Elsa awoke again—confused at what her eyes seemed to be pointing at. She saw her fridge staring back at her as if it were also asking what she was doing. She was not lying down and felt something odd on her cheek, neck, and arm. The blonde sat herself upright in the chair she found herself on, and the feeling upon her skin only seemed to follow. A light weight abruptly fell off and landed with a thud. Elsa looked down after the realization she was present at her kitchen table. Elsa saw a canvas plastered in the ruins of her slumber. Colours were smeared and smudged in a somewhat visible imprint of her body. Noticing this, Elsa looked down at herself and saw the half she took with her—a rainbow of goo trailing all the way down to the shirt on her chest.

Elsa touched her cheek and looked at the paint on her two fingers. She stared, trying her best to envision what happened before sleep had taken her last night. She looked further up the table and saw two more paintings—these one's not blemished by her assent to exhaustion. Elsa rose to her feet and stepped to the table's side. The picture on the right was a sunset falling behind the green of two hilltops. With closer examination, she noticed just how rushed the drawing was due to the great lack of facet. Elsa was always one to take her art passionate and carefully, so this was bound to capture her attention, although the shading of orange to black worked rather well with it. It was equal to an eight-year-old's art.

The portrait on the left showed the backside of a silhouette of a girl standing at the bottom center of the canvas. She was small and facing upwards with her hands up to the sides. A ray of white shot outwards, forming the shape of a V. Clouds of scribbles and spirals were placed in the light. Elsa certainly didn't remember this one, but she knew it was some sort of an expression.

Elsa took a moment to step back and collect her thoughts. With her hands braced on the edge of the table, she let her head hang and mused. She walked through here memories step-by-step. She came home, ran to Shfix, sat on her bed, then got up. What happened after that? Elsa was struck dumbfounded at her failure to grasp an answer. All Elsa could remember was a glimpse of her mother's face. And then everything was black.

Elsa sighed, lightly shaking her head to the sides. She exhaled a large gust of air through her nose and opened her eyes after to gaze out the window. But before she looked upwards, an object from the very left corner of her eye seized her from performing her intentions. The corner of some sort of rectangle or square lied upon the opposite chair almost as if it were meaning to hide from her. The blonde paused but a moment—wonder and question in her brow; the room was dead silent. Elsa reached slowly—by each fraction closer did she become gradually more hesitant. Something strong was holding her back; she couldn't let it power over her. Her hand connected with it much swifter than her eyes seemed to tell. Elsa's arm tensed, and she picked it up and held it in front.

Anna's beautiful face stood before Elsa as if she were present with her. The warmth of a hug coated around her, striking the blonde like a flash of lightning. Elsa was in an awe beyond words. She could not believe she possessed the power to make something so immaculate—and without memory, no less. Elsa gazed at it for what could've possibly been a few hours; she did not know nor care. It was as if Elsa had taken a picture of her; there was no other way to describe it. Anna's freckles might have even been in the same spot. Her glowing, orange hair sparkled like glitter, and her adorable, little smile was too far for Elsa to comprehend. Anna was so pristine—so perfect. What were the chances the blonde could have met this angel? Not knowing the exact reason why, a tear ran down Elsa's cheek. Ringing, it hit the floor like the first drop of a rainfall.

Moments passed.

For the next thirty minutes, Elsa spent her time in the shower. She would have taken much shorter if it weren't for the excessive activity of her mind. Elsa stood with her arms crossed, staring utterly blank at the wall for minutes at a time, completely forgetting where she was. The water spraying on her face wasn't even enough to break her thoughts. Anna wouldn't get out of her head. Elsa couldn't deny it. She loved her.

Elsa eventually exited from the shower and got dressed and ready for the day ahead. As she opened the door to leave the bathroom, she saw Shfix sitting and staring at her with his innocent and shy eyes. His tail wagged once he saw her, but he did not stand to greet her. He waited patiently and politely for his permission to move. With a sigh and smile, the blonde bent and pat her legs, only for the Border Collie to tread slowly in her path—his tail still wagging, but his head low. Elsa embraced him with a welcoming hug before kissing him several times and petting all over. He returned his affection by licking her face. Elsa giggled and closed her eyes for his attack.

