Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

(December 25th, early morning)

“Get some rest, we got a lot of work to do!”

Bernard called over his shoulder as he continued to walk briskly away from the frustrated human huffing indignantly at him. Of course a man like Scott Calvin would have some trouble coming to grips with the existence of magic and elves.

Normally Bernard wouldn’t be quite so busy Christmas Day, no elf would. Work was complete for the year and all around the Workshop, elves were cleaning up their stations, packing away extra toy parts, and writing end of the year reports. An excited buzz was in the air as elves high on the spirit of Christmas danced and sung while they worked.

The Spirit Department really shone on this day. While the Core Workshop elves worked all year to make Christmas magic for the human children of the world, the Spirit teams worked all year to monitor the amount of Christmas spirit there is in the world. They collect the best parts of how humans express that spirit and then give it back to their fellow elves on this day with the Spirit Festival, a celebration of a job well done—the most elaborate gingerbread villages, the best cocoa recipes, the grandest ice sculptures, and the most beautiful decorations. The team puts on a performance, the elves all dance, and songs from the human world are presented. The year the team discovered Mariah Carey was a cultural reset for everyone.

The elves would party hard all the way to December 26th where the celebrations transitioned into an even grander occasion, the first day back at work—well, technically that was supposed to be December 27th. Elves loved playing but not as much as they loved working, and most couldn’t wait to get a head start on next year’s preparations.

He groaned low in his throat at the thought of missing out on Judy’s cocoa fountain.

Unfortunately, Bernard would have to skip the festival this year. A new Santa means someone would need to pick up the slack in the Workshop. Scott needed time to adjust, so as Arch Elf, that job fell squarely on Bernard’s shoulders. If he wanted to keep up with the crazy workload, he’d have to get started right away. Especially since there was a new challenge to tackle, one he didn’t have to deal with the last time he took over for a new Santa.

There were more kids than ever who believed, which was great! But that's more kids for the list, more kids to mark naughty or nice, more kids with Christmas wishes to keep track of. Santa had an innate ability to know who’d been good or bad and who wanted what. The letters helped keep track, but not everyone wrote them. By the time Scott got started, there might not be enough time left in the year to get everyone checked twice before Christmas Eve. There would probably be a good number of naughty kids who would receive toys next year just to be on the safe side. Not to mention the delay this would cause with toy production. They were going to have to do a lot of guessing on what toys to make until Scott could become Santa enough to start on the list.

Bernard could feel a headache forming as he lamented this new problem.

As he rounded the curved balcony of the lower mid level of the workshop, his pointed ears perked at the sound of little legs shuffling to keep up with his long strides.

“Bernard!”

A blonde elf with big blue eyes behind wire framed glasses matched his pace, a large book under one arm. His hands nervously clutched at some papers he was half hiding his face behind.

“Curtis, you better have good news for me.”

“Uh, well, yes and no. All presents were delivered in time, but the previous Santa had several written notes stuck to the dash of the sleigh that marked which kids would be at which parent’s house for Christmas. Divorced parents and last minute plans, it’s not usually a problem for us, of course. But the new Santa didn’t get the memo apparently. So Georgie Malone’s present is at his mom’s house, Alice Adunka’s is at her grandmother’s, and Keisha Leona’s present is at her dad’s. No major problems there so far, but we’re still tracking 14 other present switch ups.”

“Fine, that’s fine. Nothing we can’t handle,” he huffed in mild frustration.

“Right! I’m not worried about it.” Curtis said matter-of-factly with a short nod. “However there are several police reports coming in about some property damage. New Santa doesn’t quite have the same finesse as the old one just yet.”

“I expected as much. Anything caught on camera?”

“There’s quite a few parents that are turning over surveillance footage to the police in the next day. No clear shots, thank Christmas. But we’re sending out a team to corrupt the footage just in case.”

“Perfect. Way to stay on top of things, Curtis.”

The shorter elf practically glowed at the praise.

Bernard stopped to help a team of Spirit elves pop the wheel back on their barrow so they could continue to haul tinsel out of the workshop and into the courtyard. The Core Workshop elves were winding down and finding stopping places with their work for the day, but the Spirit workers were just getting started. Bernard grabbed a coarse hair brush from a station and started helping Ishaan and Muffin with the doll wigs they were packing up. His movements were fluid as he flitted from station to station, helping where it was needed and directing elves who seemed at a loss for what to do next.

“Sir, there is one other thing you should know about.”

“Oh great, what is it?”

“Um, well, y’see—it’s uh, it’s like this—uhh—“

“Must be a pain in my nutcracker if you’re this hesitant to say.”

Curtis visibly gulped before trying to explain. “It’s just one last little hiccup with the new Santa. There’s a girl, Sara, and apparently she had some trouble staying asleep while Santa visited.”

Bernard winced. “Oh, ten lords a leaping… what did he do?”

“He was pretty rude and snappish,” Curtis replied with a frown. “It hurt her feelings and she’s been very quiet opening her presents this morning.”

Bernard paused as he was screwing in the back panel to an interactive light up toy duck. "Poor kid. What a damper on the best day of the year.” He looked back at Curtis with a weary expression. "We're gonna have to fix this."

“How? Judy’s seeing to the new Santa now. If he’s not asleep, he will be soon.”

“I’ll just have to take care of it myself. Won’t be the first letter I’ve had to write on behalf of the big guy. Get the details on my desk for that and any other priority tasks in the next hour.”

“Got it!”

With a firm nod, Curtis turned on his heel and left Bernard to complete the circuit around the workshop. A small elf named Lucia came up to him asking about a broken lift in the storage room. She needed a box of rubber bands for the puzzle team to use when they got back to work tomorrow, but the box was too high up and the lift wasn’t working. Bernard told her he’d grab it for her and shoo’d her along to the festival.

As he made his way down to the lower rooms, he continued helping elves where he could and then encouraged them to head out to the celebration. By the time he made it to the lower rooms to grab the box of rubber bands, his back was aching and his feet were on pins and needles. He tiredly hauled the box back up to the puzzle department and placed it clumsily on a desk.

“You look like you could use a drink.”

Judy’s voice was even, but her eyes were kind as she approached the exhausted Head Elf. He leaned against the desk behind him as he turned to face her.

“I wouldn’t mind some nice steaming hard cider, to be honest, but I’ll need a clear head tonight.”

“It’s day one, sir, you’re going to burn yourself out at this pace.”

He walked past her and started heading to his office. She turned in tandem and followed him down the main hall, their steps in sync.

“Gotta do whatcha gotta do, Judes.” he rasped softly, fatigue making his shoulders droop. 

They came to a grand set of double doors, old and oaken and carved with elaborate filigree on the side panels. The golden door knobs were matched with a golden plate above the post that read ‘Head Elf’ in swirling calligraphy. He unlocked the door with practiced efficiency and pushed inside. Judy followed and closed the doors behind her.

A stack of papers a gingerbread house high was sat on top of his desk, a note from Curtis stuck to the top.

‘Police reports are on top, E.L.F.S. on standby.’ - C

Judy placed a cup of steaming cocoa down beside the stack and then sat demurely in the cushy chair in front of his desk. He stared down at the dark liquid for a beat before letting his legs collapse into his high backed desk chair. He grabbed the cocoa and let it warm his hands for a moment as he looked back up at Judy’s expectant face.

“He made a kid sad—Sara. She’s always on the nice list.”

“It’s been a long night. He is new after all.” Judy didn’t seem surprised to hear Scott had messed up.

“Yeah,” he rubbed his eyes tiredly. “What do you think of him? I mean, really?”

She looked amused as she blew on her own cup of cocoa. “He’s… interesting. Confused, frustrated, maybe a little scared. He loves his son with all his heart.”

That brought a genuine smile to Bernard’s face for the first time in days. “Charlie, yeah. He’s a great kid, huh?”

“He is.” She met his smile with her own and they shared a knowing look. All elves were irresistibly charmed by human children. Charlie’s wonder at the Workshop was quite the morale boost for everyone. It was a great reminder for the elves—this is what it was all about.

“I think he’s gonna be a great Santa.” Judy said candidly.

“You really think so? I’m not so sure.”

“He’ll get the hang of things. He just needs to get used to the idea. Nobody’s an expert from day one, sir.” She gave him a look with raised brows and a slight smirk.

He got the message.

He wasn’t exactly a born leader himself. And Judy would know, they had both arrived at the North Pole at the same time—the very same year when Christmas first began. She had arrived from an East Asian elf village known for making excellent shoes and fine tapestries that promised 200 skilled assembly elves to the first Santa Claus to help make his radical dream of creating toys for human children a success. She arrived at the Pole and was put to work in the newly established Stuffing Division. It was mind numbing work but she was decent at it.

She remembered seeing a curly dark haired elf, obviously younger than her, arriving from a very small north Russian elf village not known for any real specialty or skill. He had been the primary cook in his family and so was sent to work in the kitchens, his eyes round and uncertain. She had given him a reassuring smile and he looked a bit comforted at that. Later she stole down to the kitchens and kept him company as he scrubbed dishes all night.

She was his first friend there and continued to be a source of comfort and sound advice even as they both were promoted to higher positions.

He helped her get a transfer to the wrapping team, where she met her current sweetheart, Belle. She encouraged him as he climbed the kitchen ranks from dish washer to biscuit maker to line cook and eventually to Head Chef of the Spirit Department. They bonded even more when Judy started using Bernard’s kitchen for her cocoa experiments, merely a passion project at the time. Once she had perfected her recipe, Bernard recommended she be promoted to Head of Sweets in the Spirit Department where she quickly gained prestige for her outstanding tastes. When the Head of the Spirit Department was killed in an unfortunate caramel accident, Judy was the natural choice to take over. Bernard was already Head Elf at the time and was thrilled to see her name put forward for consideration. They worked well together then, but they worked like a well oiled machine now.

