Claire was so sure she was dreaming of the familiar scenic tower accommodating the same strawberry skies she saw two years ago when she was dressed in a dress composed of baby pink ruffles and few sequins, as her vision closed and opened awake in a very annoying pattern caused by her previous nap. And since when could she fly—or perhaps have grown taller in a span of a few hours?
“Mama...” she stretched out a weak hand when she saw her mother walking in tow, pulling a light baggage behind her, and the ground seemed like cobblestone underneath the moving pair of shoes when Claire recovered some of her energy. Smiling; the woman brushed her falling fringes away to see her child’s eyes more clearly. “Hi. Did you have a good nap?”
Claire nodded, albeit in a drowsy way. She shifted and rubbed her eyes with pudgy fists, turning her head into another direction only to find the crook of Aiden’s neck. Green orbs met her widening blues, and a warm grin quirked the secretary’s dimples upon seeing the awoken child in his arms. “Hey, princess. Still sleepy?”
Her weariness completely faded, her lips dissolving into a bright smile. Noticing the speedy change with her daughter’s mood, Elsa itched to just take out her camera and immortalize the scene she was witnessing if it wasn’t for the—knowing Anna—five star hotel waiting for them just a few blocks away.
“You’re like Mr. Carrots,” Aiden liked hearing that adorable giggle, “You’re really warm.”
He raised an amused brow, “Mr. Carrots?”
“My toy bunny,” Claire explained, “You haven’t met him yet?” Aiden pursed his lips and shook his head, “I believe I haven’t had the pleasure.” Excitedly perking up, Claire promised a lofty introduction with a beam and didn’t bother to insist to be put down.
Like the CEO has guessed, her younger sister has indeed booked a place that could keep up to her level. Her unbounded blonde tresses flowed at the sudden cold gust of air from the air conditioning stationed above their heads as they walked past the entrance.
Anna flashed the front desk a smile and as far as Aiden could understand the foreign language—a skill the Winters Residence’s head chef praised—the redhead greeted the brunette clad in formality and wanted to make some “room adjustments” at an unusually quick pace.
Elsa’s brows furrowed.
Fortunately Anna hid her smirk of success since she had her back turned on her older sibling. Mischief was up to her sleeve and her efforts related to this sudden trip shouldn’t be wasted. The group watched a pair of lavishly dressed carriers arrive, and oh well, this is truly France after all.
A few minutes of a rather silent discussion in the reception, Anna distributed their hotel key cards, and as Elsa predicted, two rooms—No, suites, sensing the massive dining area along with a kitchen in Kristoff and Anna’s respective one. Anna is more than fond of luxury, but there were things she preferred doing on her own and not someone else’s services unless necessary.
Elsa’s eyes roamed over her brother in law and sister’s room and oddly enough, the spacious suite had three beds instead of one.
“Dear sister,” Anna’s voice was sickeningly sweet and polite, as her hand motioned to the Smiggle backpack around her sister’s arm, “Claire’s bag, please.”
Suspicion rose within her mind, and reluctantly Elsa surrendered the pink thing over to her sister’s awaiting hands, “Why though?” “Give me Claire, too. So she could settle in with us.”
And so her suspicions were put to a brief end. “Excuse me?”
“Aw come on. Is it an aunt’s fault for wanting to spend more time with her niece?”
“Anna Alexandra Arendelle–”
“Bjorgman!”
“Doesn’t matter, Claire can’t sleep without me around!”
“She’ll be perfectly fine!”
“Auntie Anna!”
Anna quickly caught the running girl in her arms and squeezed her slightly, while Elsa knew that all too victorious smirk, “Hey sweetheart. Tell you what,” she bravely ignored the scowl plastered on her sister’s face, “What about you stay with Auntie Anna and Uncle Kristoff for the week here?”
The grin Claire bore couldn’t be greater.
Anna’s plan should be successful any minute now. But she needed clarification first. “How does that sound?”
“Okay!”
“Alright!” Anna cheered, “Well then. Let’s allow your mama and Aiden to... Settle in,” Elsa wanted to wipe that smug smile off the redhead’s face, “We’ll see you at dinner, El. Our room.”
“Likewise,” Elsa frowned with folded arms, before dropping down to the four-year-old’s height, “See you later baby. If you need anything, anything at all sweet pea, mama’s just next door–”
Anna smirks. “I can handle that matter just fine.”
Elsa had a dangerous glint in her eye.
With that, Claire was gone behind the door; from which she heard a dreadful click, none other than the lock.
Sighing, Elsa turned her heels and found her patiently waiting boyfriend standing idly by the threshold, grinning goofily with his usual ruffled dark locks. She scanned his outfit, orbs sensually going up and down to survey the plain Nike shirt and cotton sweatpants he wore.
Unlike other men she has met, Aiden isn’t someone overconfident. Ironically his height and build look intimidating, but... Just seeing him standing there, six foot three (nearly four) and all, hands stuffed in his pockets—she felt comfortable.