"Are you hungry?" she asked playfully. Shfix stopped moving, but his tail shook more rapid than before. "You hungry!?" she stood up. Shfix licked his nose and sat politely again. Elsa giggled at his expected action. "You're such a goof. You don't need to wait for my approval every time. …I guess it doesn't matter, though. It's not your fault." Elsa walked over to the closet and prepared his breakfast.

As his bowl was set down outside next to the door, Elsa listened to the clanking of his feast while gazing out unto the sunlight through a window—her head resting atop her folded arms on the sill. She stared toward a tree only a few meters out and to the left of where she currently stood. Her mind executed play, and a scene began playing in front of her. Elsa imagined her sitting in the tree's shade, watching the sunset with a familiar girl at her side. They were wrapped in each other's arms—their heads resting together. A gentle breeze would brush against them, so they would have to press even closer for warmth. Elsa looked to the right and leaned in for Anna's lips.

Two scratches at the door nearly caused Elsa to jolt in fright. She looked right out of the window and saw Shfix ready to be let in. A bit confused, she rose to her toes and saw his bowl completely empty. The blonde stepped back and furrowed her brow. Shfix couldn't have possibly been done already. He always took his time to eat and even after would sniff around for a bit. It had only been a minute, or so Elsa thought. How long did she stay there for?

Regardless, Elsa let the boy in and proceeded to get on with her morning. The first thing was breakfast, and with a couple eggs and some toast, she had herself a hearty meal. She stood up afterwards, washed her plate, then wondered what to do next. Would she go somewhere? Would she paint? Elsa eyed at different parts of the room to find her answer. To the left, she spotted her weights in the distance like a chocolate bar in a dark alley. Elsa was hesitant to come to her decision but knew it would benefit in the end; after all, it had been a few days since she last held them.

Once Elsa was ready to accept it, she found herself but a step away from her collection of weights. Her head turned up and took a second or two to glance at the machine as well. She looked down again. It seemed her choice of attire for the morning would be off to a poor start. Certainly tight jeans and a buttoned up shirt would not suffice for such an occasion. Elsa turned to the wooden bearer of her garments and was back not long after.

The blonde returned in a white tank top and grey sweatpants. She inhaled once, staring out the window unto the coloured cluster of the sky and ground. She bent over with her hands to her knees and let her neck loose.

For the next hour, Elsa had herself busy in an intense back and bicep workout. She would perform different exercises in a single set and would repeat each set three or four times. Some exercises were twenty pound bicep curls, wide-grip lat pulldowns, both wide and narrow pull-ups, reverse flyes, and more.

It seemed like three days of torture, but Elsa was finished just after noon. She fixed herself up a thick shake and a protein bar and planned to seat herself at the kitchen table and maybe fool around on her phone. The blonde stopped, though, in her tracks. She had forgotten to clear the table of her mysterious portraits. Setting her drink aside, the blonde crept towards the four legged plank of timber—her feet having a strangely loud click. Immediately, Elsa grew a pain in her chest, but when she slowly lifted her delicate hand to placate its heat, it fled.

Anna lied flat atop the table staring back at the blonde no less intense than Elsa herself was staring at the painting. She felt as if Anna's presence was among her, and she even shook her head, hoping it was the empty atmosphere of her own inhabitance tampering with her mind to make her think another being was close. A ring in her subconscious grew louder as an impulse unknown if Elsa had composed it herself forced her hand to reach forward. Her vision seemed to be stretching away from her, and soon it looked like the table which stood only a foot in front of her was now a meter away. Elsa blinked. Something was in her hand.

The blonde opened to see herself holding the frame of the girl in braids. Everything was quiet again, and little did Elsa know she was panting. Elsa could feel her heart thumping off her ribcage. She glanced down, blinking a couple times in disbelief. The blonde turned her head left toward the sound of a high-pitched squeal. Shfix was sitting again—his tail wagging fast; there was concern in his eyes. Elsa faced forward, taking the portrait in both hands. She shook her head once more and sighed.

