CHAPTER SIX

Night had fallen, and the campers were gathered by the treeline to play a game of flashlight tag. Things were much better. After their brief nap, Anna and Elsa had walked hand in hand to the mess hall just in time for dinner. Many of the adults in the building gave them either curious or suspicious looks; they let go of each other's hands right away, embarrassed.

Of course, Anna knew her embarrassment was only because they were late but it made her flustered apologies to Aurora seem less genuine as a result. Thankfully, the blonde let it slide with a curt, "Don't let it happen again," and allowed Anna to make her way over to Rapunzel with minimum fuss.

Now Anna was pretty much buzzing with excitement at the brunette's side. When Rapunzel first mentioned the annual game, she had been looking forward to it and purposely made sure she wasn't one of the three counselors assigned to unfreezing the players so she could play herself.

"Okay guys," Aurora called for attention and most of the kids went silent as they turned towards her. "In about five minutes, the game starts. For those of you who don't know how to play, the rules are simple. You should all have been given one of two coloured glow-in-the-dark ribbons; either red or yellow. Well… the red ones glow pink. Anyway, the team who starts the game as 'it' will all have flashlights. When a flashlight is on you and the tagger says your name and 'freeze!', you are not allowed to move until one of the 'medics' — Elsa, Belle, or myself — comes by and you complete the task they assign to you to get unfrozen."

There was a brief pause as Aurora let that information sink in before she continued, "Since last year, it was the Yellow Team that started as it, Red Team begins this time. In thirty minutes, when you hear the bell, it's time to switch. We end the game after an hour has passed and then we all go back to our cabins for the night."

"Better not get tagged and let me find you," Elsa muttered to Anna out of the corner of her mouth. "I might make you stand on your head."

Anna raised an eyebrow and tried to keep her tone nonchalant. "Really, Sis? Stand on my head? You can't be a little more creative?" She hoped that Elsa didn't choose that particular task because she remembered how Anna couldn't do it no matter how hard she tried.

"You say that like I don't remember how hard it is for you to do." Hopes dashed. "But… maybe I'll think of something funnier that's actually possible, instead."

"Okay!" Rapunzel squealed from nearby, jumping up and down and clapping her hands. "Are we all ready to do this?!"

Anna was about to retaliate, her mouth open to say something when Aurora's voice rang out once more. "Yellow has one minute to run before Red is allowed to go! Remember to stay in camp boundaries! Go!" Then she was yanked away from her sister by Rapunzel and off into the trees.

Five minutes later, Anna found herself crouched behind a bush alone, holding her breath as several pairs of footsteps and a couple beams of light passed by. Her heart thundered in excitement. "That was too close!" she whispered.

"Yeah!" Rapunzel whispered back, trying not to giggle. "This is the best!" When Anna whipped around, Rapunzel shrugged. "What? You found a good spot!"

"How the heck did you get unfrozen so fast?" Anna hissed in surprise, "and how did you find me for that matter?"

"Aurora took pity on me," Rapunzel snorted. "Probably because I'm a counsellor. All she had me do was recite John 3:16. I mean, what a softball!" Then she looked around eagerly. "Do you want to split up?"

"Yeah… softball…" Anna inwardly groaned and kicked herself, making a mental note to try and avoid not only getting Elsa for a medic, but Aurora, as well. The last time she read the Bible all the way through was a very long time ago. She knew the more common passages and remembered several others that stood out to her when she was little, but she knew Aurora would crack down hard if she found out Anna couldn't remember the whole thing. She really didn't need another reason for Aurora to be annoyed with her.

"Maybe we should stick together for now?" Anna gave Rapunzel a nervous smile. "You know all the best hiding spots since you've been here before, right? I just got lucky here." What she didn't mention was that she fully intended to use Rapunzel as a shield if they got caught.

"Yeah, I know a couple! Though I should probably tell you… I'm not great at this game." With a nervous little laugh, she shrugged at Anna. "That's okay, right? I mean, you're not mad, are you? You won't leave, will you?"

Anna frowned at Rapunzel, "Hey Punzie, you okay?" she asked, placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder and feeling a tad guilty. "I'm not mad, it's just a game."

"You're right," she sighed, a relieved smile spreading across her cheeks. "You're the greatest, you know th-"

"Freeze!"

"AH!" Rapunzel yelped, starting to leap out of the way.

"Rapunzel! Anna! I said freeze!" A familiar slow voice reached Anna's ears and she let out a frustrated breath. Mark… the only kid of her group who refused to make nice with her. He adored Elsa though and Anna knew that he was probably just gleeful to know he had caught her despite the bored look he sported.

"Hey guys!" Olaf chirped happily. "Good job, Marshmallow!"

