Frozen Beyond [gxg]

Short Story: Cold Feet

Elsa watched the steady rise and fall of Keahi's shoulders as the other woman laid on her side with her back to Elsa.

The teepee was dark, the morning sun had yet to light up the interior. Pulling the thick blankets up to her chin, she rolled onto her side and tucked her arm under her head as a pillow. For the life of her, she couldn't sleep.

She reached out to lightly trace the mandala and the moon that was tattooed on Keahi's back in a tribal design.

Despite them having slept in the same bed and same teepee for the past week, she still shyly edged closer to Keahi to press against her back. Warmth overwhelmed her, and she took solace in the feeling.

After an hour had passed, and the sun started to light the outside, birds chirped happily and she could hear the people outside stir.

She pursed her lips. She didn't want to wake Keahi... well, no; she did. She had to get Keahi back somehow after the mud incident last week, right?

Biting her lower lip, she angled herself and put her feet on Keahi's lower back.

As if burnt, Keahi immediately leapt up with a seething hiss, back arched. Tangling in the blanket in the small space, she stumbled out of the flap of the front of the teepee. Standing up rigid and pointing at the door-flap.

"Why are your feet so cold?!" Keahi shouted.

Elsa popped her head out of the flap, laughing lightly as she came out in her blue travel attire. "I'm sorry, that didn't go exactly as I expected." Elsa laughed quietly, holding a hand over her mouth to conceal how amusing the entire situation was. "But I promised Anna we'd be in Arendelle this afternoon."

"Wow, nice abs." Honeymarens voice drifted from the lazy morning campfire.

"Where can I get a tattoo like that?" Ryder asked, lightly tapping his sister's shoulder.

Honeymaren just scowled back. "You can't handle a hangnail, but you want a tattoo?" Honeymaren retorted, the two bickering back and forth.

Keahi seemed to just realize her state of attire when Gale frited around her and she wiggled her toes in the snow. All she had on was thin shorts meant to be worn under her pants and a thin top that just barely covered her chest.

Elsa cleared her throat, glancing away and once more covering her mouth with her hand as she laughed.

"Since when did you guys share a teepee?" Ryder asked absently.

Keahi glanced dumbly back to Elsa, who stiffened.

Keahi waved a dismissive hand and started to head back into the tent. "I'll let you deal with that one." She laughed as she disappeared inside.

Elsa peeked over to Honeymaren who had a knowing smirk on her lips and Ryder who was clueless. Elsa cleared her throat.

Once. Twice. Twisting her hands in front of her before Gale swept through and wrapped around Honeymaren. Sweeping up her hat and tossing it out into the woods.

The brother and sister let out a shout to Gale before following the stolen article of clothing.

Elsa just let out a relieved breath, a hand to her chest as she tried to slow to awkward hammering of her heart. "Thanks Gale." She whispered.

Keahi rejoined her. "What did you say? That that you love the feel of my—" She started cooing teasingly.

Elsa didn't let her finish as she glimpsed over at Keahi with a scowl and waved her hand, freezing Keahi's feet to the ground in a block of ice as she started towards the path that led out of the forest.

"Very mature!" Keahi called after her.