#I tried making her look a bit like fig cause i think she was described to look similar to her

[ewwww-what]

And then she Wanda’d away :(

[dangerousconnoisseurdonut]

When a Demon Seduced an Angel

Context: this is a (rather large) snippet from my own prompt in which Bruce is an adorable and fierce Angel who, instead of having fluffy, white, birdlike wings like all the other angels, has black, leathery bat-like wings and is tormented for it. To show the other Angels that he is good and not a demon in disguise, Bruce has taken on several high risk missions on his own, and successfully stopped numerous demon campaigns. Unfortunately, this causes the demons and their generals, The Legion of Horribles and the Brigadier Generals, Jim and Alfred (who all, strangely enough, have birdlike wings unlike their demon underlings) no small degree of vexation. So they catch him and present him to their generals... and they are stunned! This cute, little baby bat is the one causing so much trouble? Jim is the one who suggests they take the pup’s loyalty and twist it to them. The others agree, and this is Alfred’s ‘session’ with the cute little Angel.

Alfred made sure he had everything set up before allowing the pup to be brought in; the candles were lit, the wine was comfortably chilled, and his secret weapon would be in full view of the pup when it was time. He knew exactly how to make that pup sing like a nightingale, Jim and Victor thought they had broken through with all their Daddy Play the other day but he was going to have the pup leave his body by the time he was done. He looked up when some demon grunts brought the boy in, more than one sporting bruises and scratches. He wondered about the ‘All-Father’s’ sense of humour in creating such an intoxicating creature and putting him on the side of the angels. The white clothes he had been captured in had done nothing for his skin, but the dark clothes he now sported showed off his creamy skin, his dark hair, and beautiful dark green eyes. The boy was sin personified but he was on the side of the Bible humpers; he wondered if the boy was supposed to be the ‘great reward’ for being good, wholesome, and all around boring. He certainly appeared to be a tall glass of holy water.

He watched as the underlings maneuvered Bruce until he was in the center of the room, removed his shirt, and attached to a hook hanging overhead. Alfred smirked as he watched the pup try and get his balance; he had arranged the hook so that Bruce would only be able to stand on his tiptoes and any kind of struggling would have the boy flailing in the air. And Alfred could foresee a fair bit of struggling. As a gift however, he nodded that those beautiful, butter soft leather wings be released of their harness. He heard Bruce sigh a little in relief at the release of pressure and smiled as he came into view of their baby bat.

“Comfortable?” He relished in the glare he received in return as the pup responded,

“If I was in anyway comfortable, I would be home right now instead of being surrounded by demons.”

“Such attitude when we’ve done our best to make sure you were comfortable.”

“Oh yeah; those chains you used to pin me down and keep my wings bound the other day were really comfortable.” Alfred merely shrugged and replied,

“You tried to leave without saying goodbye pup; that’s bad manners and Victor and Jim had to get tough with you. Though, judging by your reactions, you didn’t mind being their ‘Daddies Boy’.” Alfred smirked as Bruce blushed and looked away before continuing,

“Tell me, Brucie, what do you know of the senses?” Bruce glared at the ‘Brucie’ bit before responding,

“They are a faculty by which the body perceives an external stimulus; one of the faculties of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.” Alfred rolled his eyes before yawning and responding,

“Figures an angel would give such a dry description of something so essential. I think you need a little lesson on the senses.” So saying, Alfred produced a red silk blindfold and wrapped it around Bruce’s eyes.

“First, we are going to start off with two of the most disregarded senses; taste and smell. You ever eaten pup?”

“Of course not; angels have no need to eat so why waste the time?” Bruce responded as he tried to keep track of the demon.

“Demons don’t have to eat either Baby Boy; we do it because we enjoy it, something I doubt you’ve ever actually done. So, let’s see if I can’t help you understand our enjoyment of the act. We have a chef down here that is so good; it’s said that when her husband sold his soul for some idiotic reason, she offered her own soul that she could make a dish that would bring tears to Mephisto’s eyes. Poor dear didn’t realize that Mephisto didn’t have tear ducts but the meal was so good, when he took her soul, he placed it in the kitchens, allowing her to try all manners of dishes. Last I checked, she’s never been happier, and she hopes you’ll like what she made up for you. She made you a lovely herb encrusted lamb with some lovely roasted Brussels sprouts, some creamy herb mash potatoes, and a lovely purple cabbage salad with cranberries and mandarin oranges to cut through all the richness of everything. To start you off we have a lovely, refreshing chilled watercress yogurt soup that will do a lovely job of waking your taste buds up and for dessert, she made a delicious blueberry and lemon tart that will top things off beautifully. On the off chance you don’t like the tart, I also have some lovely strawberries and cream, which is a favourite of mine.”

“I really don’t see the point in any of that; angels and demons feed on cosmic energy, we have no need for such things.” Bruce retorted at the food listed. He honestly had no concept of any which had been described to him, and didn’t see the point in consuming human food that would not give them any extra energy.

“That’s the whole point; decadence, doing things not because you have to or because it serves some kind of function. Doing them simply because it feels good, which you are about to get a lesson in, so open up.” Bruce didn’t want to but knew the sooner he indulged this demon and showed him how pointless such a thing was, the demon may get irritated enough and send him away. He opened his mouth and let the demon place the spoon with the cold soup on his tongue before it was tipped down his throat. He had to admit, there was an interesting flavour to it and it was rather refreshing

“You like that?” Bruce was fairly certain he could hear the smirk on the demon’s face so responded,

“I never said humans don’t know how to prepare food to their liking, I just don’t see the point on wast- hmph!” Bruce suddenly found the spoon back in his mouth with more soup as the demon responded,

“I can see that I have my work cut out for me in teaching you about indulging; fortunately for you, I have the patience of Job, so we can keep at this for however long it takes.” Alfred took a mouthful himself before giving Bruce another. It wasn’t long before the soup was done, and he wondered how the stubborn angel would deal with the lovely rack of lamb. He cut off a nice sized piece of the medium rare lamb and held it first under the angel’s nose so he could get a good whiff of it.