She had a remarkable way of encouraging him while still keeping him humble.

“You were shorter than me when we first met.” Her eyes crinkled at the edges.

“Silver bells, I haven’t thought about those days in ages!” He chuckled. “You look exactly the same, I don’t think you’ve grown an inch.”

“Well, I haven’t left the Pole since arriving here.”

“What, not once? Not even to visit your home village?”

“All my family came here with me, so there was never any reason to.” She shrugged. “Did you ever go back to visit your home village?”

He looked down into his cup. “No.”

Bernard tried not to think about the home he left behind as a young elf. He hadn’t even fully grown into his ears when he’d come to the North Pole, scared out of his mind and desperate for a place to belong.

Judy recognized the pensive look on the Head Elf’s face and swiftly changed the subject.

“We've got a busy year ahead of us. No Santa means plenty of extra work.”

He snapped out of his somber mood and shot a thankful look her way. “No kidding! I gotta get these reports approved and sent out by tomorrow or we’ll have a huge mess to clean up in the human world.”

“Maybe Curtis could help some.”

“He’s already swamped as it is. He just now got promoted to Core Operations Assistant, and now he’ll have to take on a good chunk of Head Elf duties for me while I focus on Santa’s jobs. I’m already asking a lot of him.”

“He’s incredibly talented for a 900 year old.”

“No doubt. Making Head of Machinery at 700, the kid’s a savant."

"You're one to talk, Bernard," she said slyly. His pink cheeks darkened at the praise. He'd been promoted to Head of his own department by the time he was 400, a record that still held up to this day. 

"I was just doing what I had to back then. Curtis, though—he's got drive. He's always trying to be better. Still, he’s not ready for all this extra responsibility. I just now gave him the Handbook to start looking over.”

“Really,” Judy beamed at him. “You gave him the Handbook already? You must be serious about making him your Number Two.”

“He can do it. If he buckles down and studies hard, he could be a great Head Elf someday. I’m also considering Betty.”

“Betty’s a bit too serious, don’t you think?” Judy looked doubtful. 

“Well, it’s just a thought. She’s obviously great at giving direction, but I’m not so sure about putting her in Core Operations.”

Judy hummed in agreement.

Bernard sipped his cocoa as he side eyed the posh elf seated across him. Judy cut her eyes up at him with a wry twist of her mouth.

“Don’t even think about it, Bernard. You know I’m perfectly happy in my current position.”

“I didn’t say anything, Judes.” He replied, his shoulders dropping as he inclined his head. “I know you don’t want to be Head Elf.” He grumbled under his breath “Wish you did though, it would make my life about a billion times easier.”

“Speaking of making things easier, I’ve got an elf on the surveillance team that I think you should meet.”

“Oh?” His brows quirked up, intrigued. 

“His name is Quintin. He’s new here at the Pole and pretty young as well, but he’s got some really neat ideas for some new tech we could implement.”

“Tech wizard, huh? What’s he doing on the Spirit surveillance team, then?”

“It’s just his first posting. He’s pretty confident though, not afraid to share his ideas. I like that about him.”

Bernard rubbed at his chin with a pensive expression. “Hmm, well maybe I can meet up with him in a few days once I get all these Christmas leftovers sorted. I still don’t know what I’m gonna do about gathering Christmas wishes and starting the naughty/nice list for next year.”

“That’s what I mean, Bernard! Quintin might just have a solution for you. I’m gonna tell him to expect you in the surveillance rooms tomorrow morning. Just hear him out, okay?”

“Fine, fine. I’ll stop by, but tell him I’ve got 5 minutes to hear his pitch and that’s it. He better be ready.”

“He will be.” She stood and held out a hand for Bernard’s empty cup. “Try and get some rest tonight, okay? It’s bad enough you’re missing out on all the fun, don’t run yourself into the ground.”

“Hey, don’t worry about me, Judy. I’ll be fine.”

She shot him a look of disapproval as she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. “Let me know if you need help, Bernard. You don’t have to do everything on your own, you know. Your friends love you and want to be there for you.”

But her words didn’t seem to reach him as he busied himself with the first couple of pages on the stack, already scribbling away in his neat loopy scrawl with a hard look of concentration on his face. Judy shook her head in exasperation, a fond twinkle in her eye, and closed the door quietly behind her. 

Bernard shot up from his desk with a gasp, his brow dripping in sweat. His cheek made a loud smacking noise as it unstuck from the sheet of paper it had been laying on.

He had managed to finish up all the police reports last night and had dropped them off at E.L.F.S. headquarters. He’d been on plenty of human world missions with the good elves down in E.L.F.S. and knew they could handle things without him looking over their shoulders. They’d take it from there and keep him updated on how things progressed. By the time he’d gotten back to his office, he had been dead on his feet.

He looked down at the paper that had been stuck to his cheek and saw a near incomprehensible letter he’d written to Sara from ‘Santa’.

“Nutcrackers.” He muttered, crumpling up the letter and grabbing a new piece of parchment. He looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of his office and noted how late in the morning it was. He’d need to hurry if he wanted to give Quintin his 5 minutes before he took the reindeer out for decompression. He quickly rewrote the letter to Sara signing ‘Santa Claus’ with golden ink in big swirling letters at the bottom. It was short and to the point—a simple apology for Scott’s bad mood and a word of thanks for Sara’s understanding that everyone, even Santa, got cranky sometimes. He was sure she’d accept it, kids were forgiving by nature. He sealed it in a crisp envelope with his official North Pole wax seal and dropped it into his personal mail slot. He gathered up his messenger bag, scarf, cloak, and custom snow globe watch and headed to the surveillance room.

As he entered, he noted that despite the late morning hour, there weren’t many elves who had shown up for work yet. The festival was still going strong and would continue the rest of the day, but there were usually more elves who couldn’t resist coming back into work a little early. Either a good chunk of the elves had suddenly become lazy, or he was missing a really, really good festival. He pushed past the twinge of longing in his chest and started looking around for Quintin.

He saw an elf he knew well, Jun, watching a monitor that displayed a Christmas themed music video. He had headphones over his pointy ears, bopping his head to the beat. Jun was nonverbal, so Bernard caught his eye and signed out ‘Q-U-I-N-T-I-N’ and Jun pointed to the back room through the archway, still grooving in his seat.

Bernard passed the archway and saw a lone elf leaned over a desk covered in blueprints. He was as tall as Bernard which made him pause a moment as he took the other elf in more fully. Quintin had curly blonde hair coiffed in a boyish style atop his head and a long braid down his back. His style of dress very obviously marked him as a British Isle elf, pointed hat and wide sleeved petticoat a stark difference from Bernard’s mishmash of North Pole styles.

“You must be Quintin.” He called out to the younger elf.

Quintin didn’t look up from his blueprints as he answered, “I am indeed, sir! And you must be our esteemed Arch Elf.”

“‘Head Elf’ will do, thanks. ‘Arch Elf’ is such an old fashioned title.”

Quintin turned to look at Bernard with a wide smile splitting his jolly face. “Head Elf, then! I’m glad you’re open to new things like that. It’s a good sign, a very good sign!”

Judy was right, he was confident. Maybe too confident. Cocky, even. If his attitude didn’t set him apart from his fellow new recruits, his accent sure would. Definitely a British Isle elf. No wonder he was so tall, Quintin must have spent a good amount of time among humans.

“What do you have for me, Quintin? I don’t have a lot of time here.”

“Right! Well, sir, I’ve been thinking about our problem ever since the new Santa showed up. Usually he would handle the naughty/nice list, of course, and we elves just ensure the names are printed off for him to check, right?”

He took a breath to reply, but Quintin plowed on.

“Right! And normally Santa is able to know what all the children of the world truly wish to have for Christmas, while the letters the children send are simply used to help the elves get a jump start on toy production, right?”

Once again, he sucked in a useless breath as Quintin continued his explanation.

“Right! Well, I was thinking. There’s a myth that parents in the human world tell their children to explain why humans dressed as Santa look different from each other. They tell them that it’s not the real Santa, but simply people who work for Santa who report back to the big guy whatever the children tell them they want. It’s silly, of course, but it got me thinking—what if we did have some helpers out there to find out who’s been good or bad and what they might want for Christmas.”

“Quintin, let me stop you there. We can’t spare any elves this year, production is going to be tight as is, plus the amount of damage that much exposure to the human world would do to an elf-”

“Not elves, sir! Well, not real ones at least. Come look!”

Quintin motioned to the blueprints on the desk and Bernard stepped forward to read the blocky title at the top—‘Elf On The Shelf.’

“It’s a toy! They would come with a picture book and story explaining that Santa has sent one of his ‘elves’ down to help him out. The children would be encouraged to name their elves and love them into being and of course once they truly believe in their elf, we would have a direct magical line to that child’s house and could easily see if they were being naughty or nice. We could even tell the children that anything they whisper to their elf, it would tell Santa himself. Then we’d also have a way to know what the children want for Christmas!”

Bernard was stunned. This upstart wasn’t confident for no reason, this was brilliant stuff! It could solve a lot of his problems before they even started.

“Quintin, this is amazing! I mean, I’m really impressed here!” He glanced down at his snow globe watch and grimaced at the time he saw displayed there. “Listen, I love it. It’s brilliant. I gotta go, though. But here’s what I want you to do, head down to the R&D Department and tell them to make a prototype. You’ll probably need some people from doll assembly and picture books, so talk to Peewee in R&D and tell him I said this is first priority. He’ll get you everything you need and make sure you can get a proper team to help you out.”