"…Get it together, Elsa. You're losing your mind." The blonde quickly took the other paintings and walked away. She placed them on her bed, deciding to deal with them later; she had no idea what to do with them or where to put them. Elsa took a step back and spun around to leave but caught herself looking back for a few long seconds. She returned to the kitchen, grabbed her drink, and sat down like she hadn't seen a chair in days.

The very moment she turned the screen of her phone on, a message came in; there was only one person it could have been. Elsa's eyes sparked with excitement and joy, and she unlocked the screen as fast as she could. Her heart began to race again; her blood was pumping intensely. She quickly gulped down the shake filled in her cheeks, almost gagging due to her lack of concern. Elsa blinked, and before her waited Iduna's message to be read. Elsa could feel it almost longing for her.

"Hey, so Anna was wondering if you'd like to come over and help her with some chores today. I'd do it myself, but I just received notice about a meeting that I absolutely must attend. Please text back as soon as possible."

Elsa was extremely quick to respond. She replied: "I'd be happy to help. What do I need to do?" There was a thirty second pause before the next message arrived.

"It's basically just cleaning her room. She needs help organizing things and help with her clothes. Sorry this is such short notice."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Stuff like this happens. Do you have to leave shortly?"

Another pause.

"Yes, and it would be helpful if you could come as soon as possible."

Elsa nearly stood up and left the moment she read it. "No worries. I'll be leaving as quickly as I can." The blonde got to her feet, changed, and readied up her things. As she headed to the garage door, she looked back and saw Shfix sitting again with that innocent and irresistible face of his. He looked as if he was asking where she was going and if she would ever return. Elsa held the knob but quickly dashed over to him.

"I'll only be gone for a couple hours, Shfix." the blonde whispered into his soft fur. "Don't panic and don't do anything. I'll be back soon. I love you." Elsa kissed him and headed out the door to enter her car. She felt a vibration in her pants and quickly pulled out her phone. Iduna spoke again.

"Thank you so much! Seriously, I am so grateful. Just know that I may not be there when you arrive. Just knock, and Anna will answer the door."

"No problem at all. I'm on my way."

There was a brief moment of hesitation. Elsa knew there was no reason to worry. There was no turning back.

It was like Elsa traveled through time. Just a moment ago, she was sitting in the dark of her garage, and as she blinked, she saw herself sitting before Iduna's front porch. She stayed there in silence for only a few seconds, thinking to herself again why she need not worry. It was just the two of them again. Elsa only hoped she wouldn't hurt her and pleaded that it would be just as fun as last time. Elsa exited the car before she thought of anything that would cause her to reconsider. The door shut to her side, and she embraced the howl of the wind against her; it made her feel empowered.

Her knuckles banged on the white door three times—knock, knock, knock. Her head faced down as her eyes shut fairly slowly. A repeated phrase ringed in her head. It told her not to worry. Elsa thought about seeing Anna and how much she made her smile. It set her mind at ease almost instantly.

The doorknob in front of her jingled and clicked. Elsa had a burst of dread. It turned left and the door opened just slightly. There was nobody at first. Then, two red braids and a face popped out. Elsa couldn't help but smile. A tear nearly shed from her eye. The blonde covered her mouth, so the girl could not hear her overexcitement.

"Elsa?" the young woman said.

The blonde removed her hand, "Anna!" she said very happily. The redhead grew an enormous smile and bounced in joy. Elsa's heart rate matched Anna's pace.

"Elsa! Oh, yay, you're here! For a second, I thought it could've been a murderer at the door."

Elsa giggled, "Oh, no. I couldn't hurt a fly."

Anna then giggled after her and spoke again before a pause came, "Well, come in, come in!" She backed a few feet for Elsa to have room. "So my mother probably told you what I need help with?" the girl said. She turned and felt around, slowly making her way in the direction where their business would most likely take place. Elsa watched while she took off her shoes.

