
"Do you mind?"
"No, of course not."
She smiled and began to move towards the edge of the sofa to stretch and put on her boots.
They walked to the door in silence and he helped her put her coat on and sure enough, the arm was inside out. This was too dangerous, her thought. But still he helped her put it on because she was by no means fully awake yet. She stumbled out of the front door and he had to catch her.
And when they arrived at her house, she placed a kiss on his cheek, said goodbye and they both went their separate ways. Kristoff left blushing as he walked home.
A/N: So there you have it, part one! I hope you enjoyed the build up. This was supposed to be split into two chapters but I just wanted to get this part out so I had to change the others slightly but oh well!