“Oh, wow, thank you, sir! I’ll get right on it, thank you so much!”

Quintin reached for Bernard’s hand and gave it a firm shake. Bernard gave him a quick smile before he turned on his heels and started heading back through the archway.

“I’m looking forward to it, Q! Good luck.”

Bernard walked briskly back through the surveillance rooms, exchanging a small nod with Jun before exiting into the main hall and taking off toward the stables.

Normally Santa would do this. He knew he was a poor substitute, but Scott had been transported home already anyway and someone had to do it. Christmas Eve was the culmination of all the elves' hard work, but for the reindeer, it was the hard work. It was a long flight through countless different climates and weather, all while strapped into a rigid harness. The reindeer needed to relax after such an ordeal. So every December 26th, Santa would take them out into the arctic circle for several hours of free roaming. Running and flying wherever they wanted, no harness, no stable, and no barrier to confine them. It was a reward for a job well done. Afterwards, Santa would lead them towards a magical hot spring set up outside the village so they could all soak their sore muscles and bond as a team. It was an important tradition. The reindeer deserved it.

He gathered the team of reindeer and gave them all a quick run down of the plan, apologizing on behalf of Santa once again. The deer seemed disappointed that Scott wouldn’t be joining them for their decompression, but soon regained their cheer as they marched alongside Bernard out of the Village and past the magic barrier. Bernard climbed aboard the reindeer he had the closest bond to, Dancer, and off they went into the arctic expanse. They’d traveled a good few miles before Bernard got an alert on his snow globe watch.

The Elfcon team had finally made it back into work, it seemed, and they had noticed something alarming on their radar. There was another lifesign out there in the icy tundra besides Bernard and the reindeer.

A human lifesign.

Chapter Text

(December 26th, afternoon) 

The human had been set up for about a week now, apparently—the week leading up to Christmas. It was horrible timing, really. Usually humans wouldn’t be able to get this close without some strategic deterrents sent their way to make them want to turn back themselves. Faced with a dangerous storm, a hungry polar bear, or a sudden crack in the sea ice, they’re much more likely to give up and leave. If they thought exploring the arctic wasn’t worth it on their own then that tended to be more effective than if someone tried to convince them there's nothing to see here. Curious, stubborn creatures. 

Bernard typed out a message to the Elfcon team on his watch asking about this obvious oversight. How had this human slipped through? 

According to the team, the man’s arrival was noted as he first made camp about 20 miles away and a snowstorm was sent to make conditions uncomfortable enough that he’d leave on his own. The report had been sent to Bernard’s office and he’d signed off on it himself. He could vaguely remember something about that, but he had been busy directing the Core teams on the final stretch to Christmas. An elf scout had been sent out to check on the human during the storm; they didn’t want to accidentally freeze him to death after all. But while his tent and supplies were still there, he and his snowmobile were nowhere to be found. With Christmas on the horizon and no reliable way to confirm his departure with radar once the storm started, the elves assumed the human had left. Not so, apparently. 

He was approximately two miles east of Bernard and the reindeer and over a small ridge of icy cliffs, less than 10 miles away from the entrance to Santa’s Village. The thought of some human stumbling onto their little secret was enough to make Bernard break out into a sweat. His head throbbed as he looked at the 8 uncertain reindeer out in the open. They weren’t quite as far out from the Village as they’d normally want to go, but the cliffs blocked the human from seeing them here. He hopped off Dancer and told them all that this year they’d have to keep it confined to the small stretch from here to the Village and a southern flat patch that was around 8 miles total. Not nearly as good as they deserved, but this was a delicate situation here. Bernard placed a small tracker on Dancer’s antler and told her to keep close to the other deer so he could find them all if they needed a quick getaway. She nuzzled his face in response and he gave her a pat before heading out on his own towards the cliffs. If this human wouldn’t leave by conventional means, then he’d have to get confrontational about it. An elf’s gotta do what an elf’s gotta do, afterall. 

Jolly was freezing his ass off here. His pop up tent wasn’t as warm as his main tent at home camp, but luckily he’d found a little divot in the ice cliff that he’d stumbled upon in the storm. It was enough to cut the wind at least and offer enough shelter to help his thin little travel tent keep his body heat trapped. He was glad he had the thought to bring his backpack when he saw the storm coming and took off on his snowmobile to find XJ-17’s trail. There were plenty of warm layers, rations, fire starters, and flares. He wasn’t worried about freezing to death, but it certainly was an inconvenience. He had a nice cozy set up at his home camp, which was… somewhere. That was kind of his current problem. When he saw the storm starting, he was so worried it would cover the polar bear tracks he’d found his first day on site. He didn’t even get to properly determine which direction the bear was traveling before snow started falling. He thought if he just rushed out to the last place he saw prints, he could get an idea of where to start when the storm blew over. Alas, the way to hell is paved, yadda yadda.

He got lost almost immediately. 

None of his radar equipment worked in the storm and surprise, surprise: the one thing he did not have in his backpack? A compass. So onward he’d traveled, practically blind in the storm, looking for something, anything he could use to find his way. When he hit the cliffs he knew he’d definitely not gone the right way and decided to hunker down and wait out the weather. It had been a solid week, if his watch was working correctly, before the storm had finally broken. 

Sitting around in a tent shivering doesn’t seem too strenuous, but he was still exhausted. He couldn’t wait to start heading back to his comfortable little set up. 

He looked out at the frozen land before him. The cliffs ran a good way into the distance. Across the flat ice, he saw a break in the cliffs that he recognized. Directly east from that break was his home camp. And between him and the camp was the towering jagged ice mountain he’d admired his first day in the arctic. He must have gone around it in his blind panic to find the tracks. But at least he knew how to get back! Step one, down. Those stodgy old professors who said he wouldn’t make it out here on his own could suck it. He was absolutely killing it right now. 

Jolly turned back towards his humble little temp camp and had to do a double take as he saw a dark figure standing on top of the cliffs above his camp. He choked on a yell as he saw the figure jump from one ledge of the cliffs down to another. That was at least a 15 foot drop! 

He felt his breathing speed up as the figure smoothly hopped down two more cliffs with no problems, bringing them just one 30 foot drop away from him and his tent. 

He could see them more clearly now. It was definitely a person, they looked small and wore a cloak and hood so it was impossible to make out their features except for two dark eyes peeking over the edge of a crimson scarf. Despite their acrobatics, they didn’t look particularly threatening. Still, a weapon could go a long way and there was nobody to call for help out. He made the decision to play it cool here in the hopes it would at least give him a better idea of the person’s intentions. 

“Hi there! That’s some fancy jumping.”

The figure kept their gaze locked on his in silence for a long moment before they suddenly jumped the remaining 30 feet, tucking into a roll before popping up onto their feet again in a practiced fluid motion. 

Jolly took several steps back at that, keeping a good distance between them should this strange person try to attack. His body was tense, but he purposely kept his voice light as he exclaimed, “Wow! Very impressive!”

They stood in silence, locked in an uneasy staring contest. Jolly took the opportunity to get a better look at the newcomer. Their green cloak looked thick and warm, fur lining the hood and bottom which brushed at the stranger’s knees. Golden tassels attached to the cloak hung down from under a red scarf with golden accents. Long leather boots that also looked fur lined covered what wasn’t hidden by the cloak. Their face was partially covered by the scarf and hood, but Jolly could clearly see those sparkling dark eyes, unflinching in their intensity. 

“Didn’t think I’d meet a LARPer all the way up here in the arctic circle.”

“What?” The stranger’s voice was deep, gruff, but with a pleasant tenor that reached his ears over the ambient sounds of wind rushing over the snow drifts, sending a pleasant tingle up his spine. What a strangely musical voice. 

“Your clothes? You look like an extra out of Lord of the Rings. Or, considering where we are, maybe one of Santa’s little helpers,” he chuckled. 

The stranger lifted their arms, revealing a leather gloved hand from underneath their cloak, and tugged self consciously at their hood. Jolly caught a glimpse of a golden inscription stitched down the side of the green cloak, but he didn’t recognize any of the characters. 

“I’m Jolly, by the way.” He looked expectantly at the stiff figure standing between him and his camp. 

“I’m Bernard. Nice to meet you and all, but you need to leave.”

“Oh yeah? And why’s that, Bernard?” he said slightly insulted by the stranger’s brusque tone. 

“You aren’t supposed to be here.”

“I am, actually. I’m with the Hale Company. I’ve been assigned to track a missing polar bear and her new cub for the research division.”

“Your presence will upset the polar bears, you should leave before they eat you.”

This guy was really starting to piss him off. “Listen, buddy—“

“Bernard.”

“—Saint Bernard, more like. If you’re so worried about the bears, then fine,” he growled, marching past him to reach his supplies and rustling around in his backpack before pulling out a folder of laminated pages. He handed Bernard the top piece with a smug look. “See? I’m official. The Hale Company has been tracking these bears for over 20 years, so I’m pretty sure what I’m doing is perfectly fine.” 

Bernard scanned the document before him, an annoyed edge crinkling the space between his brows. In a barely audible grumble he said, “Twenty years? That’s nothing. We’ve been keeping track for over 200.” 

“Wait, what? Are you with a research team too?”

Bernard started at his words, his eyes widening briefly before returning to a neutral glare. “The Hale Company. Yeah, I’m familiar with it.” His words were rushed. “Fine, but you aren’t supposed to be this far out.” 