"Yes, she did."

"OK, good. Again, I'm sorry if she guilt-tripped you into doing this."

Elsa stopped her before she could continue, "Anna, it's OK, really. Your mother did not and has not guilt-tripped me into doing anything. I come here because I want to, and if I don't for some odd reason, I will tell you. But please don't think of it like that. You're my friend, and…" it pained her to say it, not of course because she was lying, "I like spending time with you."

For a moment, Elsa thought Anna's only response was a sigh, and she instantly regretted everything. But Anna spoke—soft were her words.

"I'm sorry. It's just… you'd be the only one to say that. …Thank you."

"No worries. I understand. …Shall we get to work, then?"

Anna giggled, trying to lighten up the mood, "We shall. Come with me." The redhead faced away and again returned to feeling all over to gradually make her way through the house. Elsa acknowledged her struggle and quickly stepped over to assist her.

"Would you like if I helped you?" The blonde immediately froze with her hair on end. She had not realized her question may be rude. Her breath was withheld.

"I would, yes." Anna replied with her hand braced up against the wall. Elsa opened a single eye at the contact of the girl's words. She let go a large but silent exhale to avoid possible questioning. Elsa stepped up behind her and took Anna by the left hand and right shoulder.

"OK, where are we off to?" the blonde then asked. She felt much more comfortable and warm in the girl's embrace. Perhaps Anna did as well.

"Just down this hall and the door to the left." The blonde's only sign of acknowledgment was their heading.

After only three or four steps, the blonde came in contact with the knob, opening it expecting to see her room. Instead, a staircase came across her, and she carefully led Anna the way down. Another hallway was next to pass. There was two doors on the right and one on the end.

"Now, it's the second door on the right." Anna spoke up. Elsa walked with her past bookshelves and cabinets, swiftly approaching until finally they entered.

A light brown room clotted with stickers on the walls struck Elsa in adulation. She seemed to fancy Anna's taste—perhaps her mother's due to her impairment—in decoration and humour. It made her feel welcome and happy as cartoon characters and princesses smiled at her with little quips and phrases. She felt the carpet beneath her feet and looked down, catching a pile of clothes, boxes, and other small, random objects strewn over the ground. Before she asked, she took another moment to admire stickers found on the ceiling.

"Right. Your mom said you needed help with your clothes and such. What should we start out with first?"

"Well, I think the best thing would be to pick up all of these toys. I wouldn't want you to step on one. Believe me, it sucks."

Elsa did her best to hold back a giggle, but it seeped past her fingers like water through a drain, "Oh, that doesn't sound very fun. But good idea."

"Alright. Let's get to it, then. You wouldn't mind helping me find a good place to sit, right?"

"No, of course not." The blonde immediately took the girl and carefully led her to the center of the room. She set her down cross-legged and did the same herself. At the start of the moment, Anna began to feel and collect the things around her.

"Is there an empty box anywhere around here?" the girl asked. Elsa noticed her hands caressing the figures. She must've been trying to figure out which ones they were.

"Uh, yeah." the blonde answered after the delay of watching Anna's finger movements. She reached to the side to put back betwixt them a somewhat diminutive package. Anna placed the two toys in and continued.

"Yeah, I don't actually use these toys to play with." the redhead said.

"Oh, really?" Elsa questioned, halting with her body turned to the right and a toy in her left palm. Her right was open to grab another.

"No, but I really love feeling them. I love trying to imagine what they look like by how they feel. It really calms me, and I can spend hours at a time doing it."

"Fascinating!" Elsa commented with her hand under her chin.

"Thank you. Y'know, being blind isn't the worst. My mother told me how our family comes from a long line of optimists, so I guess fate decided I'd be the one to have it in the place of someone else. There have been times of course where I've cried and sat in a corner, but I've learned to cope with it. I love everything I have, and I love my mother. I wouldn't want to be anybody else."

A subtle "wow…" was all Elsa could mutter in response.

