Work Text:
“Do you want me to get you something warm to help you get back to sleep?” Kristoff’s drowsy voice seemed to scream against the silence in the room.
Anna rubbed her eyes and rolled over to watch as Kristoff sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “No, it’s ok,” her voice cracked “I didn’t realise I woke you up… I’m sorry.”
She knew how much stress he’d been under lately, everything seemed to happen in a never ceasing stream. They had gotten married not a month ago, Kristoff had been titled and coronated as King which came with a flurry of changes. Things that were once Elsa’s responsibilities and then Anna’s were now his. He had to constantly attend meetings and get fittings, sign letters and review proposals, the difference to what he was doing not a year ago was jarring to say the least. She had watched him as he tried to keep up, in no time he had started to build a facade, he already had a ‘royal voice’ that he put on for correspondence complete with a vocabulary he was able to construct after a week. He tried hard for her.
It both filled and broke her heart.
“Don’t be sorry. I couldn’t sleep much anyways.” He stood up and walked over to where his robe hung. Anna sat up and all she could focus on was how the moonlight filtered through the window and lit up the contours of Kristoff’s back with an eerie blue wash. He turned to her,a tired smile lifting his face as he tied the robe’s sash around his waist. “I’ll get you some tea, baby. Just try to relax”
Anna felt her eyes finally well up, her vision turned into a warm blur. Kristoff was by her side in a second, his arms coming securely around her.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” His hand came up to pull her hair away from her face. She looked up at him and tried to muster up the will to speak through her tears. She hated worrying him. “And don’t say it’s nothing.” He knew her too well.
“It’s my fault that you’ve been so tired and so stressed recently.” She took his face in her hands. Kristoff frowned but let her continue. “If I wasn’t a Princess, we could’ve had a normal life and a family. You wouldn’t have to worry about taking care of a Kingdom, we-”
Kristoff stopped her “The only thing you have to do with me being tired and stressed is that you’re my comfort through it all. You’ve sacrificed a lot for your family, now let me do the same, let me earn the right to be a King and to be your husband.” He kissed her head and wiped her tears away. “I love you for all you are, royalty and all. And we can still have a family. I don’t want a ‘normal life’, I want a life with you.”
“You’re getting better at saying exactly what I need to hear, you know that?” Anna smiled and got out of bed so she could wrap her arms around his neck and lean into him. “But I don’t want you to feel like you have to become someone new for all of this.”
Kristoff chuckled and pulled her closer. “Do you not like my royal persona?”
“I prefer the Kristoff that picks his nose and eats it.” Anna laughed. “Now how about that tea?”
Kristoff smiled, helped her into her robe, and started to lead her out of the room. “You’re assuming that royal Kristoff doesn’t eat his own boogers, which I’ll have you know...” Kristoff and Anna’s voices continued off into the hallway, warming up the castle walls with laughter and love.
In the morning, the castle staff found the royal couple snuggled up on one of the large chairs in the drawing room with two empty mugs nearby.