Work Text:
"I hate shopping," said Meg.
Elsa could not help but agree with her, but unfortunately they had to get Christmas presents sooner or later.
"We should have just done this online."
It was tempting. A comfortable couch, pyjamas, and no requirement to do anything other than curl up together and browse online. It might have worked for their university friends, and Meg's aunt and uncle to whom she didn't speak much anymore, but who were family and so got presents anyway.
Elsa reached over and took her girlfriend's hand. "Come on. One afternoon, and then we have presents for Anna and the others, and can go home."
Though she accepted the hand slipped into hers, Megara looked unimpressed at the Christmas Market spread out in front of them. It sounded like someone was playing Christmas music on an out-of-tune guitar somewhere out there.
"One afternoon," she said grimly.
It probably would have been possible to find something for Anna on the internet, some novelty item, or some perfume that would be to her taste. But what Anna really deserved for Christmas, Elsa thought, was something different. Something that wasn't just picked off a shelf.
She still hated crowds. She knew that Meg did, as well, which just made it more important that they did this together. Sometimes it felt like they took it in turns to have their bad days, when Meg wanted to reach for a blade or when Elsa wanted to push her plate away and walk and walk through the night as if she could wear away the pain through the soles of her feet. Elsa had opened up just enough to let her sister pull her back from the edge; Meg had saved herself from her abusive ex.
But the little things were the most important. The little, normal things, like watching movies together or going out for coffee, or getting the weekly shop done before the fridge was down to butter and orange juice. Or going Christmas shopping.
Elsa squeezed Meg's hand. "You ready?"
"As I'll ever be," said Meg. She squeezed back, a little harder.
With a deep breath, they stepped out into the unknown. Together.