Happy Nanowrimo!

Apologies. There are so many reasons for why it has taken so long to update, but it really just boils down to two factors:

1. I moved abroad for work. Literally, I am on the other side of the world; and

2. I lost all my work in the move. It's on a hard drive. Back in my home country. So, I decided to finish for Nano instead.

This is not edited (because nano) and I'm going to try and update as frequently as possible. We'll see.

Thank you for sticking it out xx

You wake up sometime in the early hours of the morning. It's a little surprising, mostly because it had been some time before you'd actually managed to fall asleep, despite the jet lag.

And, also, the jet lag.

You try to go back to sleep, but it doesn't quite work out. Your body is stiff, and it's cooler in the room than you'd expected it to be. It's not winter, but you still might end up sleeping with a jumper on tomorrow night. Glancing over, you wonder for a moment if it would wake Elsa if you got up to grab a sweater.

That's when you notice that... her bed is empty. Looking around the room, her suitcase is still by the end of her bed. It's closed, and probably locked. Her pyjamas are folded neatly on her pillow, though her bed is unmade. A glance at your phone tells you that it's about half-five and you've got about half an hour before your alarm goes off.

May as well start getting ready for the day.

Fortunately, you don't need a shower. It still takes some time to get yourself sorted, but by the time your phone is trilling, you're just finishing putting your hair up.

Elsa still hasn't come back.

You've got your phone out, the messaging app open to text her, when you pause. How should it be worded? You can't exactly ask her where she is: you're not her mother. Plus, it's not like she's going to abandon you in another country. All her luggage is still here, for one. For another, you are here for work, so...

Just as you sigh and begin typing out an insincere, "Good morning!", your phone buzzes in your hand.

It's a text. From Hans.

Eyes widening, you realise that you haven't spoken to him since you pashed at the airport terminal (and that thought brings a blush to your cheeks. At least, for that, you can be glad that Elsa is out...)

Hey, gorgeous, it reads. There's a little emote of a face blowing a kiss, and you try really hard to bite back your smile. It doesn't really work. Call me when you get this. I want to know you arrived safe!

There's a little heart emoji, and even as you begin dialing you know he's going to hear the smile you can't keep down.

When he answers, his voice is a little gruffer than you'd expected. And then you realise that it's probably some godforsaken hour (but really, he texted you first! And he said to call!).

"Hey..." you say, suddenly unsure. It seems he doesn't have anywhere near the same level of uncertainty as he speaks.

"Hey, how's my girl?" he asks. You bite your lip, the corners curling up as your heart swells, just a little. You like this.

And it sucks, completely, that it has to happen while you're overseas for a good week. Why did you have to work up the courage to kiss him just before you knew you wouldn't be able to?

Though... perhaps that's the answer, too. If... if it hadn't been successful, then you'd have a break to reevaluate. You wouldn't have to awkwardly avoid his eyes of a morning as you come in; wouldn't need to seek advice from Kristoff – who has more than enough of his own stuff to sort out.

... You really need to call him, too.

But not right now, because Hans is saying your name and bringing you back to the conversation.

"Sorry," you tell him. "I just... I'm still waking up."

"I was just heading to bed. It's almost one in the morning here."

You bite your lip again, but it's not so much about holding back a smile. "Sorry," you say. "You probably want to sleep..."

"Mmm, yeah... I kind of just want you here, too..."

Oh god. This is. Wow. You let out a slow breath, swallowing dryly.

"I-"

"You've only been gone a couple of days, and it's so noticeable," he continues, cutting you off. "And I think it was a little rude, actually."

Your heart seizes in your chest, but it's not as bad as the words normally would have made it; there's too much humour in his tone to really affect you like that.

"O-oh?"

"Mhmm. How dare you kiss me like that before going away for a week?"

It's obvious, in his tone, that he's not actually upset or angry. You're a little unsure, though, because you've never... done this before. You're not sure what to expect. You're not sure what to say.

So, you just clear your throat, and say the first (stupid) thing that comes to your head: "W-well, absence makes the heart grow fonder..."

He lets out a little laugh that's interrupted by a yawn. "It's definitely working, then," he says.

Just at that moment, the door clicks open. Elsa pauses when she realises you're up, before continuing. The door shuts, and she makes her way towards the bathroom, putting a brown paper bag on a small table in the corner.

"Hey, I better go," you say. There are other things you want to tell him, but with Elsa in the next room, the quiet atmosphere that had surrounded you is gone. Hans gives another yawn.

"Yeah, me too. Busy work day tomorrow. But... try and call in the afternoon?"

"Sure! I'll... talk to you later?"

"Goodbye, Anna. Don't work too hard." And then he's gone.

You have a good feeling about today.