“That, my pretty little bat, is a perfectly cooked medium rare lamb. For humans, the scent alone can be enough to get their mouths watering and scent is a powerful memory trigger so, the next time you are around humans, you will remember this scent and remember that a demon was the one who woke these senses up in you.” When Bruce opened his mouth to retort, the piece of meat was tucked into him mouth and the forced closed as Alfred instructed,

“Now, we don’t choke but it can be uncomfortable to swallow a piece of meat like that whole, so take your time in chewing it, but just let it sit on your tongue for a minute, let the flavour of the meat, the herbs, the tender sauce all mix together on your virgin tongue, and try to tell me that it’s not worth savouring and eagerly awaiting the next bite.” Bruce did as instructed and let the meat sit on his tongue, and couldn’t hold back the moan as the flavours seeped into his tongue and it felt like there were fireworks going off behind his eyelids.

“Told you so, didn’t I?” Bruce slowly chewed the piece of meat, indeed savouring it before swallowing it and taking a moment to collect himself before responding,

“Yes, it’s good, but angels aren’t meant to indulge in such things; it’s wrong!” Alfred swallowed his own piece before replying,

“If it’s so wrong, Brucie, then why did the ‘All-Father’ give you taste buds? Is it wrong on the same level as those who condemn homosexuals? I know more than a few angels who would like to see them down here.”

“No! No, the All-Father loves us all! He wants us to love each other, not hate!”

“Then those angels are wrong in their condemnation?”

“Yes!”

“Then why are they right about their opinions on food right? Or their opinion of you for that matter?” Bruce shrunk in on himself so Alfred sighed and gave him another piece of meat, this one with some of the mash potatoes, creating a lovely combination of flavours. After a couple more bites, he gave him some of the salad, and he seemed to enjoy the refreshing acidity. Soon, Alfred poured the conflicted angel a refreshing glass of wine and pressed the rim to his lips.

“This is a delightful little wine that pairs beautifully with lamb that offers the restraint to complement the delicate, gamey flavor of lamb and the deliciously jammy sweetness to go with the fig-port sauce. And so help me if you give me some speech about how angels aren’t supposed to drink spirits, I am going to get a Succubus in here that will tease you for hours, and even you can’t handle that.” Bruce whimpered as he parted his lips and allowed himself to take a few sips, finding it bracing and actually quite nice.

“Now, you ready for your dessert?”

"I would... like... to try... them both, since I’ve never actually had fruit, though I’ve noticed humans enjoy it.” Alfred smiled as the pup asked for something he wanted, even displayed a little greed and gluttony as the pup wanted to try both, and cut a small piece of tart before presenting it to him. He parted his lips and took the tart with the firm crust and enjoyed the sweetness of the blueberries and the zing from the lemon. Alfred then took a piece of strawberry and scooped up a bit of cream before presenting it to the abandoned angel. He watched as Bruce seemed to enjoy the strawberries just a tad more, so he grabbed another piece and, when he opened his lips, he used the strawberry to trace the pup’s lips. As confusion fluttered over the pup’s face, Alfred very casually asked,

“Did you know that some people consider certain foods to be aphrodisiacs? They are seen as being able to arouse a person. Strawberries are one of those foods; I suppose it has something to do with the juiciness and some say that a ripe strawberry, after you’ve bitten into it, looks a lot like a woman’s pussy.” Despite the fact it should not have been possible, Bruce found himself choking on the strawberry he had just gotten.

“You alright love? You want some more wine?” Bruce didn’t know how a demon could sound so innocent, but this one pulled it off quite well.

“Humans enjoyed using food for sex long before we even dreamed of it. I happen to know that it was some decadent woman in Greece who one day, tired of her husband ignoring her, actually started inserting grapes into her pussy. She and a slave boy had a lot of fun trying different foods, right up until her husband killed them both. It was a little closer to modern times when they started using things like whipped cream and chocolate spread, something I’ll have to be sure to bring next time as there’s more than one part of your body that would look good covered in chocolate and cream. Now, if you’re done eating, I think we are ready to help you learn about your next two senses; hearing... and touch.”

To Be Continued...

[tarithenurse]

Stolen - 26

Pairing: Loki Laufeyson x fem!gifted!reader Content: A sort of calm before the storm. No proof reading at all. A/N: Hey! So, GISH happened. And I’ve returned to work but under special conditions, thankfully. Also I might be very distracted from this fic due to a new hyper fixation – blame my husband for that! Ask or re-blog for tag.

26. Cupid Carries a Gun

...   Reader    ...

The word pissed does not even begin to describe what you’re feeling but at least you have the satisfaction of the weather matching your anger. Sitting in the queen’s parlour in the middle of the day, it has still been necessary to light candles all around while the dark storm outside pelts the windows with rain. Now and then a flash proceeds a roll of thunder, making you wonder if bad weather in Asgard are just a thing of nature or if it always requires Thor to be busy. Mostly though, you curse Loki.

“Where’s your mind at?” A book taps you lightly on top of your head, calling you back to the present.

“My apologies, your highness,” you mumble. Man, I gotta be such a disappointment right now.

Whatever she might think or not, the woman smiles sweetly as she puts the books and parchments away. “Perchance it would soothe your troubled mind if you told me what is wrong?” She stops your protests with a graceful hand. “What has he done this time?”

“...uhm?”

“My son. Over the years, I’ve had to deal with many whom he’s vexed. Mostly Thor, of course...” For a moment Frigga is the one lost in past events. “So...let me hear it.”

I can really, really NOT tell her that! Heat rises in your cheeks, possibly blocking your airways to prevent any words from escaping. “Nonono, it’s okay! Really! There’s no need -”

“Ah, I see...it’s what he didn’t do...”

I need to change the focus of this conversation! “He uhm he magicked me to sleep!”

A devilish smirk graces the queen’s face. “Do you want to get even or do you want to prevent it from happening again?”

“Both?” If that’s an option.

“Fortunately for you, this distraction is well timed. As you know, none of the lore and theoretical works I’ve procured has been of much use yet, and your description of your gift’s flow has gotten me thinking of the Älfir powers of old. I have managed to find one tome, however the translation is not completed.” She pulls you to your feet, urging you towards the softer seats rather than the desk. “Perhaps, what I will teach you now about Loki is of better use, even.”

... Loki   ...

She should be back by now. The raven-haired man scowls at the setup of the room: everything is perfectly clean, a thick log is burning happily in the fireplace, and a light snack awaits on the little table near [Y/N]’s favourite chair. All that’s missing is...her.