“We follow the bears, Saint Bernard. Our bear, XJ-17, has taken her cub to the mountains just northwest of here, we think.”

“You must mean Catherine, she’s the only one with a cub right now. She's a sweet bear.”

“If that’s what your team is calling her, then sure.” 

A sweet polar bear? Jolly doubted that. 

Bernard ducked his head, seeming conflicted for a moment, before straightening up with squared shoulders. “You’re gonna freeze out here, y’know. Your little campsite here is pathetic.” 

He bristled at the stranger’s rude tone. “Excuse me? I’ve trained for years for this assignment. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. And this isn’t my main camp, it’s a temp. I got caught out in the storm. I’ll be returning to my home camp just as soon as I can.” He turned and pointed at the distant break in the ice ridge. “See that opening? If I head that way, my camp is a straight shot east from there.”

Once again, a worried look shadowed Bernard’s eyes. 

“You can’t go that way.”

“I have to! I’m not gonna climb the mountain, that’s crazy. I’ll just ride around it. In fact, I should probably get going soon. The storm may have broken for now, but who knows when another will hit.” 

“No!” Bernard eyed the man’s snowmobile and the dying embers of the fire, his brows pulled tight. “Uh, I mean, shouldn’t you rest a bit first? You seem tired.”

Jolly had planned to rest some before returning actually, but he was eager to escape the rude pushy stranger who had appeared from seemingly nowhere. 

“Where did you come from anyways? How did you get up on those cliffs?” 

“Got anything to eat?” 

Jolly was briefly thrown by his sudden inquiry. “Um, yeah, I have some rations. Why? You want something?” he felt a sinking feeling of guilt as he put the pieces together. This guy was slim and short, that much was obvious even with the thick cloak. And his voice sounded pretty young. He probably had gotten turned around in the storm himself and was far from whatever research camp he came from. Bernard couldn’t be younger than 18, there's no way any team would bring a kid up here with them, even for practical education. But maybe he was an advanced uni student? There were certainly other research teams who had less than ethical requirements. It wasn’t outside the realm of possibility, he supposed. So odds were that he was just a few years younger than Jolly himself. Poor guy was putting on a brave face, but the stress he was under was apparent. He was probably hungry and cold and scared. 

Jolly’s remaining anger melted away in an instant and he suddenly felt responsible for this young stranger. “Hey, listen. I’m sorry, okay? How about we get you something to eat and then we can find out where you come from.”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, that would be great. Food, I mean. Thanks.”

“Of course! Have a seat. I’m out of firewood, I’m afraid, so we’ll need to eat quick and be on our way.”

“Oh, that’s not a problem. I have wood.”

“Wha—you do? Where?”

Bernard shuffled a bit under his cloak and revealed a brown leather bag slung low at his right hip. It wasn’t very big and Jolly started to protest, they’d need wood bigger than whatever he had in there. But his words died on his lips as the slight man pulled several good sized cut logs from inside the bag. Jolly blinked, and the cloak was back in place, covering the bag once again.

…he must have misjudged how big that bag was. He couldn’t believe this guy had been hauling around all that wood. His shoulders are probably killing him right now. 

They settled down around his rekindled fire, now cackling steadily as if laughing at Jolly’s disgruntled appreciation. Of course Bernard’s an expert at making cozy fires. This kid was unnaturally good at everything, it seemed. Typical young genius. Jolly’d had to work his ass off the past 8 years in university to get here, and he still had some trouble making a fire by hand. But this guy got one going in less than a minute. 

He watched as Bernard poked the base of the flames, the flickering light reflected in those dark eyes. His eyes were quite distinct, now that Jolly could look without being pinned in their intimidating glare. Big and brown, deep set but with a sharp edge that kept the researcher on his toes and made him feel uncomfortably seen. Bernard’s lashes were thick and stark against the tops of his cheeks as he concentrated on his task. As Jolly watched, a small snowflake stuck itself to the edge of his lashes. 

“So do you know where ‘Catherine’s’ trail picks up? You seem to know an awful lot about polar bears.” 

He blurted out to distract himself from that little snowflake and the added sparkle it gave the mysterious man’s eyes. 

“As a matter of fact, I do. Not that it’s any business of yours. She's got a cub to care for now, she doesn’t need some boy intruding on her privacy.”

He made note that Bernard, once again, talks about the bear like she’s a sentient person. And talks about Jolly like he’s five years old. So maybe this guy wasn’t a teenager then. But he can’t be much older than, what, mid twenties at the oldest? Jolly’s age maybe, but definitely not older. Bernard was short, and the few features that were visible looked incredibly youthful, but the way he carried himself was more deliberate, not at all marked with the usual teen awkwardness. 

The strange man was setting up some sort of bracket.  Or maybe a rack? His hands were steady as he used a metal tool to dig a narrow hole through the ice and placed polished wooden sticks in them. That bag of his had all sorts of things stored, apparently. He fastened the poles with a complicated looking tie and knot and moved to adjust the whole thing so it was above the fire. 

“That’s why I need to find her! Her cub needs to be registered with our research division. We don’t know how old it is or if it’s healthy. We haven’t even been able to confirm if it’s a male or female.”

“She’s a girl. Her name is Crystal.”

“Okay…Your team sure has some weird naming conventions. But look, I can’t just—”

Jolly abruptly cut himself off when he noticed Bernard was removing layers and hanging them over the rack he’d built over the fire. He’d removed his heavy cloak and hood and placed it at the right end of the rack, carefully arranging it so that it wasn’t drooping too far into the flames. Next he unwound his scarf and hung it beside the cloak. For the first time, Jolly was able to get a good look at the tenacious man who had harassed him doggedly the past 2 hours. 

Underneath his hood he wore a green beret, decorated with a small medal and ribbon that seemed like real gold, at least it looked that way in the fire light. He pulled it lower on his head and fiddled with its arrangement for a minute, trying to get it to cover his ears. Which made sense. If he didn’t have any muffs on him then it would be a bit cold to have exposed ears, even by the fireside. His hair, a shaggy cut of bouncy dark curls, was constantly in motion as he expertly pulled at the fingers of his leather gloves, his intention obviously to place those on the rack next. His figure was clearer now, and Jolly’s confusion grew as he took in Bernard’s slim body shape. He wore a tunic with intricately decorated stripes of gold and silver threaded down his torso and cut off part way down by an ostentatious leather belt. Around his neck hung a wide gold necklace with what appeared to be bells dangling down from it. The whole thing looked almost like a costume but the obvious care put into the craftsmanship of it spoke to it being a genuine outfit. What an odd ensemble for an arctic trek. Despite his strange attire, he was proportional like a man, no gangly limbs here.

But his face was so youthful. Or was it? 

His jaw was cut and square, his nose long and proud, but something about his face as a whole didn’t look quite right. His cheeks were so smooth, like he’d never needed to shave a day in his life. They were rosy and plump and Jolly swore as the fire flickered across the man’s face, he saw stars light up on the tops of Bernard’s cheeks. Strange, but not off putting. There was something unusual about how all of his features came together though. Something otherworldly and ethereal. Jolly brushed it off and decided Bernard was just handsome in a unique way, which he definitely was. The warm fire and beautiful snow must just be tricking his imagination into making things seem more mystical than they actually were. 

Bernard placed his gloves on the rack and pushed them over to make more room. In a brief panic, Jolly wondered what else he could possibly be planning to remove next when those sharp eyes flickered up to his, the silence stretching a touch too long. He realized then that the strange man was leaving room for Jolly’s own clothes to also hang and scrambled to remove his coat as he continued his argument. 

“—I—I can’t just take your word for it. I don’t know who you are or what team you’re with, but if you won’t identify yourself then whatever you claim about XJ—sorry, Catherine—can’t be properly recorded.” 

“What does it even matter, I mean, why do you care so much if Crystal is recorded? It’s not necessary, she doesn’t need to be in your records.”

“She does, actually. In case you haven’t noticed, the sea ice is melting at an alarming rate. We need to keep track of every polar bear we can, especially now that their natural habitat is disappearing. Any researcher worth their salt knows that, Saint Bernard.” He bit out the last sentence with some frustration. “What research team did you say you were with again? Russian?” 

“I didn’t.” Bernard’s voice was ice. “And we’re quite aware of the climate change issue, thanks. We’re working on it.”

“You’re working on it? Okay, great, nothing to worry about then since Saint Bernard and his 200 year old research team is working on the whole ‘climate change issue’. And when can we expect a solution, chief?” 

“Look, I don’t mean to minimize your work. I’m sure what you’re doing is very helpful—“

“It is, actually. These bears deserve life. Every life on this planet is precious, Bernard, even one’s out here in the remotest place on earth. I don’t know what your teams’ goal is here, but ours—mine—is to preserve habitats for the best life possible for wild animals. Polar bears are struggling and we need to help them. We can’t do that if we don’t know where they are.”

The man sat across from Jolly seemed at a loss for words for a moment, staring him down with an unreadable expression. His cheeks twinkled as one side of his mouth quirked into the first smile Jolly had seen from him so far. 

Jolly’s stomach flipped at the sight of it, but his determined face remained steadfast. He believed in this with all his heart, and he wasn’t about to give up on his life’s mission just because some handsome stranger from a rival team wanted to scare him off. 

“Fine.”

He broke out of his impassioned thoughts at Bernard’s even tone. 

“Huh?”

“I said ‘fine’. I get it. You want to record Crystal, then okay. The polar bears are traveling further and further outside their normal territory, I should have seen this coming, really. But the area they’re in now falls under our jurisdiction. The Morozko Company has precedent here, that’s our registered name by the way, since you keep asking, Morozko.”