"Well, enough pity and sadness. How 'bout you, Elsa?" The blonde straightened and blinked a couple times. "Tell me about yourself. What's your life like?" Elsa flicked back. She blinked in confusion. Her hands tensed, and she glanced down to see a doll in her left hand. A quiet ringed for her. Her eyes scanned the room in a blur of under a second. Realization snapped back to her. She looked at the redhead for the second time.

Subconsciously, Elsa had turned and been gazing at Anna with her chin resting on her hand. She completely stopped helping, and the box already seemed to be half full. She tried to collect herself to answer Anna's question, but a crack in her mind felt like years to seal.

"Uh… sorry. Um… I, uh…" she let herself take a breath. "Well, you're mother may have told you this, but I am an artist. I live alone on the side of a mountain with my dog… And, well… I guess that's pretty much it. My life's not that exciting, but I like that way." While letting Anna invoke her response, Elsa placed two toys in the bin.

"You're an artist! Wow, what's that like?" the giddily girl replied. She was just heaping with interest and joy. The blonde couldn't stop a smile from it.

"It's fun when you get going, but there are some days where I'll be completely lost trying to find inspiration." The redhead's smile stretched ear to ear. Her response was but a second before Elsa could inhale fully.

"What are some things you've made?"

"I…" Elsa meant to speak but a shock came as if it were to paralyze her. In the flash of the moment, all that came to mind was the portrait of Anna. The greed of her mind wouldn't let cross even a single painting different. Staring straight at Anna only made her victim to the thought more. Elsa couldn't fill the gap.

"…I… Th-there's… Um, uh… Agh!" She held her head tightly. Nothing would come out.

"Are you OK?" Anna asked, it seemed, very worriedly. Her concern pleased Elsa—calming her to a great degree. The blonde felt as if she had been fixed.

"Yeah. Sorry, I'm fine. Um…" Elsa still wasn't quite sure what to say. "Well… it's kinda hard to say. I mean, I've made countless pieces through the years, so I don't really know. I've made a few about nature and the outdoors. Some come from my own personal… fantasies, I guess you could say. Most are abstract, so, yeah, it's difficult to explain." Elsa put a finger to her teeth hoping Anna wouldn't catch her obscurity.

"Oh, no, I understand." It seemed Anna bought it. "Hmm… How about your love life?"

Elsa went into total alert. Her eyes widened bigger than the sun, "Uh… Ahem…" she coughed and cleared her throat, "Um, I-I, uh… Love life?"

"Yeah, y'know. How's the men treating you?"

Elsa blinked in confusion a couple times, "Men?"

"Yeah, well, I've never seen one before, but apparently us girls are supposed to like them. It's the, uh… social norm, if you will, for girls to chat about."

"That's not true." Elsa thought. Her actual words weren't the same. She didn't feel right to continue. Her past was hell due to this subject. Everybody abused her for what she preferred, but what would Anna think? She could be no different. Her one chance at friendship would die again if perhaps she exposed what was hidden within her. Elsa couldn't take that risk. It hurt her to lie, but the wound would be nothing compared to the possible result of the truth. There was no other way. Elsa began to feel empty—empty when she had no one.

"…I don't have a love life." There was obvious weakness in her voice. Anna could almost feel the tears forming in Elsa's eyes. She didn't know what it meant or why she felt this way. Anna didn't care to reside there any longer. The redhead changed topic instantly, never showing intention or care to look back. Elsa was more important. She needed Anna.

"How about your dog? What's she or he like?" The blonde smiled for a moment. She knew Anna transitioned upon another topic purposely. It was because she cared, and the fact nearly made Elsa bawl. A sniffle was heard as if it were not so great at hide-and-seek.

"He's a Border Collie named Shfix." Elsa giggled in the midst of her tears.

"Interesting! They're the smartest breed, I hear."

"They are…" the blonde rubbed her eyes. Another sniffle filled the air, and then there was silence. Elsa heard a quick rustle of Anna's clothing and looked up. The redhead sat with her arms wide open.