Naturally, Frigga could have chosen to extend the lesson’s time frame or perhaps invite the guest to participate in some social hubbub. Loki would like that. It’s a much more comfortable thought than if the Midgardian has been swept away by the Warriors Three, for instance. Or his brother.

As evening creeps in, it becomes increasingly difficult to remain optimistic. Maybe she has decided to leave on her own accord? The new concern is uncomfortable the way it gnaws at his heart.

Purposely staying out of [Y/N] way, he had observed her discreetly during the morning, praising himself for the sensible decision to do so because the woman was seething with anger and he had no illusions: it was due to his actions. After all, Hel hath no fury like a woman scorn. And so, it’s with a smidgen of anxiety in his guts that he conjures the disguise and sets out to find the stubborn woman in question.

Scurrying along the hidden passages, he asks the few servants he encounters on the way to the queen’s chambers initially before the gardens, the arched balustrade over viewing the courtyard, and eventually the grand hall. That’s where he finally gets a useful reply.

“The lady is at the library,” a maid informs.

Oh, really?

...   Reader   ...

There aren’t a lot of books you can read in the Asgardian palace library but in all honesty, you didn’t end up in one of the plush seats in the corner for the sake of the literature but rather due to the quiet. Frigga has given you a lot to think about on top of a practical assignment.

“A song for light,” you mutter under your breath, staring at your fingers which are doing anything but create a glow, “light...light....”

You’re too caught up to notice a slinking figure watching you through the nearest bookcase. If I were a glow worm, what would I sound like? But the only experience you have with things that both sing and shine is Lumiere and you’re fairly sure belting out “Be Our Guests” won’t do much good in this case.

“Perhaps milady ought to retire for the evening?” a warped voice startles you.

Freaking stealth-god! He might not sport the usual mesmerizingly green eyes, but you know it’s Loki simply due to the way he looks you over. Well, keep looking ‘cause you don’t own me and you can’t order me to do anything. Ha! The silence stretches, and you recognize the beginning ticks revealing the Asgardian’s impatience – no disguise can hide that – and you have to bite back a smile as you turn to look out the tall window again.

“Lady [Y/N],” he tries again, this time stepping over to stand right next to you.

Waving a hand dismissively, you send a thankful thought to Frigga. “Not now, I’ve got some...things on my mind.”

“Allow me to ease the mental burden.” Only a thin veil separates the sarcasm from being too obvious.

The footsteps of someone coming nearer reduces the simmering standoff to silent glares, then a librarian rounds the bookcase and bows discreetly to you, informing that he will take his leave unless you have any requests. Oh, it’s tempting to invent some reason for the man to stay, forcing Loki to keep up the charade, but for the life of you you can’t think of anything and have to watch him walk away.

“Thought you could escape me by coming here, hmm?” the god hisses into your ear.

It sends shivers down your back which you do your best to suppress. “I’m not surprised you don’t know this but I actually like reading. I love books. Perhaps you should have bothered to learn a bit before assuming you’ve got me figured out.”

His eyes gleam and a grin begins to split his face. “Is that so? You presume I do not know you?”

“Fine! What’s my favourite food?” When he doesn’t answer, you power on: “Yours was roasted duck with figs and nuts when you were little. On Alfheim, you seemed to adore the salad with warmed goat cheese and honey.”

“That wasn’t goat cheese.” He doesn’t manage to derail the conversation so he tries with a new tactic, lowering his voice to an obscenely sensual level. “What I do know is how your breathing hitches as I pinch your nipples. It’s no secret to me that your hips would buck if I were to slip my fingers between your soaked folds...and, my pet, even now the scent of your arousal is rising as rapidly as last night.”

“Yet all you do is talk,” you bite back, “empty words but nothing to show for it!”

You know you’ve pushed him past that line the history books and hindsight so clearly shows when his eyes grow dark, emerald and ruby peeping through the illusion. His fingers tangle into your hair while the other hand pulls the glowing cube from the air and the world is obscured by the cloud of magic.

[let-it-show]

All The Love I Found In You 5/?

Have you read part 4? Cause it is right here! Whoosh I am tired! But I got another part for you guys. There’s some tough thoughts to work out for Elsa and Anna has her own struggle. ANYWAY ENJOY. Hey go HERE for part 6! And here’s the tag for @hellodemoiselle !

The rest of breakfast was a bit awkward. Menander tried to be positive, tried to get everyone going again and inspire joy, but neither Elsa nor Anna could feel it. When they dismissed him Elsa tried to make an apology for the unfortunate mood that had taken over the meal, but he acted like it was no big deal. Menander rarely tended to take offense to anything and Elsa was very grateful.

Too many other royal visitors liked to act like they were above human emotions.

The sisters left their dishes to be properly picked up by the servers instead of trying to help, knowing neither of them were in a place to even do somewhat of a good job. They left the dining room to start the day, though they didn't want to, while Olaf said he was off to the library. As they made their way into a hallway that would lead to the less home, less personal part of the castle, Anna gently took Elsa's arm and slowed her to a stop, then stepped in front of her.

"Elsa? I don't want to leave you for the day but...but I think I better go talk to Kristoff. This is one of the better chances I'll get to do it since I won't be actually doing the queen stuff..." She bit her lip, showing she felt guity.

It was a good idea and Elsa knew it, so she nodded. "Okay. I think you should too. I'm kind of worried about him." She didn't want Kristoff hurting. Deep down a more selfish part of her wanted to feel like she could hug and touch Anna around him without it being a blow to his heart....

Anna relaxed. "Yes. He's been really good about all of this. He wants me to be happy, you know? I want him to be too." She took a deep breath. "I'm nervous. I don't like being in this position."

"No, I imagine not." Elsa took both of Anna's hands, trying to find something helpful to say. Oh,of course she had suitors who had tried to date her, men and women had insisted they loved her and she turned every one of them down without much of a thought. She hadn't known any of them as more than acquaintances so it didn't weigh on her to stress over their well-being. "Just...just make sure he knows he's our family. He always will be. I'm not great at showing it, but I do love him."

"So do I." Anna squeezed her hands. "Just not the way I thought I did and almost wished I did. I just...I can't feel for him the way I feel around you," she said with red cheeks.