He spoke with sure authority and Jolly realized he must have seriously misjudged this guy to think he was a junior researcher. Bernard definitely seemed like he was in some position of power. 

He’d been warned about the mysterious Morozko Company. No one knew what nation they were affiliated with or where they got their funding. They were a strictly by the book company and had been heading the field on arctic research for the better part of a century. Very prestigious and very exclusive. Jolly suddenly felt a bit out of his depth here dealing with someone who was probably leagues ahead of him in knowledge and experience. 

“Oh, uh, sorry I didn’t know you were Morozko.” He took the opportunity to pry a bit about the legendary team that put fear into the hearts of any unethical arctic explorers. “So are you guys Russian based?”

“Sure. Now listen, I’ll let you track Catherine for as long as you need, but you have to keep to the areas I tell you, okay? The ecosystem here is more delicate than you know.”

Jolly’s breath escaped him in a sudden rush. “Oh, wow, thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me. And yes, of course, I’ll keep to the approved areas. I’m not a complete amateur, y’know, I’m very aware of how fragile things are up here. I’ll gladly follow your lead.”

“Great, I’m glad we understand each other.” 

They chatted here and there as he retrieved and prepared a couple of field rations. Bernard’s face was conspicuously blank as they ate and Jolly wondered what sort of researcher that had the authority to allow him into another team’s territory wouldn’t be long used to eating the dry tasteless field rations that came standard on this sort of expedition. Morozko probably had special high-end rations or something. 

Bernard certainly was an odd little fellow. But after breaking the ice earlier, so to speak, he actually made quite good company. He was quick witted and funny and certainly knew his stuff. He gave a quick run down of the trails for quite a few bears that had gone off Jolly’s radar months back, including Catherine, drawing everything out on a map for him to reference later. Bernard marked places where cameras could potentially be set up to keep track of the bears, and he also marked quite a few places off limits, saying the bears didn’t come close to those areas anyways and that his team was in the middle of conducting some very temperamental observation research there. Jolly promised not to interfere, after all, he was here for the bears. Nothing more. 

Bernard insisted they get a few hours of sleep before heading out to their respective camps. Jolly just yawned in reply, too tired to argue. 

The already light snow stopped falling altogether as they settled into sleeping bags around the fire, Jolly’s tent was too small for them both and he was still a bit wary of leaving his supplies out here with a stranger. Luckily he had an extra sleeping bag in his snowmobile and the temperature wasn’t too frigid for sleeping with no shelter. 

“So Bernard, got a last name?”

“It’s Evergreen. Bernard Evergreen.”

“You really take this LARPing thing seriously, don’t you? No, I mean for real.”

“It is for real. That’s actually my name.”

Jolly blinked at him in mild surprise. 

“Wow, that’s cool then! Sounds kind of like an elf name.”

“Uh, yeah. So what about you?”

“Oh! Right. I’m called Jolly but it’s just a nickname. My parents said I was always laughing as a baby, so the name just kind of stuck after awhile.”

“You do have a distinct laugh. And Jolly is a great name! Very festive.” He nodded with a slight smirk. “I approve.”

The human rolled his eyes a bit, a smile stretching over his reddening cheeks at the light teasing. “Easy for you to say, you don’t have to live with it. Jolly’s fine for a baby, but it’s a little strange for a grown man. I’ve tried going by my real name, though, and it just doesn’t sound like me.”

“So what’s your real name?”

Jolly told him with a wince. 

Bernard chuckled at his exaggerated expression. 

“Okay, I see what you mean! Jolly fits you better, for sure. Still, names are important. I’ll be sure to remember yours.”

Well that sounded ominous. 

“That sounds ominous, you aren’t secretly a fae are you?” he said with a comically dramatic squint of his eyes. “You are dressed kind of strange, y’know. Maybe you really are one of Santa’s elves come to keep me from discovering his workshop!” he laughed at Bernard’s deadpan expression. 

“Funny. Is that a dig at my height?”

“Well, now that you mention it—“

“Shut it, Jolly Boy.” 

He burst into laughter at the dry remark, and Bernard joined in with his own infectious laughter, ringing like bells as musical as his speaking voice. Jolly felt like he could almost make out a melody in the lovely sounds that came from the man across the fire. It gave him a warm happy feeling that prolonged the fit of laughter they’d descended into for several minutes, one of them cracking up again and pulling the other back into mirth a few more times before they settled into a comfortable silence. 

Jolly’s eyes started to droop as he snuggled deeper into his sleeping bag. It had been a very long day. A long week, in fact. He couldn’t wait to get back to his home camp and relax a bit. He could hear the hot water bottle in the bottom of his trunk calling his name. 

“Sleep well, Bernard.”

He couldn’t see his new acquaintance clearly anymore hunkered down as he was, but the quiet voice that answered back had a comforting tone to it as it traveled over the crackling fire. 

“You too, Jolly.” 

Bernard watched the human’s chest slow to a steady rhythm, waiting for him to fall into a deeper sleep. The man was… tolerable. Good company, he had to admit. It was nice to speak to someone who wasn’t intimidated by his position. Curtis never treated him as an authority figure, but he didn’t treat him much like a friend either. More like an older brother he begrudgingly had to admit was in charge while mom and dad were away. And Judy was sweet and professional, she and Bernard had known each other for the better part of millennia. But they just didn’t have the same kind of humor and didn’t often talk about things outside of work. In a lot of ways he appreciated them both for the interaction he got with them. They were the only elves even close to his station of importance. They understood the pressure. But Jolly was pleasant and smart and volleyed his comments right back at him with his own spin. He was interesting. Bernard found himself regretting having to leave so soon. He wouldn’t have minded another couple hours of chatting. But humans needed their rest, and the reindeer needed to be brought back to the village before Jolly started his trek back to camp. If he had left for the break in the cliffs right then, the human could have gotten an eyeful of flying reindeer. This whole situation was too close a call for Bernard’s comfort. 

The elf pulled himself from the sleeping bag he’d generously been provided and quickly dressed himself back into his warmer outside cloak and scarf. He grabbed a pen from his supply bag and wrote a quick note explaining his absence for when Jolly woke up and started tugging his gloves back onto his hands. He watched the human’s peaceful face as he did, and found himself admiring the shine of starlight on his hair. It looked quite soft and pleasant to touch if he had felt so inclined. Which of course, he didn’t. That would be creepy. 

Jolly’s lips were pouted in sleep. ‘Cute.’ He thought to himself. 

He was a nice human, all things considered. Respectful and willing to play by the rules. Bernard could work with that. 

Chapter Text

(December 26th, evening) 

Bernard pinged the tracker on his watch and stretched his magic out to where the reindeer were located. He felt a tug as the connection between his magic and Dancer’s became more solid. He dissolved in a burst of sparkles and reappeared several miles away next to his four legged friend. Dancer was standing with Cupid, Vixen, and Donner, watching as Dasher and Blitzen playfully butted antlers a few yards away. A whoosh of air ruffled his hair, Prancer and Comet racing back and forth above their heads trying to tag one another. Donner bellowed up at Prancer in encouragement. Bernard smiled at the sound. Donner and Prancer were adorable together. They’d had several fawns over the years, including their recent little one, Chet. 

Dancer put her nose against the side of his face and nuzzled gently. He put up a reassuring hand and gave her a long rub on her velvet snout. 

It had been a couple hours at the most. The deer would usually be allowed to free roam at least several more hours, but although he was sure Jolly would be conked out for a good long while, there was no way he was going to risk it. 

He whistled a sharp note to get the reindeer’s attention and motioned for them to gather around. 

“Hey, lovelies, I got some tough news—we’re going to have to go ahead and start towards the springs.”

Several grunts and haws of disappointment sounded at his words. 

“I know, I know.” He sighed. “I went to check out the human. He’s pretty close by, so unfortunately we’re gonna have to take some extra precautions. I promise I’ll figure out something to make it up to you all!” 

Dancer pressed into his shoulder in a show of support, and the rest of the deer seemed mollified for the moment. 

“Thank you all for understanding. Let’s head out!”

He hopped on Dancer once again and started leading the rest of the team back towards the Village. 

They came upon the shimmering barrier that concealed the Village and started walking along the edge towards the northern side. It wasn’t long before they found the hidden entrance to the hot springs. Sharp icy towers made to blend in with the natural landscape blocked out the cold wind and concealed the warm green glow of the magical hot springs within. They descended the steps into the main spring and found several elf attendants waiting to brush out the reindeer before guiding each one into the healing waters. Bernard felt a bit awkward as he stood just watching. The elves working the springs were professionals, the spring wasn’t just for reindeer after all. Many elves took trips here to get massages and heal their aches and scrapes, but Bernard never had. 

The deer were all settled in the pools, elves already working to rub out their tired muscles. Bernard was indeed quite sore, but he hadn’t actually been the one to ride with them on Christmas Eve. He didn’t need to get a massage himself.

Dancer looked up from where she was half submerged in the water and caught his eye. Who knew a reindeer could look so pleading? 

His face twisted in confliction before he deflated with a loud sigh. “Oh, okay. For the team.”

The elves were focused on their work as he removed his outerwear and reached behind to flick some magic at the buttons on his back. He removed his hat and breeches before quickly slipping into the warm pool with Dancer before anyone could get a good look at his underwear. If he was doing this, he was going to try to retain some of his dignity. 

Plenty of elves had come here from more temperate climates and were used to wearing more revealing clothes, but Bernard had always lived in snow. He’d never even been to a proper beach, not for recreation at least. He spent most of his life bundled up. He wasn’t a prude by any means and had indulged in odd dalliances here and there in the past, but those were different. There was a purpose, a goal, something to do when locked in a lover’s embrace. Being so bare and vulnerable here while trying to relax didn’t feel at all the same. Relaxing in general was no small feat for him. 

