They can call her clingy, but Elsa felt especially attached to Aiden today; not only because she hasn’t seen him for the past few days, it was just a sudden instinct which kicked in a while ago. Aiden didn’t seem to mind, and he loved having her arm linked around his but he would like it more if it were their hands. Although this his first serious relationship and he didn’t want to mess things up by being too forward—he was so tense and nervous Elsa found it too adorable.
Together, along with an ecstatic Claire holding her mother’s hand, they walked throughout the narrow hallways of the fourth floor of Dalton Medicare, Aiden dragging the metal pole of his drip, or IV and mentally counting the days he didn’t get to go to the gym with low grumbles.
“Where are we going?” Elsa chuckled at his furrowed expression. “Somewhere. I don’t like being stuck in bed all day.”
“When will you get out of here?” Claire innocently questioned, and Aiden wondered that too. He can already guess the hospital bill can take up this month’s salary and he’s not too happy about it; but the cost was worth it and he was the one confined, not Elsa, and that was more than good enough for him.
“I still do not know when they will discharge me,” Aiden hid his frown with a smile, he really hates being left alone with his thoughts, “Hopefully they will soon. In fact they should actually do that right now.”
“Do you want to die or something?” Elsa raised an unamused brow, “Heine wouldn’t want his efforts going to waste with that decision.”
“Wait—what do you mean—HEINE?!” Aiden nearly yelled, and he apologized quickly to the flinching nurse pushing a cart passing by, “Don’t tell me he...”
“He did. And please don’t pay him back, you don’t need to. Let me tell you, he pays for things as if they cost only a penny,” Elsa comforted, “He doesn’t usually help other people this way.”
“Oh...” Aiden frowned, he can thank the guy later. He wasn’t ungrateful, but he wanted to pay for it himself and it was his choice to save someone—it wasn’t just some gallant act rotting because someone else faced the aftershocks.
“Shh, it’s okay,” Elsa smiled, noticing his sudden discomfort, a hand brushing against his dimples and he loved her hands, they were soft and gentle he could feel them forever, “Don’t think about it so much.”
His arm slipped around her waist and he nudged her closer, and Elsa was just glad Claire was too busy watching a surgeon exit a room and speak with a doctor to miss the moment where Aiden stole a kiss, and she laughed against his lips and she told him to behave or he wouldn’t be getting anything more, but he knew she loved him too much to resist.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to be a bit bold, after all.
“Elsa?”
Aiden swallowed the forming lump in his throat.
Seeing her hands on her hips, Aiden didn’t know someone could stare down a person to their weakest point while simultaneously gawking in surprise—such a skill only Anna Bjorgman can do, if he was not mistaken, but he has gotten a clear description of what the woman looks like and right now, Aiden can guarantee she is the one currently standing before them a few yards away, hardly moving an inch out of what could be shock.
A fine dusting of freckles are plastered across her nose to her cheeks, and her eye pigmentation is noticeably many shades warmer than her sister’s. Her hair is what can catch anyone’s attention, seeing how she is a redhead. Her skin isn’t as pale as Elsa’s, but she does have the same nose structure.
There was another unfamiliar presence behind the redhead, the golden blond who seemingly looked like he could crush any fragile thing between his hands, yet at the same time he looked gentle. Heine coolly flicked his eyes between the two frozen siblings as he calmly told Claire to not wander about.
Aiden and Elsa indeed had a contract (at least a vocal one) which only included acting as if they were a real couple whenever Elgon was around. But ever since he was easily fooled she already had a lover—a position only a worthy man can claim—he stopped nagging and couldn’t step a foot into the building then. So, it occurred to Aiden just now it was just like they never really pretended, nor did they act out the contract.
Their relationship isn’t announced publicly, yet, and he is sure the media is itching for the interesting headlines telling that one of the most powerful women in the world has fallen in love with her secretary and not someone as capable as her. It made his desire to be on the same level as Elsa, Heine, Anna, any soul who sees a million as a penny bloom.
But somehow, his sense of contentment is opposed to that.
“A-anna,” Elsa managed to croak out, and for once he couldn’t read the emotion through the way she spoke her sister’s name. She left his arms and walked over to the still figure of the redhead, shaking her.
“Anna? Anna?”
“ELSAAAAAA!”
“Anna, people are looking at us,” Kristoff mumbled sheepishly. Piercing turquoise blue eyes ignored his chiding and with a happy squeal the siblings shared a longing embrace. Well, it was good when the satisfaction of getting to hold your sibling again after a couple of years lasted; until Elsa felt her lungs struggle.
“P-please don’t kill me...”
“Oh goodness! Sorry!” Anna nervously giggled, releasing the older blonde in an instant, “Are you alright? I hope I didn’t squeeze too much. I mean, I can’t really blame myself since it’s been so long since we’ve shared a warm hug and Olaf sure is fluffy enough but you’re different and—”
“You’re rambling.”
“Well why didn’t you tell me there was something going on and you’re at the hospital?” she grunted.
“Hm, then why didn’t you tell me about your sudden arrival here?” Elsa smirked, “Don’t you suppose we’re even, dear little sister?”