Processing what that meant was still hard for Elsa. "What is it you feel, around me?" she asked. Romance? They were sisters, and that was very taboo, wasn't it? At the same time they never really got to be like sisters. Did that mean anything?

Did it really matter when they were so happy with each other?

Anna looked down at their hands. "It's love but it's more than love. Devotion, longing," she whispered, still looking down. "Longing for what, I don't really know. I-I just need you. Without you I feel all mixed-up and alone."

Elsa felt like her heart was going to pound through her chest. That was about how she felt even if she felt no word or phrase was deep enough to describe it. She lifted their hands and placed little kisses along Anna's fingers. "I feel the same. Nothing feels right unless you are there with me." Anna was that other part of her that Menander's story had mentioned. She knew it and Anna knew it, but she felt scared to vocalize it.

Anna raised her face and Elsa took advantage to kiss her on the lips yet again. She could get used to it. Both of their eyes fell closed and they stepped closer to each other, hands still gripping each other and pressed between them.

They held the kiss for longer than the night before, Elsa's hands moving to her waist as Anna grasped her arms. Elsa wanted to hold her close but she knew they would be significantly delayed if she gave in. So even as her heart told her not to let go, she did, and she sighed when she had pulled her face away. "We have a day to get on with, I'm afraid," she said sadly.

"I know." Anna let go of her as well. "We better...we better get to it, huh?"

Elsa nodded. "Meet you for lunch?"

Anna smiled brightly. "Of course."

Being without Anna for that morning was torturous.

It wasn't meeting after meeting that got to her. They were rather dull and full of things she had to deal with all the time as the queen. There was new staff to hire as a couple of the castle's own would be moving far away. Sometimes that was a challenge, seeking who they could trust, but Elsa was pretty good at detecting anyone who might be trouble.

As a result it was again just another easy but dull task.

The paperwork was where things really got to her, because she was alone in the study reading line after line. Usually she may have enjoyed that retreat from people that still allowed her to work but she couldn't stop thinking.

She was away from Ahtohallan and found herself barely giving it a thought. The glacier, the spirits, the Northuldra - all were very precious to her. She would not just leave them all and never go back. She learned so much in that forest and found a harmony within herself she had sought for her entire life. There was no way she could turn her back on her answer and her heritage.

While she had found that peace in herself, in time she found that it didn't make her fully happy. It didn't make her complete. It just settled the storm into something she could more fully understand.

It didn't mean she wanted to be alone in her understanding and only one person, one soul could fathom the power and beauty of the storm like she did.

That was Anna. That was who she wanted to be with. She didn't think it meant she wanted to marry her, but then what was it? She didn't think it meant sex either, but at the same time she still wanted to feel all of her.

Elsa struggled to understand, and all the while it all only brought her a big headache. She pulled her braid down from the bun to help. She'd worn it long enough.

It only hurt more as again she heard a familiar knock on the door and invited Olaf to step into the study. She hadn't expected him to come see her but had no desire to turn him away. She just hoped he wouldn't be in the mood for his sillier antics.

Yet as he approached Elsa, she could see concern in his wide eyes. "Elsa?" He hurried toward her. "Elsa, are you alright?"

"I'm...why do you ask?"

Olaf stopped on the other side of the desk. "Things at breakfast didn't feel right. I was going to leave it alone but I couldn't. I got worried..." He tapped the ends of his stick fingers together a bit nervously. "Am I allowed to ask?"

"Of course," Elsa said, folding her arms and resting her chin on her hands as she leaned forward. She tilted her head slightly, surprised that Olaf would suddenly ask for permission. "Why wouldn't you be?"

"It feels..." Olaf tapped his chin. "Private. What is happening with you two, sometimes I feel your magic and sometimes I guess I feel something else. I didn't want to intrude," he said with a small voice.

Precious Olaf. Looking at him, Elsa's smile reached her eyes. Of course the magic that made him, that flowed from Ahtohallan and into her, of course it enabled him to pick up strongly on their emotions. She couldn't possibly be mad at him for that. "You're a part of me. You're a part of both of us, Olaf. You can always ask."

He looked up at her with a wide smile. "Then answer me, are you okay?"

She sighed. "I don't know, Olaf." Being honest with him was something she had to do, even if it did feel a little tough. "You see...I only feel complete and happy with Anna."

"Of course," he said with that little chuckle of his. "She's your sister!"

"Yes...but it's something more than that. Olaf, we didn't get to grow up as sisters. At a young age we were pulled apart and even though I would glimpse her in passing, see her at dinner now and then, I couldn't spend time with her due to my powers. I didn't have good control and I was so scared to hurt her. We became two strangers in the same big castle." Talking about it made her heart feel heavy.

"You were never strangers," Olaf insisted while plopping his head - his entire head - on the desk. "At least you tried not to be!"

He was right about that. "I did like to do things for her when I could...sneak treats and gifts into her room when she was asleep if I could, or try to pass things via our parents." She had always done her best to make Anna's life a little better. The guilt she felt when that little girl would knock on her door and ask her to play was almost too much in those days.

She was unsure she would ever shake it.

"You're right, Olaf. We both tried in our own ways. I watched her and listened to her. But it  was still a strange existence." They didn't get to truly know each other until she was twenty-one. Not even as a teenager. The connection wasn't what most sisters had, as far as she knew.

Olaf continued to stare. "Oooooh. Now you two can see each other as much as you want and do whatever you want together! It's exciting! Is that it?"

That was close. She thought so anyway. "Almost. But we've had that freedom and love for a few years now. It's only intensified. Olaf...I've never been interested in romance, having a partner, getting married, anything like that. It doesn't really suit me. But I can see myself spending my life with Anna. I want to give her everything, I want to share everything with her. She is my soulmate Olaf, you see that don't you?" She surprised herself as she admitted all of that. She hadn't even said all of that to herself.

Olaf started to tilt his head and it just fell to the side. He winced. "Oof that was too far...have you said all of that to Anna?" he asked.

She shook her head slowly. "No...we talked a little earlier. She told me how she felt for me. I told her I felt the same and kissed her but we didn't figure anything out." Elsa realized what she said and sat up straight in a panic, covering her mouth. Olaf did not need to know about the kiss.

"You kissed her?" He made a little bit of a confused face. It quickly snapped back to a smile. "True Love's kiss! There's never anything bad about that! It's just another way to show your care."