The hot spring workers did their best to coax him into a massage but he waved them off and settled down to soak in the water. He could already feel the healing effects of the spring on his aching muscles. He looked out at the happy reindeer, sitting with eyes closed, steam rolling off their furry backs, and could easily see why this was such an important bonding tradition for Santa and his sleigh team. He felt himself growing that much fonder for the magical beasts reveling in their special spa day. 

After a good long soak, the deer were eager to get back to the stables to lay down for a long night’s sleep. Bernard found himself tempted as well; his bed at home had fresh sheets on it, but he probably wouldn’t be seeing it for another day or two at least. There was still a lot he had to do. 

Jolly awoke to a still roaring fire after several hours of what was a serious contender for the best sleep of his life. He blinked sleepily at the empty sleeping bag across from him and checked his watch. 

He’d only been asleep for about 4 hours. 

Had Bernard gone off somewhere? Maybe he had to pee. Jolly avoided looking out at the frozen flatlands just in case as he sat up and rubbed at his tired eyes. 

He took stock of his supplies, not that he didn’t trust Bernard, just, well—yeah, he didn’t trust him. The man was nice, very nice in fact, after he loosened up a bit! And he was clever. And funny. And had just about the cutest smile Jolly had ever seen. 

But he was still a stranger and hadn’t actually proven to him that he was really with the Morozko Company. It was incredibly unlikely that Bernard was some random homicidal maniac come to kill young researchers in the arctic, but opportunistic rival researchers could be vicious. So Jolly carefully looked through his belongings, checking for anything out of place or missing. Everything was accounted for and nothing seemed to be tampered with, so he started rolling up his sleeping bag. When he got to Bernard’s, he found a note sticking out of the opening to protect it from the snow. 

‘Rise and shine, Jolly Boy!

I’d say Good Morning, but it’s the North Pole. It won’t be morning for several more months. Ha. 

I hope you slept well. Sorry for the abrupt departure, I had to get back to my camp. Time sensitive stuff, I’m sure you understand. I’ll be sure to check in with you again soon. 

Thanks for the good company, 

-B

P.S. I’ll have the necessary paperwork sent to your division heads to approve a temporary partnership between the Hale Company and Morozko. Feel free to radio in and confirm. I’m looking forward to working together.’

When he finished reading, he realized he had a huge smile on his face and blushed. 

Bernard was gonna check on him! 

His face dropped. 

Bernard was gonna check on him? Check when? How soon? 

They were going to be working together evidently, so just how much was he going to be seeing of the dark haired stranger? Any doubts he had about his affiliation with Morozko were gone. Bernard wouldn’t have told him to confirm if he wasn’t telling the truth. But, well. Jolly still was going to confirm. Just in case. 

He gave himself a good shake and willed the butterflies in his stomach to dissipate. He couldn’t lose his head out here. He and Bernard would be colleagues, nothing more. He could use this opportunity to learn from the more experienced researcher. No sense losing his head just because he had a nice smile. And lovely eyes. And oh man, his hands too. When he made that fire earlier, it took everything in him not to stare as his hands expertly set everything up and sparked the tinder. He obviously was quite dexterous with those hands and their long fingers and neat trim nails and—

Woah, there. He was spiraling a bit. He was charming, for sure, but there was something about him that knocked Jolly off kilter. Bernard seemed… unattainable in a way. Like they just wouldn’t work out. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but they just weren’t the same for some reason. 

Not one to ignore his gut feelings, Jolly gave himself a decisive nod and resolved not to get attached. There’s no harm in indulging in some eye candy and friendly banter, but it wouldn’t go any farther than that. 

With that thought at the front of his mind, he packed up the rest of his temp camp, loaded it onto his snowmobile, and headed back to home camp. 

The Elfcon team was incredibly helpful with setting up an official partnership with the Hale Company. Jolly was determined to stay, snow or shine, and was technically allowed to according to the paperwork his research team had submitted last year. They would have to play this facade very carefully to keep him from digging too deep. The polar bears moving so close to the North Pole was an unexpected hurdle, but they would handle it just like they did everything: with meticulous planning and flawless execution. For now, the bears within Santa’s Village had been told to stay put in case they accidentally lead Jolly into an off limits zone. The magic barrier was effective, but it wouldn’t withstand a curious human investigating too closely. 

Bernard left them to figure out logistics for running interference and headed down to R&D. 

When he passed through the open archway leading into the heart of Research and Development, he stopped in his tracks at the sight of Quintin standing in the center of the room directing elves left and right, sure authority and confidence in his voice. These were elves easily twice Quintin’s age and certainly above rank who didn’t hesitate to do exactly what he told them. Peewee, Head of R&D and a nervous little elf who always had too much on his plate, scurried by with an enormous box full of stuffing he could barely see past. 

Bernard stopped him and took the huge box off his hands. “Hey there, Peewee, how’s the new kid working out?”

“Quintin? He’s amazing, sir! He’s got so many brilliant ideas, we don’t know how to keep up! We’ve got the Elf on the Shelf prototype ready for review, but there’s about a dozen other projects I’d like Quintin’s input on too.” 

“Well, deck the halls,” he said, pleasantly taken aback. “That’s great to hear!” 

Peewee nodded so enthusiastically, his little hat slipped down over his eyes and he distractedly pushed it back up. “He’s also got some great ideas about reworking how this whole department runs! We’re rearranging things now, and if it works like he says, we’ll be up by 20% in efficiency.”

“Sounds like he’s really proving his worth here.”

“Oh yes! Speaking of, I wanted to go ahead and formally request his transfer to R&D.” Bernard nodded, but Peewee carried on. “Also, I have an idea that might be a little crazy.”

“Crazy, huh? That’s a bit out of character for you, Peewee. Just what is this crazy idea?”

The anxious elf rocked a bit on his feet, a lock of hair worrying between his fingers. “I’ve never really been comfortable in this position, sir, so as you know, I’ve been looking for someone to take over as Head of R&D for me. I think Quintin would be a fantastic candidate.”

Bernard’s eyebrows shot up at this. “Wow, just like that, huh? Q must be one talented elf.”

Peewee nodded again with a cheerful hum. 

Bernard gave a thoughtful hum in reply. “I don’t know. He’s still technically registered with the Spirit team, so I gotta run everything by Judy, but I don’t think she’ll really mind. I’ll talk it over with him and see if he’s interested in transferring to R&D first, and then if he’s okay with that I’ll bring up the idea of maybe a co-Head situation for now. But if he takes this position and fails, it’ll be on you, Peewee. This better work out—we don’t need any delays this year.” 

“I’m not worried about it, sir.”

Wow. That was practically a glowing review from such an anxious elf like Peewee. This Quintin guy was something special. 

Bernard found where the box of stuffing needed to go and left it in the hands of the assembly elves who were working there temporarily for this project. He walked with purpose, weaving around dashing elves and boxes of supplies, until he reached the ringleader of this circus. 

“Quintin! Now this is impressive! You’ve got everyone dancing around like trained monkeys.” 

“Head Elf! Thank you very much, sir! Everyone seems very excited by my idea.” Quintin had a huge smile on his face as he hopped down from the platform he’d been standing on to call out orders. He reached behind him into a standing bag and pulled out a little elf doll in a green and red costume. 

“Here it is, sir! Our first prototype. We also have a mock up for the book ready as well.” He handed the doll and a stack of illustrated story pages to the older elf with a little finger wiggle and a shoulder shimmy. The British elf was absolutely bursting with joy at his accomplishment. 

Bernard gave a cursory glance at the doll, simple and expertly made. Excellent work by the doll assembly elves as usual. The story book was interesting, and the rhyming was fun and catchy. He had a few notes on improving the rhyme scheme a little and picked out a few of the illustrations he thought should be reworked, pointing out how it all could be improved as Quintin jotted down notes on everything he said. 

“And the face is a little… off, I think. It’s a tad creepy.”

“How so?”

“It’s something about the eyes, they just look a bit… naughty or something.”

“Ah, yes, actually I requested that on purpose. I thought making it look a little mischievous would help tickle the children’s imagination and get them to relate with the toy better. Human children love a bit of cheeky fun.” 

“Huh, yeah, good point. Okay, well if you think it’ll be better that way, then I’m all for it.” Bernard gave Quintin’s shoulder a friendly pat. “Hey listen, Q, I’ve got a Q for you.”

“You’ve got a… me for me, sir?” 

Bernard chuckled at Quintin’s perplexed expression. 

“No, no, I mean I’ve got a question for you.” 

“Oh! Right-o, then! What’s your question, Mr. Head Elf?” 

“Alright, here’s the deal—I’ve been talking to Peewee about the work you’ve been doing in R&D today and he’s very impressed. And so am I! We wanted to get your thoughts on a possible permanent transfer here.”

“You want to transfer me to R&D full time? Hot cocoa! I’d be honored, sir!” 

“That’s what I like to hear! But that’s not all, Q. Peewee thinks you could take over his job as Head of the entire R&D Department. What do you say to that?”

For the first time, Quintin looked uncertain. He didn’t reply right away and Bernard gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You can say no, Q. It’s a lot of pressure to put on a young elf.” 

But Quintin’s brief lapse in confidence was already fading. “I think I’d like to give it a try, sir! I’ve never been in charge before, and I’d appreciate some sort of trial period so that Peewee can show me the ropes—but yes! I’d love to take a crack at it!” 

