Frozen Beyond [gxg]

Short Story: Birthday Present

"Luckily, you are talking to the new profound love expert." Kristoff sighed out, casually leaning against Sven. Sven rolled his eyes and looked in Keahi's direction.

Keahi arched a brow, looking over the two. Keahi liked Kristoff — they were both similar because living in luxury is something of a new commodity.

"What makes you a love expert, then?" Keahi sat on the edge of the railing. They had ventured into the town square to get out of the castle. People passed happily in the market, bundled up nice and warm from the gradual snowfall that started overhead.

Kristoff laughed casually, shrugging. "Well, I grew up with love experts. And as you can see, with Anna, I've passed into love master territory."

"From where I'm standing, Anna wears the pants in that relationship." Keahi grinned.

Kristoff watched her with a blank look before letting out a pft of air and waving his hand dismissively but didn't correct her.

Keahi smirked, lacing her fingers and leaning forward. She could tell he was trying to be suave, but he was just fumbling along like a bumpy old road cart. She liked that he was a big burly guy but seemed acutely clueless.

But he was sweet, and she understood why Anna loved him. He was endearing in an awkward way. "All right love master. What should I get Elsa for her birthday?"

Kristoff leapt up from his leaning position on Sven. "Great! I'm glad you asked. You have to do something big, flashy — you know, all out!" He opened his arms wide to stress his point.

Keahi wrinkled her nose. "I don't think Elsa would like that. You know how shy she is I don't think something like that would make her comfortable." She tried to think, swinging her legs over the railing ledge as she thought. "She's not like Anna who loves big public events."

"Maybe not. But it has to be something nice. Something she won't forget!"

Keahi had never been nervous about this sort of thing before. But the enthusiastic reindeer king was starting to make her second guess herself and get concerned about it. Her stomach swam in a bundle of nerves. She leapt casually from the railing and rubbed the back of her neck, now troubled about the entire situation.

Kristoff snapped his fingers. "Oh, oh get her a ring!"

Keahi choked, between Olaf and Kristoff these hints were getting harder to ignore. "You guys are venturing from subtle hints to loud suggestions on this." She sputtered, crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

He pursed his lips and leaned back against Sven. "Probably a little too soon for that. But it's so nice to see her happy. It's like you're one of the guys now." He paused and sat up, holding his hand in front of him. "I mean, I know you're a girl — woman, a woman. But your Elsa's boy... girlfriend, spouse, partner?..."

Keahi just soaked in the awkward train wreck and was grinning from ear to ear. After a minute of letting him fumble, she decided to save him any further agony. "You done?"

"Yes." He hung his head in conceded defeat.

"Well, I don't have any money if we're being honest. Everything I had was on our ships and after everything that happened everyone fled." Keahi scratched the back of her head, uncertain of how she was going about all of this.

"I can give you some money. You uh, remember I am married to the queen?"

"Yeah, but that wouldn't feel right to me." Keahi rapped her foot against the ground and tried to wrack her brain. She snapped her fingers when an idea crossed her mind. "I think I got it! Thanks Kristoff!" She hurried off, waving to him before vanishing into the crowds.