Love Thaws: Melting

Warmer

The grease popped and sizzled on the stainless steel pan as she dropped another raw slice of bacon. Elsa hummed happily as the meaty, tantalizing smell of bacon wafted from the pan. Jack had done most of the cooking. Elsa decided it was her turn. Elsa made a mental note to remember the biscuits she'd put in the oven; she didn't want them to burn.

Elsa shoved the spatula underneath a slice a bacon and flipped it. The grease sputtered angrily. Elsa wedged the spatula underneath another slice of bacon, but it wouldn't budge. It was almost like it was fused to the pan. Elsa cautiously picked up the edge of the bacon with her fingers. She gently set it back down on the pan, reversing the sides. As the bacon touched the pan, hot grease sizzled and splattered, lightly spraying the back of Elsa's hand. Elsa let out a pained yelp and recoiled from the pan. She shoved the lid on and twisted the knob, turning the stove off. She turned on the faucet, putting her hand underneath the stream of water. She heard heavy footsteps thud down the stairs.

"Elsa?"

She turned towards Jack, momentarily forgetting the hot stinging on the back of her hand. His hair was mussed and untamed, sticking up slightly. He was in shorts and his gray t-shirt looked rumpled and creased. His blue eyes were bright and alert, a stark contrast to the rest of his appearance. He was adorable. A painful stinging in her hand brought her back to reality. She put it back under the cool water.

"What happened?"

Elsa could feel him right behind her and suppressed a shiver. She wanted to lean into him. Jack snatched her wrist and brought it out of the water for inspection. It was speckled in red spots, where the grease had splattered. Jack scowled at the burn and put her hand back under the water. She felt his hands grow icy cold as he gently touched her hand. It felt wonderful on her hand, easing the hot sting. He kept her hand under the water for a few more minutes before turning the faucet off.

He still held her hand as he rummaged through the cabinets until he found a white bottle. He tipped it upside down and deposited a few drops of creamy white lotion onto her hand. His gently rubbed the lotion in, his hands still abnormally cold. The white lotion eventually disappeared. He sighed and stopped massaging her hand, looking up at her. Elsa could sense he wanted to ask her why she hadn't used her powers. But he didn't ask. He simply cocooned her tiny hand with his larger ones.

XXXXXXXX

They walked hand in hand as they strolled through the forest. The air was fresh and thick with humidity. Moss, curling leaves, and twigs littered the forest ground. Elsa heard the distant chirps of birds and the occasional hammering of a wood pecker. A little, plump chipmunk scampered into a hole. Jack was swinging their joined hands happily as they walked. He finally stopped at the edge of the stream. The water was crystal clear, rushing over gravel and around water-smoothed stones. It looked like rushing, liquid glass. Elsa bent down and touched the surface with her fingertips, feeling as the water pulled at her fingers. It was as cold as ice, chilling her body. Jack squatted down next to her.

"You know, there's gold in this river."

Elsa turned towards him. "Really?!" she asked incredulously.

Jack nodded and pointed to a glittering yellow fleck among the gravel. "See?"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "I don't think that counts."

"Well, it is gold."

"But how would you pick it up?"

Jack shrugged and they both lapsed into silence.