Slowly, she lowered her hand and looked at him. "Well....yes, I guess it is." Who said a hug or holding hands was the only way for them to show affection? Kissing Anna was just her way. It was just for them. ...And if she saw anyone else even try to kiss Anna she would kindly ask Gale to blow them away and-

Things ran a little deeper than she was sure she could convey to Olaf with words. For the moment, she supposed she was close enough. He had helped in return. "Ah, thank you Olaf," she said, reaching for his head to turn it right side up. "You've helped me work things out a bit."

"Oh, you're welcome!" he said, picking his head up and putting it back on his midsection. "Do you feel better?" he asked, looking at her hopefully.

She didn't have a good honest answer. Elsa felt a little more relieved, yes, but her mind was still a bit heavy. "I guess I feel a little better."

"You'll feel better when you see Anna, then!" Olaf kept smiling. "I'm going to go back to the library for now. You come find me if you need to and we'll find a fun story," he told her.

Elsa smiled at him. "Sure.

Olaf was right. When Elsa found Anna in the Great Hall with a little picnic basket and heavy cloak over her arm, she immediately felt better. She swept upon her with a big hug and would have kissed her, except that there were guards around and Gerda was also about. The kisses were meant to be private.

Anna took her hand. "I figured you wouldn't object to a picnic outside. I've got a nice big cloak to keep you warm."

If she wasn't worried about letting her down, Elsa would have indeed objected. She didn't want to feel the chill. It was too unsettling. However, she nodded anyway and let Anna pull her out.

It wasn't so bad though; Anna had chosen a stone table on the royal grounds that had a little decorative shelter. It even had a little Arendelle flag sticking out from the roof and was in good shape. They had to have eaten in it before, but usually the sisters preferred to wander off farther or sit under a tree. Anna clearly chose it to keep some of the spring breeze off of Elsa. The sun was shining as brightly as the day before and the weather was very calm.

Once Elsa sat, and shivered because her butt was definitely cold, Anna covered her with the cloak and hugged her around her shoulders. She squeezed her and sat down opposite her with the basket on the top of the table.

"I had some warm vegetable soup made," she said as she unpacked a couple of thick bowls with covers carefully attached. Next she took out some rolls and a couple of containers of what she said was hot tea. "I wanted to come outside and away from anyone who might hear us..." she explained and looked at Elsa.

It made sense then, that Anna had asked her to come out even though she knew it might be cold for her. There was indeed no one around them. They were far enough from the walls that even if someone had a window open inside, they couldn't be heard. "I see," she said, reaching for one of the bowls of soup and a ladle for it. "So did something come from your talk with Kristoff, then?" As tired as she was of feeling it, once again she felt anxious.

Then Anna seemed to wilt. Sadness was the main feeling around them, and Anna looked at the top of the table. "He's going to go, for a while anyway."

"Go?"

Anna nodded and picked up a roll, but that was all she did. She didn't even reach for her soup. "He has liked visiting with Ryder in the past and so he decided he wants to go up to the forest to stay with the Northuldra for a while."

"Oh." Elsa didn't know what to say to that. Well, she did, and it was that she thought it was a good fit for him. At the same time she didn't think Anna wanted to hear that right away.

Anna voiced it anyway. "It's a good idea, it is. Kristoff still likes to sleep in the stables and he...well he talks about reindeer so much and how much he loved all the reindeer up there. Ryder is his 'brother from a northern mother' he told me once." She closed her eyes. "It's a good idea." She opened her eyes and they were wet. "He belongs up there," she said and her voice cracked as she couldn't hold it back. Her hands covered her face as she tried to silence her crying.

In a flash Elsa was up and on the other side of the table. She climbed onto the seat and took Anna into her arms, sharing the cloak with her. "Anna, Anna," she said, not sure what she wanted to follow that up with. She just held her tight.

"I know it wil be good for him," Anna sobbed, and slowly lowered her hands. "But he's still my dear friend and family. He will probably visit and he will still supply ice...if we need him we can send for him. But he won't-he won't be here."

"I know." Elsa gave her face little kisses, wishing she could take away the fat tears currently rolling down her own cheeks.

"Elsa I'm going to miss him so much." Anna turned her body completely into Elsa and kept crying. All Elsa could do was keep holding her, keep kissing and nuzzling her face. She wasn't really sure how a genuine breakup and aftermath went. All she had to compare were the times she had separated from Anna, once in a flurry of drama to the North Mountain and again clad in her white dress and riding Nokk.

How she had hurt her...and Anna did not deserve more hurt.

"You will Anna, I know. He needs to do this though. Kristoff needs to heal and this will probably help him." Elsa also knew how much Ryder talked about Kristoff and looked forward to his visits. Someone eager to see him and spend a ton of time bonding with him - actually, Kristoff was probably going to have a nice time up there."Think about the fact he will be happy," she tried to tell her.

Anna nodded a little against her. "He will. I want him happy, so happy. I wish I could have done that for him. I just couldn't."

"And that's okay, Anna. You deserve to be true and honest with yourself." She returned to peppering her with kisses. "It's difficult, yes. It will get better with time." That much she was sure of. Anna's guilt would go over time and Kristoff would still be there for them. For the moment he had wounds he needed to lick somewhere away from them.

"Maybe. With you...it hasn't." Anna looked up at her. "Ever since you left to stay up there I've missed you every day. And now, he'll be up there, and when we are normal again, will you...you'll...what will happen?" she finally asked.

Elsa hadn't expected to be asked that but she knew it was something to address. As a result she wasn't totally thrown off by the question. "Oh Anna...I..I haven't thought about the forest much as all these two days. I'm not even sure I want to go back to living there." She meant it.

"You...wait, what?" Anna sniffed and looked up at her. Her eyes glittered with hope.

"I'm not completely sure yet! I...there is much I still want to learn and see through Ahtohallan and I do enjoy the spirits." Not feeling them ebbing into her mind was strange but freeing. She felt like she had before the call, minus having powers.

Anna studied her face as if looking for any trace of a trick. "You mean it?" The tears weren't falling anymore. "I know you said you aren't sure but..."