Bernard beamed at the excited elf in front of him. “You could have fooled me, kid! You’re a born leader. And no worries, I already told Peewee it’ll be a co-Head situation to start. You just keep doing what you’re doing and I’ll get the paperwork all sorted for the transfer.” 

Bernard stepped closer to Quintin. “And Q?” He held out his hand for the younger elf to shake. “Welcome to the leadership team.” 

“Thank you, sir!” 

Bernard walked briskly away from the R&D Department, his intent to find Judy and start the official process of getting Quintin transferred. His ears pricked up at the familiar sound of small legs shuffling up to meet him and he turned to face a very disgruntled looking Curtis. 

“Bernard, what’s this about elves on shelves? We’ve got workers missing from three different divisions who say you’ve sent them to go sit on shelves in R&D.”

“Nah, see, it’s not real elves, it’s toy elves. There’s this new recruit, Quintin—he’s brilliant—and he’s come up with a way for us to get a head start on the naughty/nice list and even the Christmas wish list. Get this—toy elves that we can connect to kids’ houses that can keep an eye on them and report back everything they see and hear. Isn’t that an amazing idea?”

Curtis looked skeptical. “I suppose. If it works, that is.”

“We’re making final prototypes now so it better work. I’d hate for Quintin’s first official project as Head of R&D to fail.”

“What?! You made him Head of—but what about Peewee?!” He angrily exclaimed. 

Bernard shot Curtis an annoyed glare. “It was Peewee’s idea in the first place. And since when do you question my decisions?” 

Curtis closed his wide mouth with a loud click of his teeth and looked worriedly at the Arch Elf standing stiffly before him. 

“Sorry, sir, that was out of line. I’ll watch my tone more carefully from now on.”

“See that you do. I’m not going to invest in a Number Two who fights me every step.” Curtis bowed his head at Bernard’s reprimand. “By the way, how’s the handbook studying coming along?”

Curtis didn’t lift his head as he sheepishly admitted, “It’s difficult, sir. Core Operations in the Workshop are demanding, so I haven’t been able to read it as often as I’d like. But the teams mostly know what to do already, so I’ve been able to skip some Workshop rounds to make some progress in the book at least.”

“Curtis, Core Operations come first! You can read the handbook in your spare time. Honestly, I hadn’t expected you to have read more than a few pages with Core duties to see to. The teams may know what to do, but they rely on you to still help out and be available for any problems that arise in the work day.”

The younger elf turned bright red as the Head Elf scolded him once again. 

Bernard glared down at Curtis for a tense moment before letting out a frustrated sigh. “Look, it’s okay. Just don’t forget your priorities here. I’m giving you a chance to prove yourself, Curtis, don’t make me regret it.”

“Yes, sir.” He muttered, his head still ducked low to avoid Bernard’s eyes. 

The tall elf gave the shorter one an encouraging pat on the back as he walked past and started heading into the main Workshop. 

He didn’t spare a second glance to the mortified blonde elf he’d left behind who let out a shaky breath before wiping off his wet cheeks and scurrying to find a place to collect himself more privately. 

The Head Elf was swarmed as soon as he stepped on the main floor’s balcony, elves clamoring over each other to get his attention. 

“Bernard, we’re completely out of pink glitter!”

“Bernard, the wood working team wants to use oak for the next batch of toy trucks, is that okay?” 

“We can’t find assembly team P-23’s hammers, sir!” 

“Sir, the elves down in textiles insist on plaid for the next batch of doll dresses, but we already did that fashion last year!” 

“Bernard!”

“Sir?”

“Bernard, we need you!”

“What should we do, sir?” 

“Please, help us, Bernard!”

He felt like he was going to throw up. He pushed the nausea down and squared his shoulders. 

“OKAY, EVERYONE LISTEN. I WANT TO SEE ALL EYES UP, ALL EARS FORWARD.” 

All the elves went quiet, not only the small crowd in front of him, but every worker on the main floor. Everything went still and quiet as each and every elf gave their leader their full attention. 

“Firstly, I want to thank you all for your hard work and dedication. Production doesn’t officially start until tomorrow, but you all are here, eager to get started. I'm honored to be among such admirable elves.”

A sea of smiles sparkled at his words. 

“Now I realize that things aren’t quite up to snuff for kick off. I can assure you all that I will personally see to it that everyone has all the supplies and support they need to put their best foot forward tomorrow!” 

A cheer spread through the workshop at this declaration. “Thank you, Bernard!” “Thank you!” “What would we do without you, sir?” “Hurray, hurray!” 

The dark haired elf lifted his hands to calm the sudden surge of enthusiasm. 

“For now, I will be making rounds through the workshop and will help you when I can. If you have a request for supplies, send it to my office and I’ll make sure you have what you need by tomorrow morning. If your specific problem is time sensitive, please step to the side here and I’ll be with you shortly. As for the rest of you, back to work, please! Thank you!”

And with that, the workshop was once again alive and in motion. There were only two elves waiting to speak to him immediately. He assured Carlos that he would look into the missing hammers that night and went with Pickle to help with clean up of a major oil spill in mechanics. 

He sent for a couple kitchen elves and put them to work on the spill. The mechanic elves were a bit skeptical at first, but the kitchen elves made quick work breaking up the grease and soon everyone was working together seamlessly. He hauled the last bucket of oily muck up onto the disposal conveyer and headed down to the supply rooms. 

He asked an elf in the tools section for a set of hammers and loaded them into his bag. 

Carlos wasn’t happy about using hammers that weren’t ‘broken in’ yet, but Bernard convinced him to make do until the old ones turned up. The Head Elf hoped that as he made rounds, he’d come across the missing hammers and be able to settle this without going too far out of his way. 

He spent the next few hours rushing around, helping out where he could. The hammers were indeed found, the metalsmith crew had borrowed them. The tinier hammers were perfect for some smaller detail work for their new project, apparently. The hammers were returned to Carlos and the toy truck assembly team, and the newer hammers were handed over to the metalsmith elves to use. 

By the time he made it through the workshop and retired to his office for the night, he was once again sore all over. Whatever benefits he got from the hot springs earlier were completely gone. 

Like clockwork, he heard a soft knock on his door. “Enter!” He looked up from the supply requests he’d been plowing through to see Judy step into his office and close the door behind her. She gave him a sympathetic smile as she handed him a cup of hot cider. He matched her smile with a weary one of his own. 

“So I heard you poached my talented new recruit.”

“Oh nutcrackers… I meant to talk to you about that earlier, but I got caught up cleaning after Curtis.” 

“That’s okay, sir, I’ve got the paperwork all filled out already. I just wanted to check in and confirm.” She handed him a clipboard and pointed at the bottom where a space had been left for his signature. The Head Elf smiled gratefully at her and signed his name with a swift flick of his wrist. 

“If Quintin would be better suited to R&D then I’m happy for him. I’m just giving you a hard time, Bernard.” Her eyes twinkled at him. 

“Sorry, sorry. I must still be in adrenaline mode from Workshop rounds.”

“You need to slow down. You’re going to make yourself sick at the pace you’re going.” She scolded him. “I noticed you didn’t go home last night.” 

“Judy, please, there’s too much to do. Core Operations are back in full force tomorrow morning and we’re already behind because of Curtis.” 

“Cut him some slack, Bernard. He’s being asked to take care of half the Head Elf duties when he just went from Head of Mechanics to Head Elf’s Assistant last month. He shouldn’t have to deal with any of this.”

The tall elf pulled his cap off with a low groan, rubbing a hand over his dark curls. “I know… I know, you’re right. He’s not ready for any of this. But he has to try anyways. Honestly, though, he could stand to take a page out of Quintin’s book…”

“Oh? What about Quintin?”

“He seems pretty confident in his new role as Head of R&D, that’s all. Kid doesn’t let anything shake him.”

“You made him Head? That’s a bold choice.”

“Co-Head, for now. Peewee requested it, and I trust his judgment. It’s just a trial run, Peewee’s gonna train him. We’ll see how it goes.” 

“I guess we will. You aren’t thinking of putting Quintin in the running for Number Two as well, right? That would be… a bit hasty, don’t you think?” 

“I’m not seriously considering it, no. I was just impressed with him today.”

“Good. Maybe you should go home and get some sleep. Clear your head a bit.” 

“Judy.” He growled. 

“Alright, fine, I won’t say anymore!” She stood abruptly and threw her arms up in exasperation. “I don’t mean to nag, but I’m worried about you, Bernard. Something’s gotta give eventually.”

“Look, I promise I’ll take a half day after the New Year, okay? Happy?” He rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. 

Judy shook her head with a fond look. “Not happy, exactly, but it’ll do for now.” She turned to face him again once she reached the office door. “How did things go with the reindeer and that human, by the way?”

“I handled it. He’s a naive recent college grad who thinks he can change the world. We’d have to force him out. He’s got a research company and sponsors backing him—the whole thing would be too messy. So Jolly’s gonna be working with Morozko. We should be able to keep an eye on him no problem.”

“Jolly’s a nice name.”

His mouth quirked. “It was a childhood nickname that stuck. Apparently he was a giggly baby.”

Judy’s brows rose a bit at his lighthearted tone. “That’s one cute nickname.”

“Right? It fits him too. He’s got a really distinct laugh.” He huffed, eyes far away. “And he’s got a fire inside him as well. I’ve never heard anyone talk so passionately about polar bears.” He chuckled, shaking his head incredulously.

“You seem very fond of him already.”

He froze. “Well, I wouldn’t say that, exactly. He was good conversation, that’s all. Witty.” 

“High praise from our witty Head Elf, himself!” She giggled. 