"Come here…" she said. Anna had a smile to better welcome her friend.

Not quickly, Elsa leaned into Anna. The redhead could feel Elsa's heartbeat against her but there was not a rumor of sound. Elsa held as tight as she could, not quite realizing how hard she was squeezing, though Anna did not say anything; she deserved this. The blonde's eyes shut deep in content. She began to realize how much she missed this feeling. It almost felt entirely new. Elsa had forgotten. How many years had it been? Far too long.

It was a good thirty seconds. The grip against Anna did not change or release even the slightest. Still, Elsa was on her, and Anna would wait for as long as she needed. The redhead focused her attention to the beat of a heart. A smile crept on her face, as very gradually the beat drummed louder; the organ fetched for her skin as if it pleaded for closeness. A sudden gap of freedom caused Anna to raise her eyes out of impulse. She remained stationary as Elsa talked.

"Thank you."

Anna shook her head, "Don't mention it. …I understand. There was something I shouldn't have brought up."

"It's not your fault. I just don't want things to be weird right now."

"Well, they don't have to be. Let's just put this aside for now and continue working. How 'bout that?"

Elsa smiled, almost breaking a giggle, "Sounds good. I'd like that."

"Listen, if there's anything you need, want, or would rather not talk about, just say."

Elsa nodded regardless if Anna couldn't see, "Alright. Thank you."

"Are you OK?" the redhead asked as her final question. Her hand held the blonde's left shoulder. Again, the fact she cared made Elsa brim with inexorable joy.

The blonde smiled at that adorable face, "I'm OK."

"Good…" There was a pause as the two smiled. "Well, how 'bout we get goin', then? Shall we continue?"

Elsa understood this time, snapping out of her trance. "I don't have anything else in mind." Anna's response was a hum—laughter in its trace. The redhead began to sweep across the carpet again.

Elsa noticed around her friend a very clear ground with a perfect lack of knickknacks. She spotted the box, seeing how full it now sat. Elsa looked around the bed which lied two feet or three in front and to the right of her. No others toys were found, so she decided to search around herself. There were two lying just behind her, and she placed them in the box. Anna's hands were still scouring carefully. Elsa looked afterwards and seemed to spot no additional figurines. Shortly, she was on her knees before notifying the redhead.

"Oh, I actually think we're done with that now."

"Oh, really? Alright, now we can move on to other things.

"What else is there do?"

"Well, you can probably tell that my bed and my clothes need to be sorted out. Then I was told to do dishes and… put a few groceries away."

"OK. Is there any frozen products that we should tend to first?"

"Uh, no actually, so we can start with whatever."

"Great. Do you wanna begin with your clothes?"

"Might as well." Anna finished. And they were off.

The two of them migrated a few feet over to the far right corner of the room next to the bed. A small mountain of shirts, pants, shorts and whatnot piled together, waiting for someone to fix its unsightliness; the smell wasn't all that bad, though; flowers and lavender filled the area. They began taking piece by piece, folding them neatly, then placing them in rows on the bed; shirts went in one pile, pants went in another, and so on. Light chatter elevated between the consonance of the two girls, and quite rapidly subjects began to rise in depth.

"Ever had a sleepover?" Anna asked as the new topic. Elsa's spine danced.

"A sleepover?" Elsa slowly started to panic again.

"Yeah, you know. You stay over at a friend's house for the night, chat for hours. You're telling me you've never heard of one?" The blonde's response was not as planned.

"No." her words slipped out of her mouth. "Why did you say no!?" Elsa yelled at herself. She must've mistaken her answer for "have you ever had one?"

"Wow, really? Well, I guess you know now, so there's no need to explain again. Of course, I've never actually had one, so we're on even grounds. …Say… would you care to join me for one?" Anna's head was now upside-down, hanging off the edge of the bed.

"Don't you dare say no! Don't you dare say no! You're trying to bond with this woman! Why are you hesitating!? She wants to do this with you because she sees you as a friend! It could and most likely will be fun! You just don't know it yet!" Elsa's conscience scolded. "Say it." Elsa did not make a sound. "Say it!" Her breathing was roughly the same pace as her heart.