“My, my, the kitty finally got claws,” Anna joked, before loudly squealing and hugging the woman who happily hugged back, “You’ll be stuck around me from now on!”
“AUNTIE ANNA!”
The moment the four-year-old hugged her aunt’s leg, many things happened at once; Claire squealed, the noise boisterous enough to send a dazed Aiden bolting upright in alarm. The elated woman was ready to engulf the little girl in her open arms and so she did, shrieking in excitement as she bumped noses with the little girl practically bouncing with equal energy and Aiden bets they have vocal cords made out of steel.
“Claire! You’ve grown!” Anna cheered, and she showed her pointer finger on her thumb, “You were this little and now you’re, woah!”
“I wasn’t that tiny Aunt Anna!” Came Claire's giggle.
“Yes you were!” Anna childishly recoiled, “And since you’re still pretty tiny to me, don’t tell your mama I have white chocolates waiting for you at home so you can grow!”
“Okay!” she pressed a finger to her lips as if to say her lips are zipped.
“Hey there squirt!” Kristoff greeted, catching the enthusiastic child in his arms and spinning her around, earning massive shrieks of laughter echoing around the pristine halls, “Not so light anymore, huh?”
“Soooo what changed, huh?” Anna’s turquoise blue orbs flickered from one place to another, “Your hair’s still the same, never consider dying or cutting it because it’s too gorgeous, oh and I see you everywhere sis! I see you in Time, Vogue, and damn it I haven’t read the latest Forbes but that’s fine so anyway, I got really really worried when you said to meet you in the hospital because girl I thought you tripped over the stairs or something, and–wait, where’s that secretary of yours? Isn’t he supposed to be assisting you and stuff? And—”
Holy.
“W-wait, is that–?” Anna blankly turned to the director right beside her, and the blond nodded with a chuckle, “That is indeed Secretary Laurant, Mrs. Bjorgman.”
He’s... Taller than Kristoff. Amazing.
Aiden awkwardly waved from where he stood, curling his lips into a polite smile after his existence was noticed by the gawking redhead frozen in place upon seeing him.
“Anna! Your nose is bleeding—”
“E-elsa?” Her sister’s name briefly left her tongue, and Elsa snickered before her younger sister’s expression and contemplated if she should get a tissue or just watch the hilarious expression her sister bore.
“Hm?” “Is he really your secreta–?” she dropped her voice into a low whisper, and her comment caused the blonde to chuckle.
Elsa folded her arms and walked over to the amused man donning a hospital gown; a fact which intensified his blooming chagrin and she just thought he looked so cute shunning his face away with his hands.
“You weren’t this shy, love,” and once again his nostrils were tickled by the wild aroma of Chanel since she was near, and he did as he was told and murmured a faint hello to the starstruck woman leaning against her husband, scratching the nape of his neck nervously.
“Don’t stare at him so much honey,” Kristoff chided jokingly, “We men don’t like prying eyes.”
“He looks like a man outta Baywatch—wait, what did you just call him?!” Anna gaped.
“He’s mama’s boyfriend!” Claire cheerfully skipped over to her aunt’s leg and hugged it once again, “Like you and Uncle Kris!”
“That’s fairly different, baby,” Elsa nervously shifted in her seat, “We’re not married.”
“Can I be your flower girl?”
“Secretary Aiden Laurant at your service,” The lone patient stiffly introduced himself with a bowed head, and once he adjusted to a normal angle Anna almost fainted at the eye contact, and she felt like an ant, “I am very glad to meet you, uh...”
“PLEASE CALL ME ANNA AND YOU’RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO ASK FOR MY BLESSIN–mmhf!”
“Sorry, she tends to ramble,” Kristoff shuddered mentally at the dangerous glare his wife shot him, “I’m her husband, Kristoff. Nice to meet you.”
“Hi.”
“How rude,” Anna groaned, smacking her husband’s hand off her mouth, “I was merely wondering how the Elisabeth Arendelle liked someone. No offense.”
“None taken,” Elsa smiled.
“Love, not like,” Claire voluntarily corrected.
“What’s your favorite food?”
“Anything, I guess...?”
“Best friend’s name?”
“Uh – well, does my mom count?”
“Height?”
“Six feet and three inches, nearly four.”
“How much do you love my sister?”
“That’s something that cannot be measured.”
“APPROVED!” Anna squealed, “Pretty eyes, strong teeth, nice jaw! Pleasured to meet you, Hayden! Oh wait my mistake, Aiden!” She shook his hand vigorously and he could have sworn the lines in the heart monitor looked like triangular mountains, “Don’t you dare break her heart or I will break you! But I know you wouldn’t because pshhhh, who would break up with Elsa? Somebody insane I guess!”
“Do you even have lungs?” Kristoff shook his head.
“You’re telling me all the deets and before I forget Heine told me you’re going to do some explaining so let’s get out of here shall we? I promise we’ll just talk,” Anna’s smile was sickeningly sweet, and Elsa knew she was done for.
To be continued
on the next chapter...