"I do mean it. Being without you isn't right. Its not-leaving you had never been part of my plans and though I was distracted, I have still longed to be with you." She kissed the corner of her mouth. "I just don't know what the right decision is." She knew. She just wasn't sure how to go about shifting her life again. Perhaps it was easier than she thought...

"For now, I'll take that answer," Anna said cuddling into her. "For now I need that answer. It doesn't make me feel totally better about Kristoff, but...but it helps." She hugged Elsa under the cloak and rested her head on her shoulder. "It helps."

"I love you, Anna." Elsa closed her eyes and let the feeling of their shared flame envelope them, the chill far away. She rocked just slightly as she sought a way to comfort Anna further. Anna crying wasn't something she was okay with unless it was in joy.

"I love you too," Anna murmured. "I want you to stay forever."

"I know you do," Elsa replied with a smile growing on her face. Could there be a person sweeter than Anna? "We should eat, Anna. The soup will get cold, and even with ice powers I liked my soup hot." She didn't pull away.

"You're right...and YOU should eat!" Anna moved and Elsa opened her eyes to see her looking at her. "You need to warm up Elsa."

Elsa beamed at her. "I'm warm right now. But I am also hungry. Let's enjoy our lunch," she told her, and Anna agreed.

They stayed together under the cloak, cuddled together as they enjoyed their meal. Anna raised her ladle to Elsa's mouth several times and giggled as she fed her while Elsa rolled her eyes but smiled and took it. They linked their arms as they sipped down their hot tea, sharing little glances with barely any talking. Anna's face still showed a little red, her eyes too and her makeup was a little runny - Elsa still liked actual makeup and so her sister used it too.

They decided after eating to go up to their room and fix Anna up. Both of them needed a minute before trying to resume the day. Their emotions were running high, mostly in a good way but Elsa was aware that Anna's sadness hadn't up and vanished. She could still feel it even as Anna hid it for the castle staff.

The basket and dishes were returned to the kitchen. As they exited, Elsa heard music. It was beautiful music, a waltz full of wonder. Violins worked under expert fingers and the carefree melody of the flutes made her smile. "That's wonderful, what is...oh!" Realization dawned on her.

At the same time, Anna responded. "Ah, Menander's band must be rehearsing for tonight! Some of ours are joining, I think. I know they all had a great time last time they all played together."

"Oh it's amazing. Tonight will be great," Elsa told her as they climbed the stairs to the bedroom.

"Uh huh, but you're forgetting something."  Anna snickered. "You don't dance, Elsa."

"So? Why would tha-ooooh." Oh no. The queen was going to be expected to dance. And she was going to have to dance nicely while looking happy about it.

There was a small amount of give luckily. Anna was graceful but she was also Anna, which meant she got carried away and sometimes tripped over her feet or knocked over another human being. Elsa didn't think she would go quite that far, but perfection from her would actually be a bit suspicious.

They reached the room and the music could still be heard. Anna grabbed Elsa's hand and pulled her in, giggling and closing the door. "Come on come on!" she said, leading Elsa to the open part of the room.

The music was very muffled, but it was there. "Anna..." Elsa had a feeling she knew what Anna was about to do.

And she was right. Anna pulled her close and put an arm around her waist. She raised Elsa's other hand in her own and squeezed it. "Time for you to dance. Put your arm over mine."

"Is this right?" Elsa asked, a bit thrown off. She'd watched people dance hundreds of times. She just hadn't felt like paying total attention since she, again, did not dance.

"Yes," Anna said, and she began to move her feet. "Follow my lead, Elsa. We're going to dance." She smirked at Elsa.

Elsa glared back. "You're enjoying this too much."

"I sure am!" Anna gave a little tug to encourage Elsa to move with her.

With some reluctance, Elsa finally lifted a foot to follow. The music was nice and she did kind of want to move to it, just, in her own way. She let Anna guide her, trying to follow her steps.

She stepped on her foot. "Ow!" Anna yelped.

"Sorry!" Elsa tried to pull her hand back from on top of Anna's arm, but Anna shot her a look.

"Don't you dare. Dance with me, Elsa. Move with me," she said and her voice was so soft it sort of lulled Elsa back in.

It was sort of tricky, but Elsa caught on quickly as Anna moved them around the room. Her hand remained in Anna's tight grip as her fingers gently played on her back. They drew ever closer and Elsa began to lose herself a little, everything blurring slightly. Her body almost moved of its own volition without Elsa even trying to tell it to. Her footwork matched Anna's and they went together seamlessly. The music felt louder even though she was sure through the floor and doors they should barely be able to hear it.

In fact, it was as though there were an orchestra in her head and suddenly it happened again.

Elsa was in her body. Anna was in hers. Even though they switched they continued to dance with each other without missing a step. Elsa was looking into Anna's brilliant eyes, the rims not red and her face smooth and perfect. There was no trace of sadness at all. Instead there was glee. There was laughter. There was love.

They were pressed together as their arms ended up around each other once again, turning in slow circles. Anna reached up once to tuck a stray hair of Elsa's before her arm returned to the embrace. They were one and it was perfect.

It was unsurprising that their faces grew closer. They touched their foreheads And Elsa stroked her face. Lips connected once again and eyes closed as they melted into one another. The music was all around them. It encouraged them and told them to keep going. It was even stronger than the call of Ahtohallan had been...

Elsa felt she could stay like that forever. She wanted to. Reality had to come back, however, and the music began to quiet. Their lips separated though they held each other still, and they were back in their bodies. Elsa was almost disappointed. She wanted to see Anna's face.

Even if she couldn't see her face, Anna was still there in her arms. For the moment that was more than enough.

[anthropologicalhands]

ceg fic: temperature control

title: temperature control summary: Rebecca Bunch cursing in his shower is not Nathaniel’s usual Monday morning, but he can adjust.  notes: 3x07 morning after fic. Rebecca definitely jumped Nathaniel on a weeknight, right? 

a03 link here

Nathaniel wakes to the click of a door closing.

His first, fuzzy thought is that Rebecca ran away again. Except the sound isn’t quite right, and when he sits up against the headboard he can still see her purse by the front door and her shoes off to the side of the bed.

So where did she go…

The sound of running water sputters to life in the bathroom, and there’s an immediate, indignant yelp, hastily muffled.

Nathaniel grins, a burst of amusement suffusing quickly with relief.

Ah, there she is.

