Disclaimer for the ENTIRE STORY:
Disney owns Frozen and other characters and places to be mentioned. Whatever software, apps, websites, products, brands, and anything that is copyrighted that I might use does NOT belong to me. I own nothing but the plot.

Rule Number Five
by Reithel

One... two... three... fou—just how many did she drink?

Elsa frowned as she stared at a certain redhead completely wasted and sprawled unceremoniously on the fine marble flooring of the living room. Every exposed freckled skin was flushed, and her nose wrinkled upon catching a waft of alcohol. If only her professor on that one research subject didn't run late today, maybe she would've gotten home earlier and prevented this rather unfortunate scene.

"Anna." Elsa shook the girl gently, earning a groan and incoherent mumbling.

Sighing, Elsa placed her papers and folders on top of the coffee table and removed her bag before lifting Anna up to take her to her own room. She silently thanked her usual visits to the gym and Anna's petite stature for this task to not be so difficult.

Save for the irregular beating inside her chest.

Truth be told, Elsa didn't want to go home for the night. While waiting for her professor a few hours earlier, Anna sent a message saying something about a breakup with her most recent boyfriend. Elsa knew that her best friend needed someone to talk to, someone who would undoubtedly listen to her rants, but hearing the girl ramble about how painful it was hurt Elsa too.

She'd been in love with Anna for a long time.

In her mind, she knew how wrong it was. They were both girls, but that was the least of her problems. Anna was her best friend. Had been for more than a decade now. Their families had been friends since forever and they were practically sisters, often having sleepovers until high school ended. Once they were both in universities, they started living in the same apartment miles away from home.

Elsa's parents didn't mind, but Anna's only agreed because Elsa was with her. The blonde had always been the responsible one. They knew that their daughter was in safe hands and really didn't have any problem with that arrangement. But for Elsa, it was a huge catastrophe and a test to see if she was strong enough to cast away her feelings for her best friend.

It was difficult.

How can she move on when they live under the same roof?

Relief pooled in Elsa's chest, and she couldn't stop herself from releasing a lengthy sigh. Mercifully, Anna was already wearing house clothes. It saved her the need to worry about changing her outfit. It was already one thing that they live together, but Elsa didn't know if she could take undressing the unconscious and currently vulnerable redhead.

Shaking away the thoughts, Elsa went back to the living room to fix the mess. There was a slight pang in her chest the moment she saw a lot of crumpled tissue paper around the bottles of alcohol. Images of a crying Anna invaded her mind, strengthening her guilt for choosing to go home late just because she couldn't take listening to the girl's broken-heartedness. Though the blonde knew this had always been the routine every time Anna would break up with a boyfriend, she couldn't lie and say she wasn't hurt when seeing the girl of her affections cry.

Regardless of whether the break up was because of true love or not.

The world was spinning, and even though it was dark, Anna felt like throwing up. She felt like shit. She couldn't remember the last time she had drunk so much. Elsa would always stop her when she took too much of the offending liquid, but last night, the blonde wasn't there.

"Morning."

Anna didn't need to open her eyes to know who that voice belonged to, knowing full well who it was after hearing how it changed over the course of time. Groaning because of a terrible headache, she tried to push herself off the bed.

Elsa picked up on the girl's problem and chuckled lightly. "Here," she offered, reaching Anna's side and helping the girl up. "Drink this."

Not hesitating to drink whatever pill it was Elsa placed in her hand, Anna drank it because she knew it would help ease the throbbing sensation inside her head. Elsa was a magician that way, always managing to make everything better.

Feeling something cold touch her lips, Anna reflexively held on to the stuff, not caring that Elsa's hand was being trapped between her own. "Ugh," Anna groaned after drinking a full glass of water.

After the redhead drank everything, Elsa placed the glass on top of the nightstand and patiently waited until Anna could open her eyes. It took all she had to act nonchalant because she knew that once her headache was gone, a series of rants and complains would come her way.

"I'll be in the kitchen. Come out if you feel like eating." Elsa suggested and left the room, leaving the redhead who was still rubbing her temples.

One... two... three... Anna wasn't sure how many minutes passed but soon, her headache became manageable. She opened one eye just to test the waters. Yep! All better! Puffing out a harsh breath, she stood and blinked a few times before letting her feet guide her where her nose and stomach was asking her to be.

Elsa smirked when she saw the redhead's unruly mane. "That was fast."

"Shush!" Anna raised a finger, demanding her to keep quiet. "You owe me a feast today!"

"Oh? And why, exactly, do I owe you?"

"You weren't here last night! How come you left me alone to drink all of tho- Where are the bottles?!" Anna turned her head from side to side, wondering if she threw the bottles out before she passed out in the living room.

"I threw them away. It reeked in here last night." Elsa crossed her arms. "Shouldn't you have better control than that? I still don't get why you keep drinking when you're such a lightweight."

"It helps me forget the pain." Anna flopped down on one of the stools, ignoring the blonde's inquisitive eyes. "It's not like I always do it. Only when things get a little too much," she mumbled under her breath.

As soft as it was spoken, Elsa heard it and inwardly rolling her eyes. If she shared the same attitude, maybe she'd be a drunkard. Being with Anna every day, living under the same roof, was more than just a little too much. But no. Elsa knew better than to depend on alcohol.

"So why did you break up with Jack?" Elsa decided to jump straight to the issue, but Anna simply glared at her. "Sorry, was it Elias? Terrence? Sled? Oh wait, that was the third, I think? Let's see..."

"Hans!" Anna growled.