"Nertz, I tried to tell you," Rapunzel hissed at her, though she had obediently stopped moving when Mark reminded her that she shouldn't. "I'm such a dope!"

Anna let out a heavy sigh before smiling at the boys. "Great job catching us, guys," she praised them, pointedly ignoring Mark's grumpy glare in her direction.

"Thanks, Anna!" Olaf cheered. "Don't you worry about a thing! I ran into Elsa close by where we caught you so she should be here any minute — and I have the bestest task for her to give you! Come on, Marshmallow! Let's go find her!"

"Olaf!" Anna snapped after him, wanting badly to run after him as he ran away giggling with his "brother" in tow, "Don't you dare!"

"What did he mean by that?" Rapunzel whispered fearfully. "I hope it's nothing with like, taking off clothes! You know how boys are!"

"I highly doubt Elsa would make us get naked because a boy told her to, Punzie," Anna replied. "Besides, Olaf isn't like that. He's a good boy." Most of the time, she added to herself."Chances are he's going to ask Elsa to make us do something silly… like make farting noises or something." Or he could ask her to make me propose, but then… Elsa wouldn't do that. She would reprimand him and tell him how unnatural that is first.

"Ewww," Rapunzel giggled under her breath. "That's nasty. Oh, is that them?"

It was. Holding a larger lantern-style light aloft, Elsa's ghostly-white face came into view, with Olaf on her heels. He was whispering something to her, and she was shushing him. Around the time they could be overheard, she turned to him and said, "Alright, alright, this isn't any of your business. Go look for more campers to tag and leave these two alone or I'll be upset with you."

Olaf pouted at her. "I still think her kissing you would be the best task." He stated it so bluntly that it made Anna choke on a laugh. A quick look at Rapunzel revealed that the brunette was too busy fussing to herself to have heard him and she let out a quiet sigh of relief. "It's not that hard and it might help you on your way to proposing!"

"SHH!" Elsa hissed more harshly at him. Finally, he jogged away into the trees. She shook her head as she turned back to the others with a wolfish smile. "Well, well. Fresh meat."

"O-okay," Rapunzel whispered with a gulp. Obviously, she still believed Elsa to be cruel. "What… are you gonna make us do? Not get naked! I don't wanna get naked!"

That made the blonde blink in surprise, lip curling. "Why would I tell you to do that? Just… well, let's have you give me twenty jumping jacks."

"Oh." With a relieved smile, still nervous, she took a few steps away from the other two and began doing the exercises, huffing with each tiny hop.

Anna giggled at her friend. "Oh come on, Punzie, those aren't even real!" She teased, "You have to at least get your feet off the ground!" Then she got herself into position, thinking that she had to share the task with her friend. "Here, let me show you how it's done!"

"Hold on, now," Elsa warned her with a finger held up. "I was only talking to Rapunzel. Don't go assuming things." Her tone was obviously light and teasing, but the finger still made her seem serious. Not knowing her, one might think she was.

"Better… not… mess with her!" Rapunzel was panting as she tried to pick up her feet a little more with each jumping jack. Her eyes were wide and warning as she looked over at Anna.

Anna halted. "What am I supposed to do, then, Elsa?" She couldn't help but feel nervous butterflies in her stomach, equal parts from the intimidating position her sister stood in, despite the teasing tone, and from embarrassment as she remembered Olaf's suggestion. 'No way she would ever do that….'

"I'm thinking," Elsa teased further. Finally, Rapunzel finished her jumping jacks, so she turned to her and waved dismissively. "You're free to go."

"Okay!" Shrugging in apology to Anna, she took off into the trees.

"Traitor!" she called after the brunette, not really meaning it but feeling the butterflies increase in frenzy when Rapunzel disappeared out of sight and left her alone with her sister. Then, she turned to Elsa with a blush. "I hope you're not thinking of Olaf's silly suggestion."

"What, that I ask you to marry me?" Elsa laughed easily. "Maybe I should. Unless you meant the other suggestion of his."

Her heart stuttered and her eyes widened a fraction at the unexpected jest. 'She's teasing, you idiot! Say something before you make this awkward!' Anna forced out a small giggle, one that thankfully didn't sound too bad in these circumstances.

"Oh, I highly doubt you would make me kiss you like that," Anna teased right back, patting herself on the back for the accomplishment despite her nerves. "I know you're probably hoarding that for a special someone. Besides, I can barely kiss your cheek without you getting flustered. A real kiss might make you faint."

But the teasing worked a little too well. Folding both arms over her chest, pursing those luscious lips of hers, Elsa said, "Really? You think I couldn't handle one stupid kiss from my sister? Fine." She stepped closer. "That's your challenge. Do it, or you stay frozen. And if I faint… I'll make your bed for the rest of camp."

