Elsa's phone chimed softly, its blinking LED dazzling in the gloom. She rolled over and took it from the end of the desk that served as her bedside table. It was a text from Anna.

A: Hey are you awake?

E: Just staring at the ceiling.

A: Can I talk to you?

E: Sure. What about.

A: I mean in person. Now. If it's ok.

E: Are you sure?

A: Please

E: Okay. But you'll have to be quiet.

In a few seconds she heard the rattle of the doorknob and Anna, dressed in burgundy pajamas, pulled the door open just enough to slip inside, closing it behind her like it was an airlock.

Elsa scooted to the far side of her bed, leaving room for Anna to sit down.

Or, as it happened, lie down. They lay with a few inches of space between them, ankles tangled together, blanket half-tucked around them, looking at each other like sisters having a sleepover. A streetlight sent a slat of illumination through Elsa's venetian blinds and across their faces.

"Hi, you," said Elsa, smiling softly.

"Hi," said Anna, her voice just above a whisper.

Elsa waited for Anna to go on. Not that she was in a hurry. Watching Anna, listening to her breathe, was enough. Was more than enough.

"I was thinking about you," said Anna.

"And I was thinking about you too."

"What kind of thinking?"

"How much I love you. How happy I am to have you in my life. No secrets." Except with everyone else. Am I turning you into a liar?

"I was thinking those thoughts," said Anna. Then, huskier, "And I was thinking other thoughts, too." She placed her hand gently on Elsa's cheek and leaned in to his her lips, kissing them lovingly. "Know what else I was thinking?"

"I have an idea."

"Good. I have an idea, too." She pulled herself to Elsa, an arm and leg wrapping around her, as light and comforting as her blanket. She brushed her lips against Elsa's cheek and nuzzled her ear. "My idea," she whispered, "is that everyone's asleep, so this would be an excellent opportunity to make love."

"You're here because you're horny?" Elsa's tone was half scolding, half amused.

"I'm here because I love you. And maybe a little horny, but that's not the point. Horny I can take care of by myself." She kissed Elsa again, feeling Elsa's lips relax, waiting to be parted. "Isn't that a good idea?"

Elsa felt like she was drifting, and shook it off. "I actually don't think it's a good idea. It's beautiful, but it's not a good idea."

"I can be quiet."

"Anna..."

"I can be quick."

"Anna..."

"You can be quick." Anna smirked, pleased with herself.

"Anna, seriously..."

"How about a sixty-eight?"

"...a what?"

"I go down on you and you owe me one."

Elsa buried her face in the pillow to smother her snorts of laughter. "Anna! Cut it out!"

Anna stopped talking, but didn't stop stroking Elsa's arm. Elsa was on the verge of shivering. She laid her hand on Anna's, stopping it but keeping contact. "Anna, this is beautiful, and so sweet. But it's not a good idea right now. It's okay, we'll find a time."

"I already found one. Two a.m." She looked at Elsa's phone. "See? Right on time."

Elsa stroked Anna's hair with the backs of her fingers. "Goofball." She sighed, her head sagging into the pillow. "I love you so much. And that you love me too, that I can be honest, be my real self with you, fills me with so much joy that I must be overflowing." Anna glanced at Elsa's pajama pants, wiggling her eyebrows. "Not that kind of overflow, Doofus McGoofus."

Anna smiled at the old nickname.

"Seriously, Anna. Why did you come here? What do you really want?"

"Why do you think? I wanted hot mindblowing sex with the most beautiful woman in the world."

"Yourself?"

Anna smirked, play-shoved Elsa. "Now who's the goofball, Dopey O'Gopey? I mean you, of course."

Elsa kept stroking Anna's hair and waited for the real answer.

"It's just-" started Anna, then rearranged her thoughts. "It's just that I know how long you've had feelings...oh fuck. You love me, and you've loved me for years, and you had to keep that secret all that time. From me, from everyone. And you've been locked away in your room, or away at school, and it must've been so incredibly fucking lonely. And – you said you can be your real self now. That's what I want. That's what I want for you. And I do love you, and I do want you, but I want you to...not to be denied...deny yourself..." She stopped, swallowed. "Elsa?"

"Yes?"

"I never want you to feel that you have to cut yourself off from me, from yourself, from us." She took Elsa's hand and hugged it to her heart. "I want you to know that you can be free. That our love can always be free. I want you to be free to be happy, to love me, to be loved by me." Anna squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm such a not-good-with-words person. I suck."

"You do not suck, my beautiful little snowflake." Elsa kissed the tip of Anna's nose. "Your words tell me what's in your heart, and what could be more perfect than that?" They hugged, a long comforting caress that turned into simply lying together, face to face. "I love you, Anna."

"I love you, Elsa."

"But it's time for you to go back to your bed."

"This is my bed. I claim it on behalf of me."

Elsa bumped Anna's forehead with her own. "You know what I mean. Time to go."

"Elsa. Do you really want me to go?"

"I really need you to go."

"Yes, but do you want me to go? Really?"

"I... Yes. No." Elsa took a breath. "Yes. I want you to go."

Now it was Anna's turn to wait patiently, kindly, for the real answer.

"Okay." Elsa sighed. "What I want is to make love with you. To worship your body. To see the joy in your face. There's a moment right before you come when you have a look of such bliss, you look like a saint filled with divine ecstasy."

"It's divine, all right," said Anna, quiet enough not to interrupt Elsa's flow.

"I want to make love to you, and feel you against me, and even more than that I want to have you love-damp and relaxed in my arms, and for us to fall asleep in each others arms, our bed – our bed – filled with love and softness. With us. Safe and happy. I want that more than anything in life."

Anna made a purring hum.

Elsa's voice turned sharp and metallic. "And then it's breakfast time, and Punzy comes in to check on us, or Prim, or Richard. And you're asleep in my arms looking post-coital, and the room smells of sex, and we can't possibly deny what's happened. And my life is ruined. And I've fucked up your life, too. And because you're so wonderful and loving and warm and kind, you're 'the girl who was fucked by her sister' for the rest of your fucking life. And I have to stand there and admit that I was weak and a liar and a pervert, and I'll never get to see you again." Elsa paused, holding her breath, listening to see if her outburst had woken anyone, if footsteps were padding to her door already. She saw the pain in Anna's eyes and felt it in her own heart. "I'm sorry. I love you, Anna. I'm sorry. But I can't make you leave. I can't even ask you to leave. I'm weak." She almost kissed Anna, and thought better of it. "I need you to be strong for me. We will find our time, somehow, and we will be together, bundled in our love, but right now I need you to be... I need you to go. Please." Elsa closed her eyes tightly.

She felt the mattress shift as Anna stood up, felt the blessing of a kiss on her forehead, soft fingers wisping across her hair. She heard Anna whisper, "I love you, Elsa. Sleep well," and then she heard bare footsteps, the rattle of a doorknob, and silence.