The empty side of the bed is still warm; he’s impressed she managed to sneak out without waking him. The last time they had done this he’d been aware of every time she shifted in the night. Though considering how late it had been when they finally fell asleep—

That brought forth a sudden, pressing concern: what time was it now?

There are many words that come to mind when he describes Rebecca, but ‘timely’ is not one of them. Nathaniel scrambles out of bed to check his phone, urgency overtaking dignity.

The digital clock informs him that he still has another thirty minutes before his alarm goes off. But going back to sleep seems pointless after the momentary panic has put his internal systems on full alert.  Instead, he pulls on the sweats and shirt from the night before and goes to stand before the bathroom door.

“Rebecca?” He knocks gently on the door with the back of his hand. “Everything all right?”

She mutters something incomprehensible: it sounds vaguely obscene.

“Sorry, didn’t catch that.”

“Fine!” Rebecca’s voice finally squeaks through the door, over the sound of the shower spray. “Be out in a minute!”

Nathaniel nods before he remembers that she won’t be able to see it.

“Don’t worry about it. Take your time.”

He slips away from the door and heads to the kitchen, looking for something to do while getting his facial muscles under control. He never has breakfast, but he’s pretty sure that his guest does, so he should try to see if there is anything in his fridge.

He’s found oranges and not much else when Rebecca emerges from the bathroom, barefoot but otherwise fully dressed and pinching the last of the excess moisture from her hair. She catches his eye and smiles ruefully.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” he returns, completely unable to help the answering smile that the sight of her draws from him.

“Did I wake you up?” She crosses through the apartment, pausing to pick up her purse, bending to retrieve it from the doorway.

When she looks up and catches his answering nod, she winces. “Ah, shit. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Was everything okay in there?”

“I ran into a problem with your shower panel.”

He frowns, confused. “What happened? Do I have to call the landlord?”

She shakes her head, slipping the purse strap over her shoulder. “Nothing like that. I was trying to get the water warm and accidentally turned on the jets instead and got sprayed in the face. Speaking of which, I didn’t even know it was possible to have jets in a shower, so what the hell is thatabout?”

He laughs –he can’t help it. Rebecca tries to glower at him, but her mouth is more curved into a smile than a frown, so he doubts she minds all that much.

She approaches the kitchen counter and braces herself against the edge but leans forward, towards him, chin tilted stubbornly upwards. “But seriously. What kind of space age bachelor aesthetic are you going for here with the fancy shower options? That’s too many fiddly bits to keep track of. Especially when we might have another drought, why would you want all these weird dials when all you need is a temperature control? Maybe a detachable shower nozzle.” She narrows her eyes at him, smirking. “Or maybe that’s just me. You probably wouldn’t use that the same way I would.”

Nathaniel rolls his eyes, amused. He puts his hands down on the other side of the counter, leaning a little more forward so he can look down at her. “I’m sorry, let me get this straight: after knocking on my door in the middle of the night and jumping me with maybe two seconds of warning, today you’re complaining that my shower has too many options? That’s just rude.”

Rebecca has her lip between her teeth, though her shoulders shake with suppressed laughter. He considers leaning a little further and closing the gap between them, but she seems to be playing it casual, and he doesn’t want to come off too strong.

“Thirsty?”

He moves away from the counter, and gestures towards the sink.

“Huh?” From his peripheral vision he sees her give herself a little shake. “Oh, sure.”

He fills two glasses and turns back around to find Rebecca watching him, now resting her elbows on the countertop, twiddling her thumbs. He slides the glass across the counter; she reaches out and accepts it with a quiet ‘thank you’

“In all seriousness,” he says. “You could have woken me up. I wouldn’t have minded. Might have just joined you, what with the impending drought,” he adds, with a small smirk.

She smiles, but the playful glint in her eyes is not quite there. She falters a bit, dropping her gaze and studying the black marble countertop instead, tracing an uneven gray skein right by the edge.

“Well, you have work, and I know you like to get in early. I was trying to be considerate.” She smiles self-deprecatingly. “Didn’t seem to work.”

“I wouldn’t have minded,” he insists.

She nods, still looking down at her hands. It’s not easy to gauge Rebecca, not when she doesn’t want to be read. She’s drawn back, agitated about something, but he can’t tell what.

The nervous energy is throwing him off—it’s such a far cry of the woman who has tackled him in his office during his first week, tried to seduce him in his doorway a month ago and who was just in his bed an hour ago.

Unease twists his stomach. She had said that sex wouldn’t affect anything about her recovery, but maybe it has. Maybe she’s already realized it and wants to escape. She already has her purse, after all.

“Rebecca?” He starts, and pauses, trying to think the best way to phrase it. “Did you need to leave, earlier? Am I keeping you from something?”

“What?” Rebecca’s head snaps back up, eyes wide. “I wasn’t…no, absolutely not. I didn’t want to wake you, but I wasn’t going to just skip out. I have better manners than that, most of the time.”

She mutters the last part, dragging a hand through her hair, the damp ends of her curls bobbing and sticking to her skin; she tucks them back behind her ear.

He's genuinely worried now.

“Rebecca, was this okay?”

“Of course it was, better than okay, really. I’m just…feeling kind of guilty.” She holds up a hand, palm forward, already anticipating his next question. “Not about the sex.”

“About what then?” he prompts, genuinely confused.

She chews her lip before answering.

“About the fact that it’s Monday morning, you’re usually in the office by eight and I definitely wasn’t thinking about that when I came over last night. I mean, I don’t even have jet lag as an excuse, ‘cause I’m going from east to west and that’s always an easier shift. So. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“Well, I am.”

“Don’t be,” says Nathaniel firmly. “I mean, yeah, you could have hurt my back, jumping on me like that, but I remembered to bend my knees, so...”

She laughs at that, the same way she did a few days, like she hasn’t got a care in the world. She stands a little taller, her shoulders relaxing. The tension unknots in his stomach, and he doesn’t hide his own smile.

“Are you hungry? I have some fruit,” he says, changing the subject, grounding it back in the now. “Not much else though.”

“Nathaniel, it’s fine. You weren’t expecting a house guest, and I wasn’t, uh, originally planning on spending the night—”

He raises an eyebrow at her, skeptical.

“You fell asleep before I did.”

He takes some pleasure at seeing her flush and glare half-heartedly at him.