"You do know what you're asking me, right?" Anna breathed. Her complicated feelings for Elsa made her feel both uncomfortable and elated in equal measures and the thought of actually kissing the blonde… Well, Anna had a feeling Elsa wouldn't be the one fainting when it happened.

Besides that, there was the worry that if Elsa kissed her and Anna lost control… As much as Anna despised hiding her preferences, she felt sick at the thought of Elsa hating her because of it.

"I mean, what if someone sees?"

Snorting, Elsa put her hands on her hips. "Why so serious, Anna?" To her surprise, that was delivered with a vague Heath Ledger impression; not one she put any effort into, but just enough to make the reference clear. Then she said in an undertone, "It's just a dare. Sounds to me like you're trying to get out of your challenge, Moondrop. But if you can't handle it…"

Anna's heart skipped another beat and for a moment she wondered if it would affect her health for how often it happened. However the husk that entered Elsa's voice from her attempt at the impression and the challenge that entered those glacier eyes did more to Anna than she cared to admit.

When Elsa challenged her outright, a mixture of pride and her own desire won out. With a low growl, she gripped Elsa's jacket and pulled her mouth down to meet hers, unable to hold back a faint, pleased noise at the taste of Elsa's lipbalm.

And Elsa didn't resist. Though she had expected the contact to be met with a disgusted outburst and shoving her away, or maybe laughter, she just seemed to have no response. The hands that had been on her hips went out to either side, unsure of where else to go. Then…

One of them found its way to Anna's waist. Just barely touching, only technically present. Her eyes slid closed after a few seconds, and even though she didn't quite find her way to pushing her lips back against Anna's, she didn't seem to have any intentions of fighting her off anytime soon.

Anna's head swam. Elsa's lips were full and soft against her own and even though they didn't move, they felt like a perfect fit. The crisp smell of fresh snow and mint, so subtle most of the time, was now flooding Anna's senses in the best of ways. The tang of Elsa's lipbalm just added to the experience and was like a cocktail to the brain; one that left Anna dizzy and lightheaded.

She had never been so completely addicted by a kiss before, especially one where her partner didn't even kiss back, and it took all of Anna's willpower to detach her lips from Elsa's and gently place their foreheads together.

Nearly a minute of gentle breathing passed, Elsa's eyes closed and the arms wrapped around Anna's back loose, before she could respond. Her pink tongue wet her lips, making them glisten as they had before Anna's saliva evaporated from the skin. Even then, all she whispered was, "W-wow…"

"H-how was that?" Anna asked, and even though she had said it as a joke, she fidgeted and watched intently for any signs of Elsa collapsing. "Showed you, huh?" She tried to ignore that her heart was beating a hundred miles a minute or that she could still taste those warm lips when she licked hers to wet them in response to Elsa's action.

"Right." Stepping back, Elsa pressed a hand to her lips for a moment, eyes closed. After a few breaths, she was able to open them, smiling back at her. "G-guess you did. I… that was my first kiss."

She stiffened at the confession. What Anna said about Elsa saving her first kiss had been another joke; knowing that she had just stolen Elsa's first made her stomach twist. Once again, though, Anna was frustrated to realize that she wasn't sure if it was in a good or a bad way. However, Elsa didn't look angry or disgusted and was instead smiling at her.

"H-how have you never been kissed before? You're gorgeous!" The words burst out before she could stop them.

There was a clear blush in Elsa's cheeks now. Whether it had been there before Anna made that comment was less clear. "J-just… never dated. Well, I'd go out with a boy, and it would be fine, but it just felt like hanging out with a friend. And there were no sparks, or…" Gulping, she slid fingers over her bottom lip, then cleared her throat. "Well. You definitely, um, performed the task, so if you want to go hide again…"

The comment was met with a clueless face for several seconds before Anna remembered the game that was still going on. "O-oh yes! I should go… you have others to kiss- I mean, unfreeze! Yep, go unfreeze all the kids and I'll just see you later!" With an awkward grin, Anna took off — leaving her dumbfounded sister behind.

This is getting ridiculous! the redhead cursed to herself. Whatever these feelings were, they were affecting her time with her sister and Anna didn't like it one bit. Every interaction felt like there should be more.

And then there was that kiss. Anna placed a hand against her still tingling lips. Elsa was her sister. Even if Anna was gay, she knew for a fact that people didn't kiss their relations without feeling some hint of disgust or wrongness. Yet that kiss had been one of the best she ever had, and it had felt so unbearably right that just thinking about it sent a delicious chill down her spine.

Resting her back against a large spruce, Anna closed her eyes, the game once again forgotten in the wake of her miniature crisis. She had to do something, or she was going to burst.

To Be Continued...