"Oh, yes! That one!" Elsa snapped her fingers and laughed when Anna's face turned pink. "So what makes him different from the last four guys you've been with this year?"

Hearing Anna ramble about her most recent Mr. Perfect wasn't the best thing Elsa wanted to talk about, but she knew that Anna needed to vent. Whatever it was that Hans did, it created quite the impression. After all, it was the first time this year that Anna was hurt enough to drink.

"I really thought he was the one! He's handsome, smart, athletic and a gentleman!" Anna crossed her arms petulantly and frowned. "But he was just waiting until he can get inside my pants!"

"What?!"

"Oh, come on, Elsa! I didn't agree!"

Elsa's mind short-circuited at the information spilling out of her best friend's lips. She didn't know how to react or what to say. She wanted to run after that Hans or whoever it was and kick him where it hurts until he was no longer capable of bearing any child in the future. The thought was very tempting, but Elsa wasn't the violent type. She has to be reasonable.

"Okaaaay?" Elsa raised a skeptical brow.

Anna groaned and took one of the glasses on the table that Elsa prepared earlier and poured herself some water. Because of her mushy mind, the water spilled out of the glass. Elsa made a mental note to wipe the kitchen island later.

"I really hate his guts! He said he wants me to avoid you and move in with him! Like, he's telling me to totally ignore you!"

"So why didn't you?" Elsa grabbed a towel from the kitchen counter.

"Are you serious?! There's no way I'll ignore you, Elsa! You're my best friend and I've known you far longer than he did!" Anna whined and the side of Elsa's lips twitched, threatening to curl into a smile. "If he really loves me, he'll accept my friends and won't ask me to avoid them!"

Elsa fought back the heat that was slowly creeping up her cheeks and went back to the kitchen island to wipe the water that spilled out of Anna's glass. She wasn't sure what to say. She knew that if Anna moved out, it would be easier to move on, but the idea of Anna moving in with some guy who was trying to get inside her pants didn't sound too appealing either.

"Sooooo... you don't 'love' him anymore?" Elsa asked while quoting with her fingers.

"Of course not!" Anna answered immediately, making Elsa smile quite sadly.

That had always been the routine for them. Anna would have a boyfriend, break up after a few weeks, cry herself out and suddenly, she was no longer in love. Elsa was happy to know that Anna didn't love any of those guys, but she was also skeptical. What if one day, Anna actually fell in love? Would the redhead really leave her?

"Alright... Well, we're still in the middle of the year. There are many guys out there." Elsa snorted when Anna shot her a glare. "What? No more? That's new. Usually, when you break up and move on, you'll search for another guy."

"Very funny." Anna rolled her eyes. "It's not my fault they looked so sincere! Besides, I can't turn them down! That will probably hurt them!"

If I asked you out, will you also agree because you don't want to hurt me? Elsa took big gulps from her glass of water to push away such thoughts. Conceal, don't feel, she repeated to herself. It was taking everything that she had to make sure nothing will ever slip out of her mouth. The last thing she wanted was to confess her feelings to this hopeless romantic friend of hers.

"I'm through with relationships," Anna said suddenly.

"Oh?"

"I'm serious!"

"You say that every time you deal with a breakup, Anna. Once you go out there and see another guy who fits the description of 'Prince Charming', you forget about it." Elsa pointed out a little dryly.

"I'm serious this time! From now on, no more prince charming. If you ever see me with another guy again, I give you permission to drag me away like you own me!"

"Are you sure? People will see you being dragged away by the collar." Elsa smirked.

"Okay." Anna's face scrunched up. "Maybe be gentle?"

Elsa hid her giggles behind her feminine hands and delighted at the way Anna pouted like a child. Look away, she chided herself. She was conscious of staring at the redhead for too long. It helped that Anna was a total airhead and oblivious to her feelings, but she didn't want to take chances.

"How about you? Any girlfriend yet?" Anna started laughing and slamming the table on pure bliss when Elsa choked on her drink.

Anna knew that Elsa wasn't straight. She knew because Elsa told her before and she noticed it herself. They were best friends, after all. Anna didn't mind because to her, it doesn't change the fact that Elsa was still the same girl she grew up with. To her, it doesn't matter that Elsa was gay.

"Still nothing? What about the brunette I saw with you once?" Anna asked after getting herself together. "Bianca? Betty? B... Bella?"

"Belle," Elsa corrected. "There is nothing going on between me and Belle, Anna. We're just acquaintances studying the same course."

"And you just so happen to be members of the same gym." Anna wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Come on, Elsa! It could work! She looks pretty and kind!"

"I'm not looking for love, Anna. It comes naturally." Elsa gently lifted her glass to take subtle sips of it.

"I didn't know you were romantic."

"I'm not." Elsa denied as she settled her glass on top of the kitchen island. "I just don't want to waste my time on someone who won't stay in my life. I've seen you miserable countless times because of 'love', thank you very much."

When Anna didn't say anything, Elsa started feeling uneasy. She knew that look on the redhead's bright and beautiful turquoises. It wasn't hurt that flashed in it but plain mischievousness. Anna was thinking about something that could probably drag Elsa into another one of her shenanigans. Elsa braced herself by drinking another glass of water while desperately hoping the ground would swallow her whole.

After a few agonizing seconds, a huge grin stretched across Anna's face. She crossed her arms and settled them on top of the kitchen island while staring intently at Elsa. The blonde didn't know what to do with herself and was afraid to hear what Anna has to say. It's not going to be good, she thought.

She was proven right when she heard Anna's next words.

"Make me your girlfriend, Elsa."