Yet she still wished he could be a little more forward.
“It looks good on you,” he mumbled, flustered, avoiding her eyes.
Smiling softly, Elsa curiously pulled on a sector of the favored hoodie, his hoodie, “T-thank you.”
Damn it, stop stuttering, she harshly thought to herself, “Shall we-?” she cluelessly gestured to their suite. Aiden nods and allows her in first, lining up their wheeled belongings in front of the door before shutting it close to maintain privacy.
Elsa blinked.
One bed.
I swear, Anna, you better be grateful you aren’t around right now.
“I’ll go ask for extra comforters and pillows,” Aiden smiled assuredly, already making a bee line for the door.
Out of instinct, a really, really strange instinct Elsa didn’t know she had until now, made her wrap a hand around his fingers, already sending him the message that no, it’s okay, this is something new but she’s okay with it, she badly wants to be terribly close to him and–
“Don’t bother. It’s fine,” Elsa breathlessly insisted, a blush gracing the apples of her cheeks, “You don’t have to sleep on the ground,” there’s a couch, you idiot, “It’s okay.”
You have literally sat beside her on a sofa, on the plane, in the office, a bed shouldn’t be so different, “Oh,” but the only difference is that you’re both in a room, all alone and... “If you’re fine with it then I am too.”
Elsa awkwardly stared at her feet, “So uh... What do you wanna do?”
Aiden scratched the nape of his neck, clueless, him sitting at the edge of the bouncy mattress, the tension in the room immensely growing every passing second.
“Hm...” An arm wrapped around her waist, hearing a faint gasp of surprise. Now she’s locked in his embrace, “You’re here,” and he pulled her close, but this time it was different because it wasn’t around her shoulder, it was something much more intimate but Elsa didn’t mind one bit, “I don’t need to be doing something as long as you’re here,” his tone was sincere.
Soft lashes blinked at him curiously. He found her flustered state adorable. She wasn’t used to this, something she badly wants to change right here and now. They rarely get so close like this and it made her heart pound, her stomach flutter, and it felt amazing.
“Can we,” she whispered, “Erase the awkwardness between us?”
Try something new. Don’t just let him be the one in action, Elsa mentally groaned, do something.
Hesitantly Elsa draped her arms around his neck, drawing him in so their noses were bumping against each other. Aiden’s eyes widened for a moment, looked at her, admired her, forgot the fact she’s one of the most loved people in the world, unlike him who deep down wished he could give her the world even though she already has it.
He picked up her hand from the back of his neck, brought it in front of his face, and kissed it affectionately, thoroughly liking how neat and soft her fingers are.
“Okay.”
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The next few hours were spent on watching TV, specifically Marilyn Monroe (D’you know her?) (Yeah. Hollywood’s biggest star. I love her movies) (I suppose we are really meant for each other after all) and Jane Russell perform a number and witness Mr. Esmund kiss the blonde beauty’s hand backstage. The flat screen displayed all the old colors wonderfully, sixty inch and all. Elsa was nestled against his body, hood on, smiling, bewitched at the thought of being alone with him wasn’t such a bad idea, and he made an excellent pillow; with his arm around her shoulder, with him occasionally laughing at Dorothy’s—Jane’s character—sarcasm.
Aiden’s at ease, finally.
They’ve missed dinner. Anna has rang, informing through the phone that there’s “no more pizza left for them” neglecting Kristoff’s protests that there wasn’t even pizza in the first place, just what they ordered from the hotel menu since the redhead was too lazy to cook. Elsa just asked if Claire had eaten well, nodded and ended the call since the trio’s clearly having fun, and that was what mattered.
Besides, she’s enjoying everything herself, as from time to time Aiden would give her a kiss on her forehead whenever she finishes saying something. He should do that more, she thought.
She knew any couple at this hour would be roaming Paris, taking countless pictures with the famous Eiffel Tower, jab Instagram and go wander somewhere else, but Elsa wanted to stay in, keep on watching Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with this someone she hoped wouldn’t change.
They’ve fallen in love with each other within a few days, a week after they met. But was it her fault she found someone different?
No. Most definitely not. She heard a snore, a cute one at that. It seems he has fallen asleep, at the part where Lorelei and Dorothy will be sailing to France themselves. Yawning, Elsa snuggled nearer, lazily grabbed the remote and pressed red.
Sucking her breath, she leaned up, cupped his chin, surprised to find some confidence burrowed in her, and kissed his lips, wishing that perhaps tomorrow, any other day, someday—he’d be the one doing the same.
His eyes blinked awake, and he smiled slowly upon seeing her face. “Do you want to move to the bed?” Yawn, “Sure,” and so they did, crashing onto the covers, drained and exhausted but they were just sitting a couple of seconds ago, tangling into one another’s arms before fully dozing off.
To be continued
on the next chapter...