“It wasn’t that late,” says Rebecca, defensive. “Your stupid bed is just really, really comfortable. I don’t know how you ever wake up so early in the morning.”

“It’s called a work ethic.”

She rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling again, and he takes it as permission to test the waters, circle back to their earlier (non-)conversation.

“You didn’t really answer my question.”

She tilts her head, curious. “Which one?”

“About your therapy thing. And…us. Having sex,” he gestures between them. “Where does it fit into everything?”

“Oh,” she considers. “It’s a judgment call, honestly. I guess you could also call it part of my homework.”

Nathaniel squints at her. “Excuse me? I’m homework?”

She laughs.

“Before I went to Buffalo, my therapist told me that I was trying too hard to be perfect, and not, you know, living life and making mistakes,” she explains, tracing her fingers across the marble again in careless spirals. “Not that this was a mistake. Um, it’s more of a learning to trust my instincts kind of thing? I do a lot of, seeing things in black and white. This is Good and that is Bad, in all capital letters, no room for gray. But that’s not how life works. There’s a lot of personal judgment involved, and he encouraged me to use that judgment and just live life.”

She looks askance at him. “Does that make sense?”

“I think so.” He says. It will make sense, once he thinks on it a little more deeply. For now, he’s just happy she seems more relaxed, more comfortable standing here in his kitchen with him. “So...what kind of judgment call is having sex with your ex-boss?”

She laughs, bright and infectious and warm as the light that has been slowly creeping into the room, warming the floors and stretching long fingers across the kitchen.

“We’ll see, but it was pretty great sex, so I’m feeling good about it,” she says, cocking her head to the side, almost coquettish. “I probably still should have at least sent you a text first, or something. I’m figuring it out. It’s a work in progress. I’m a work in progress; that’s where I’m at.”

“Well, I already told you: I’m here for you, no matter what.” The words are a little easier to say a second time, though he supposes it could just be because they are ensconced in his apartment, and he’s not being thrown off kilter on her doorstep. “Just keep me posted.”

Her face softens. “I know. I will. And thank you.”

They stand like that a while. Rebecca is the first to look away, out to the windows and the morning haze over the city, before meeting his eyes again.

“I really should be going,” she says regretfully. “I do have therapy in a couple of hours and I need to check in on a few things. But I’ll…see you again? In the reasonably near future?”

“Yeah. Sure,” he says, trying to play it cool. Trying to remember what playing it cool is, because he used to be good at it, once. Instead, he’s smiling at Rebecca and she’s smiling at him and they seem to have run out of words and are just being held nicely in the moment. It’s a new sensation, an immersion of complete calm that Nathaniel has rarely known, Mondays notwithstanding.

The moment breaks with his ringtone, signaling his normal start of the day. He flicks it off, but Rebecca is already drawing away, hitching up her purse and fumbling through it.

“Huh, my roommate’s been texting,” she says, pulling out her phone. “Weird. I told her I’d be here and not to wait up because I’d be home really late. She’s sent like three texts asking if I’m dead or if you killed me. I should probably let her know that I’m not—aaand she’s calling. Sorry, I need to take this.”

“Go ahead,” says Nathaniel. “I need to get ready anyways. Do you need to leave immediately?”

Rebecca’s got her phone dangling between two fingers, like her roommate is about to lunge through and bite her. “It seriously depends. I hope you don’t mind....”

“Of course not.” He tries not to look at her directly –it’s a bit stupid, to be disappointed. “I’ll see you around?”

Rebecca’s attention is still mostly on her phone, but she spares a smile for him. “I’ll see you around,” she agrees, before pressing the green talk button and holding it up to her ear. “Hey Heath-er! Yes, I’m not dead. No, Nathaniel didn’t kill me. Yes, I did fall asleep, and yes the axe is unnecessary.”

“What?”

Rebecca shakes her head at him.

“It’s a thing, don’t worry about it,” she returns the phone to her ear. “I’m back, Heather. How was your weekend?”

It’s a little weird, having to make a graceful exit from his own kitchen, but Nathaniel’s not going to push it. It was a good night, they can leave it at that. But it’s Monday and, good night or not, he needs to get ready for work.

He takes a few minutes to check the shower settings, trying to test if Rebecca made any alterations with unintended consequences. By the time he hears his apartment door snap shut, the small twinge in his chest is still present, but it’s not too bad; he’s already started his mental preparations for what should be a very productive workday. She has her own things to do and he can respect that. He can consider their exchange later. He just needs a few minutes to calibrate, get his mind focused and ready to deal with the incoming grind.

…only then the door to the bathroom opens instead, and there are footsteps, and before Nathaniel can do more than turn towards the shower door it’s being yanked open and Rebecca slips right in, sans clothing and smirking mischievously.

“You know what? That was silly.  We’ve still got…what, an hour? That’s plenty of time.” She presses into him, her arms slipping around his waist and resting above his hip bones, raising goosebumps. “This is a nice shower. You have good taste in, uh, tile? I guess? Is your offer to show me how to work the fiddly bits still on the table?”

The part of him that was gearing up tells him that he should be annoyed—his morning routine is usually timed down to the minute and anything they do will definitely disrupt that.

“Yep, it’s still on. Totally, completely on,” confirms Nathaniel, his hands skimming around her back, kneading circles at her hips and near the base of her spine, bringing her impossibly closer.

Whatever, he can adjust.

“Okay, good. I mean, I was trying to be considerate, like seriously, but if we’re gonna be up this horribly early, at least we can have a little more fun.”

“So you wasted my hot water for nothing?”

She scoffs. “Please, I was barely here five minutes. I didn’t even steam up the mirrors properly.”

He groans and kisses her. She returns it enthusiastically, going on her toes to bury her hands in his hair, scrabbling for a grip.

She hums with pleasure and breaks away, a little breathless. “Good, this is good. Now you can show me how this stupid shower works.”

“It’s not that difficult,” he says, bending down to catch her mouth again, sweeping her hair out of her face, smoothing down her neck until his thumbs brush against her clavicle. “Seriously. There’s just two main functions. Heat and pressure.”

“Ooh,” she sighs, letting him crowd her to the back shower wall, still under the spray. “Mhmm. Yeah. Well, the heat’s just fine --let’s talk about keeping up the pressure.”