And I Think To Myself (What A Wonderful World)

Kristoff sat on the couch in the royal library with Elsa nestled tightly against him, her head resting on his chest.

The room was dim, with only a soft glow from the lamp on the end table, illuminating their quiet space.

Kristoff gently stroked Elsa's hair, his fingers brushing through her soft, platinum-blonde hair, being careful not to wake her.

Elsa had been exhausted all day. The meetings she had attended earlier had completely drained her, and she was barely able to keep her eyes open by the time they had curled up together.

As Kristoff held Elsa, he felt a warmth and calmness settle over him, like nothing else mattered in that moment but the peaceful rhythm of her breathing. He glanced over at the doorway, where Anna leaned against the frame, her arms crossed.

"Hey." he whispered softly, not wanting to wake Elsa but needing Anna.

Anna looked up, raising her eyebrows curiously as if to ask what Kristoff needed. She stepped quietly into the room, moving closer to where Kristoff and Elsa lay together.

"Anna," Kristoff whispered, even quieter, his voice just above a breath.

"Is she sleeping?"

Anna bent down a little to check, her face getting closer to Elsa's, her slow and steady breathing confirming what Kristoff already knew. She leaned back and gave Kristoff a toothy grin.

"Yeah, she's knocked out." she said in a low, casual voice, almost too loud for Kristoff's liking.

Kristoff let out a soft chuckle, his eyes drifting back to Elsa.

Even asleep, Elsa looked so majestic, so peaceful and beautiful, her face relaxed and serene.

Kristoff leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Elsa's forehead, feeling an overwhelming sense of love and protection wash over him.

"Can you get me a blanket?" he asked Anna, his voice a little stronger now but still mindful of Elsa's slumber.

"I don't want her to get cold."

"Kristoff, she's the queen of cold." Anna laughed.

"I'm sure she's fine."

Kristoff flushed a little.

"Okay, maybe I'm cold. Can you get me a blanket?"

Anna nodded and walked toward the hallway closet, pulling out a soft, fluffy blanket. She handed it to Kristoff, careful not to disturb the sleeping queen in his arms.

"Thanks." Kristoff mumbled, giving Anna a grateful smile as he carefully draped the blanket over both him and Elsa.

He adjusted it just right, making sure Elsa was fully covered and tucked in snugly against him.

The weight of the blanket made everything feel more secure, like they were wrapped up in their own little world where nothing could touch them.

Anna stood there for a moment, watching the two of them with an expression Kristoff couldn't quite read.

There was a sense of something unspoken between them, the kind of silence that lingered after months of shared history. But neither of them needed to say anything. Whatever complicated emotions still hung between them were softened by the moment, and the quiet understanding that things were different now.

***

A few months ago, Elsa had set off an eternal winter in Arendelle. In the midst, Anna had set off to find her, encountering Kristoff along the journey, the two getting remarkably close and forming a relationship. But it was at the end of that journey where Kristoff realized that he had fallen in love with everything that was Elsa. When he had first encountered her, he was entranced by her beauty and love of all things ice. He couldn't quite comprehend what Elsa was so afraid of. He couldn't understand why she saw herself as a monster, when all she did was create perfection. And when Elsa named him the official "Ice Master and Deliverer" of Arendelle, in that moment, he realized how much he loved her. Ice truly was his life and Elsa was all things ice. Of course, he and Anna had to break their relationship off, and while that hurt, they had become accustomed to being just friends. And somehow, when he went to confess his feelings to Elsa, she had reciprocated them.

And after much anticipation, love, dedication, and time, they officially began courting, and the rest was history.

***

"Alright, I'm gonna go to bed." Anna finally said, her voice quiet and respectful.

"I've got a meeting to go to with Elsa tomorrow. You should get some rest too."

Kristoff nodded.

"Thanks, Anna." he whispered with a slight smile.

Anna gave a slight nod in return and walked out of the room, leaving Kristoff and Elsa alone.

The sound of the door clicking shut was the only noise in the stillness of the library.

With Anna gone, Kristoff let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He shifted slightly, adjusting his position so he could hold Elsa more comfortably. Despite Elsa's powers, surprisingly, her body was warm and soft against his, and he felt himself start to relax completely, his eyes growing heavy as the comfort of the moment wrapped around him like a cocoon. The gentle rise and fall of Elsa's breathing lulled him closer to sleep. He rested his cheek on top of Elsa's head, inhaling the familiar scent of her hair, the way it always calmed him down. It wasn't long before his thoughts started to drift, his mind easing into that place between waking and dreaming. In the quiet, he could still hear the faint clicking of the clock on the wall, but it was distant now, almost like it was fading into the background. His eyelids fluttered as he fought to stay awake just a little longer, to savor this peaceful moment, but it was no use. The warmth of Elsa, the soft weight of the blanket, and the silence of the library all worked together to pull him under. His last thought before sleep claimed him was how lucky he was to have this—to have Elsa in his arms, safe and sound. There was nothing else he wanted in the world, nothing that mattered more than being right there, holding the person he loved the most.

Some things never change...please let this be one of them...

And within moments, he too, fell into a deep restful sleep, the two of them wrapped up together, undisturbed and perfectly at peace.