"Yeah, that sounds fun." Elsa winced harder than thought possible. It was good Anna couldn't see.

"Really!?" Anna was no doubt ecstatic. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I've wanted one of these for so long. But obviously it can't be today. I mean, mother and I haven't even prepared, and we aren't even done yet, and I haven't even told Mama, and you probably aren't ready either. You have a dog to take care of and figure out, and it's way too quick to jump right in." Anna rambled on. As she listened to the redhead, Elsa's fears slowly washed away until the point where she questioned herself why she even let them in. What was there to fear? Anna certainly didn't care. A smile even broke on her face. The more the redhead spoke, the more Elsa welcomed the idea.

Elsa placed a hand upon Anna's shoulder. The redhead immediately hushed. Her face seemed red with embarrassment. "It sounds like a lot of fun, Anna. Yes, I'll have a sleepover with you."

"Alright. Thank you. Sorry for my rambling." Anna quit moving and returned to folding her clothes. Elsa did as well after her reply.

"Don't worry about it." The blonde reached for a piece of clothing and held it in front of her face. Her teeth clenched and her muscles contracted as she held one of Anna's fervently pink panties. She sucked in air almost too quick, so her lips nearly made noise. Hoping Anna couldn't tell, she reached back in the pile and replaced it with a white shirt.

The rest of the chores for Anna and Elsa moved by somewhat swiftly. Anna's bed was the easiest task, and after they were done with it, it was fit for a queen. Laundry was the next to check off, and not quite harder was it. They placed the clothes in the machine, and currently they waited for its finish. In the meantime, the two girls got busy with the dishes. Elsa spent the time washing them while Anna dried and set them on a rack. However, this would take nearly the longest, as the two began to fool around with the load of bubbles. It would, for some odd reason, kill Anna every time she held bubbles in her palms, clapped, and felt the impact splat over her face. A contagious laugh caught between the two of them, which seemed to never find an end. Anna would laugh, which would make Elsa laugh, which would make Anna laugh harder, and so on. The house was an expanding balloon of giggles. The door creaking was a needle, and instantly it popped.

"Anna? I'm home." the girls heard a familiar voice call. Anna dashed as fast as she possibly could from the kitchen and met her mother with a hug. Elsa looked with her body half turned and placed a plate down to go and greet her.

"Mama!" Anna cheered as she embraced her. "Elsa and I had the best time!" she released, holding a grip on her mother's forearms.

Iduna excitedly smiled, "That's great! I'm so happy for you! Is she still here?" Iduna glanced up and saw a timid, waving Elsa. The blonde half crook a smile. The brunette moved as if she jumped from her spot and began heading towards Elsa. The blonde was expecting a simple handshake but forgot the woman had a very strong liking for hugs.

"Elsa! How are you?" the woman asked, holding the blonde's shoulder after her abrupt embrace.

"Uh-d, I-I'm, I'm, I'm good, sorry." Elsa stuttered to a painful quantity. Her face was flushed like a tomato.

"Would you like some tea?" The woman couldn't stop smiling. Elsa almost giggled. It was like she just met her.

"Yes please."

"Great! Same as before?"

"Eh… why not?"

"Alright. I'll get it ready." Iduna headed for the kitchen.

"Thank you. Do you want me to finish up the laundry first, or…?" the blonde asked, pointing with both hands in the direction of the stairs.

"Oh, no, no, no. You've helped out enough already."

"Are you sure? I mean, it won't take-"

"No, sit." the woman shook her head and pointed to the chairs.

The blonde shrugged, "OK." and she made her way.

"Come. Tell me about your day. Anna, come sit down. I want to know what you girls did." Iduna called. Elsa set herself down on the end of the table, and Anna sat on a chair closest to her on the side. The redhead placed her fingers atop the back of Elsa's folded hands before there was another word. The blonde was intrigued to hear what Anna had to say.

"Mama, this girl is amazing!" Anna said with much enthusiasm and emphasis. Iduna looked back to see how they were connecting. Elsa caught her mother and looked down at the table as she noticed a smile.

"Oh, really!? Tell me about her, dear."

"Elsa is the greatest…" Anna started to go on. The blonde hid, lowering her face to the table, although, with a grin that couldn't be denied. She brushed her hair behind her ear. Her coyness preferred not to listen to her compliments.

"Wow. Well, I'm glad you two had fun." Iduna answered. Her daughter must have been done with her speech. Elsa glanced back, but Iduna still continued to smile at her; it was a smile that she was proud and thankful of Elsa for helping Anna. Elsa could feel it. Iduna just hoped she picked it up.

"We did." the redhead stated somewhat proudly. Iduna walked over and gave Elsa her tea before sitting at the opposite end of the table.

For the next little while, the three of them shared stories and an abundance of laughter. The bond interweaved between the three of them strengthened as if it were now steel cable and continued to grow. The sun was set at the beginning of their chat, and near the end, it moved almost a meter.

When the time was right, Elsa had affirmed her adieu to be underway. Iduna and Anna walked her to the door and began saying their thanks and goodbyes as she fit her shoes. Elsa zipped up the jacket she brought along with her and stood straight as she grasped the doorknob.

"And thank you again so much for coming on such short notice." The brunette said.

Elsa put up her opposite hand to wave, "Oh, no problem. Happy to help. Goodbye." she said to Iduna. Elsa turned and looked at Anna, "And goodbye to you, too, Anna." The redhead's response was not the same.

"Elsa, wait." The blonde did not move. Anna stepped forward at her and turned slightly to her mother. "I want to speak to you outside, please." she whispered. The brunette faintly heard speaking, and Anna's subtle turn-away from her mother was definitely a hint Iduna caught. She would interrogate her later. The brunette watched the two of them step out the front door before quietly shutting it.

There was a moment where only silence and the wind was company as their background. There was a whisper of sunlight peaking through the clouds unto Elsa's temple. The blonde focused on Anna's face. There was something the girl wanted to get out. Her lips and tongue moved as to speak, but nothing for quite a long period left. Her hands were out front, waiting for the answer to catch.

"…Elsa," her voice was a pillow, "I just want to say thank you… truly… for everything."

The blonde spoke before she could continue, "No, Anna, I should be thanking you. You really helped me today, as I have helped you."

"I just… I haven't believed it lately that I actually have a friend. …It's why I've been so quick with you. I wanted you to know that you meant a lot to me, so you wouldn't run off. …The point is… you do. You mean a lot to me. You're like family to us now."

Elsa spoke air for a second. "…I… I…" The only response Elsa could give was another long hug. Their heads nudged closer together as if they needed each other for warmth. Content bloomed like a flower. Their souls were at ease.

With a breath, they parted and stood put at one another. Elsa smiled at the opening of her eyes. Anna was trying to find words again. It was too adorable for Elsa. The girl was glowing. Her voice carried with her rays.

"…I know you don't want to hear this, but" Elsa's heart skipped a beat, "I'm sorry if again I pressured you to say yes to the sleepover thing." There was a clear wince in Anna's expression. She was hesitant to hear Elsa's response. She couldn't get any more lovable.

Elsa sighed, giggling. Anna loosened at what she heard. "Don't worry, Anna. It sounds fun. But please, don't keep thinking you've guilt me into doing something."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry…" Anna's head tilted up as if she was looking at Elsa, "But… you really want to…?"

"I do."

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" Anna cheered again, hugging the blonde for the third time. Elsa stepped back once from the impact of her sudden weight and then chuckled. Anna released as fast as it happened, "Alright, I'll let my mom know what's happening. From there, we'll see where this goes." The redhead gripping the doorknob signified her leaving.

"OK, sounds good. I'll be waiting." She saw Anna wave.

"Bye!" the girl said. Elsa beamed in her purity.

"Bye."