He scoffed good-naturedly and turned back to his stack of supply requests. Despite his obvious dismissal, Judy stood staring at him for a long moment with a thoughtful expression before finally slipping out the door, leaving Bernard to work through the night.

Chapter Text

(December 27th, morning)

Jolly sank into his fold out chair with a thermos full of steaming hot chocolate. Powder packets weren’t as good as the real thing his dad used to make with dark chocolate, cinnamon, and their own homegrown chiles, but it was better than nothing. 

He had made it back to camp yesterday no problem and gave himself a thorough rub with a wet rag before passing out on his bed roll. He were glad to be able to use his portable stove again, heating snow over an open fire with a single pot he’d had to hold up the whole time was entirely too inconvenient. He sort of wished Bernard had left that wooden rack behind. It could have come in handy. 

He had radio’d in to his research station and spoke with Dr. Branson about Bernard. He had been thrilled that Jolly had managed to secure a partnership with the Morozko Company, even if it was temporary. The funding had suddenly doubled and he was given the option to stay for six months instead of the initial 8 weeks he had planned for. He’d still need to return to the station at the end of the 8 weeks for a supply run, but Jolly had full permissions to stay in the North Pole for the better part of the year with a possible extension if he did good work. 

He studied the map that Bernard had marked for him and started planning his next steps tracking Catheri—XJ-17. The bear had gone north according to Bernard. She’d taken her cub up near some mountains, which was what Jolly had initially guessed was the case when XJ-17 first disappeared. There were plenty of places to hide a baby bear and most likely, she wouldn’t be coming out of the mountains for another couple months when her cub was better able to defend herself if need be. But still, he was hoping he’d catch a glimpse of the new mother and cub, just to know they were okay out there. 

He had set up several cameras within a 30 mile radius of his camp when he had first arrived, but with Bernard’s info on the other bears his team had marked missing, he knew exactly where to move them. He’d have to spend the next few days going around and disassembling the previous set ups, but that was okay. He had all the time in the world now. 

Jolly had worked all morning reorganizing his supplies, performing some maintenance on his snowmobile, cleaning his sheepskin rug, and answering emails about the partnership. He should get a jump start on those cameras, but what was the rush? He decided a nice day bundled up, drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas songs was well deserved after a solid week stuck in a snowstorm. And yes, of course he knew Christmas had passed already, but he had spent the actual day shivering alone in the cold, so he wanted to make up for it now. 

He was still alone, technically, but at least he wasn’t shivering in the cold. Well, not as much. 

If only there was someone there to cuddle up to. Someone with big brown eyes and nice hands and a warm smile. Someone who he could talk to, laugh with, maybe even sing songs together. 

Jolly wondered if Bernard liked Christmas songs. Most people he knew were split, either they loved Christmas music or they hated it. He couldn’t be sure, but Bernard just seemed like the type who would get really into the holiday spirit. That outfit of his was pretty festive in green and red with his jingle bell necklace. Looking back, it made sense why he had been dressed that way. He was probably celebrating the season himself. It must be part of Russian tradition, like German lederhosen or Scottish kilts. Either way, Bernard looked very handsome in his fancy tunic and hat.

Okay, so Jolly had a crush. No big deal, right? It was normal after being so isolated and then suddenly meeting a handsome, intelligent guy who shared his interest in arctic ecology. He was just so curious about the handsome stranger. Bernard was pretty tight lipped about himself, and Jolly never could resist a good mystery.

Next time he saw him, he would ask him more about himself. If they were going to be working together for the next few months, he’d like to get a better idea of who Bernard was as a person, where he came from, what he liked to do for fun. 

Only in the spirit of camaraderie, of course. Jolly couldn't help his attraction, but that didn't mean he had to be obvious about it. The last thing he wanted was to make Bernard uncomfortable. 

He sipped his hot chocolate and turned up ‘Silver Bells’ as he settled back into his chair, oblivious to the streak of sparkling blue light that shot across the flatlands and towards the center of the North Pole. 

Bernard frantically skidded around the corner of a narrow hallway and slid in behind a crowd of elves at the entrance to the Elfcon headquarters. 

“Well, well! If it isn’t the Arch Elf himself!”

Jack Frost stood proud and pristine in the middle of the Elfcon observatory, every elf in the room staring in apprehension at the icy figure. Tamika, Head of Elfcon, looked to Bernard for direction. Jack was leagues ahead of them all in importance, but the Head Elf had more actual authority here in the North Pole. 

“Jack Frost, welcome to our humble Workshop. We weren’t expecting a visit.” He kept his tone carefully neutral. No need to antagonize the mercurial legend just yet. 

“Well, I was in the neighborhood and I thought it would be good manners to check in after that little snow storm you all requested to get rid of that pesky human.” 

Great, Jack was in a nosy mood. Plenty of magical creatures and mythical figures relied on Jack for his wintery touch, be it to aid in their own projects or as a convenient distraction for wayward humans. The North Pole wasn’t the only place to take advantage of his unique skills, but he rarely took a closer look at these requests. Bernard could appreciate his power and how much it had helped them over the years, but with a human still out there and Jack’s record of less than tender affections towards mortals, Bernard worried for Jolly’s safety. 

“Yeah, thanks, we’re all good now. No more problems.” 

Time to redirect and get Jack out of here as quickly as possible. He’d need to do this carefully. If Jack thought he was hiding something, they’d never get rid of him. Tamika shot a questioning look at the dark haired elf, and Bernard silently willed her to play along. 

“Yep, no worries here, Mr. Frost.” Tamika was sharp. “We sure do appreciate your help, though!”

And just like that, the entire Elfcon team was chiming in with thanks and words of praise. Jack soaked it up with a wolfish grin, arms spread dramatically like he was receiving an encore for a top performance. 

“Of course, of course, anything for my favorite little elves!” Bernard cringed at Jack’s patronizing response. “After all, you little cuties need all the help you can get without a Santa.”

A telling silence descended on the room. Jack knew. He knew that their Santa was not at the North Pole. That’s why he’d come. 

Bernard assumed they would have more time. Of course the Council of Legendary Figures were informed about the new Santa, however, Jack never seemed interested in Council affairs. But of course he’d take note of this particular piece of news, everyone knew Jack was intensely jealous of Christmas. Bernard wasn’t too worried, though. Having Scott down south was actually a blessing in this case. The last thing he needed was a messy human who couldn’t accept his fate yet mucking up relations with the spirit of winter. Jack might cause them some mischief without Santa supervision but he’d never make a move to seriously disrupt Christmas while Bernard was there. He would deal with Jack’s pranks and posturing for now until he got bored and left. Spring was just around the corner, after all, and Jack wouldn’t miss the opportunity to hit the northern hemisphere with one last blast of icy wind before the year started warming up. 

“We’re handling it just fine, Jack.”

“Oh, I’m sure you are, Bernie!” His blue face was twisted in mock sympathy. “I’m sure you’re doing a fantastic job. But you’re no Santa, are you?” 

Bernard felt his face twitch, his facade of calm wavering. “No. But we do have a Santa who will be ready to go by Thanksgiving, so it’s not a problem.”

“Thanksgiving? That’s awfully late in the year, isn’t it? Why, you must be scrambling to pick up the slack.” Jack was pushing it. Bernard needed to keep his head here.  

“We’re working out some new ideas to get ahead of it as we speak, actually. I’m confident that this year’s Christmas will be grander than ever, but we appreciate the concern. I’ll be sure to mention to the new Santa how gracious you’ve been to come all the way up here to check on us.” If Jack wanted to pontificate and pretend, then Bernard would toss it right back at him. 

Jack’s frozen grin cracked just slightly as he stared down the Head Elf. For a long tense minute, neither spoke or faltered in their gaze. Tamika shuffled her feet a bit impatiently, and Jack snapped his eyes to her. 

“Poor little elves! I must be holding you all up from your very important work. I know how much you hate being idle, please, forgive me!”

Tamika gave him a tight lipped smile. “All good, Mr. Frost. It’s always a pleasure to have you visit.”

“Well, I’ll just be on my way then.” He moved closer in a rigid walk, limbs swinging as if they were half frozen—which they were. “But Bernie,” he scanned the tall elf’s eyes, looking for weakness, “do let me know if there’s anything I can do to help out.” 

Bernard’s glare was unrelenting. “Will do. Thanks again, Jack.” 

And with one last grin, half twisted into a snarl, Jack was gone, a streak of blue left in his wake. 

“This might be a problem.” Tamika said turning to him, arms folded over her round belly. “We should get that human out of the North Pole as quickly as possible. It’ll be hard enough with Jack poking his pointy nose into Workshop business without having to look out for a human too.”

“He’s just been approved for an extension. There’d be too many questions if we tried to backtrack now. We’ll just have to monitor his movements more closely.”

Tamika looked unimpressed. “Sir, that’s insane. The Elfcon team has enough work as it is. We can’t afford to babysit some human.”

“Don’t worry about it, Tamika. I’m the only one tall enough to keep in contact with him anyways. I’ll take care of it.” He sounded more sure than he felt. “I’ll just… delegate some of my other duties.”

She raised a brow in disbelief. “You? Delegate? This should be good.”

“Yeah, alright, enough of the insubordination, okay? C’mon, we gotta get going. This whole ordeal’s made us late for the production meeting.”

This was one of Bernard’s favorite parts about his job—planning out production for the year. It was also one of the most difficult parts. He thrived on organization and efficiency. Hearing everyone’s needs and making a plan that would ensure all were happy and supported could be very rewarding. It was like solving a puzzle. He was good at it. 

But ten lords a leaping, these department heads could be whiny. 

“I’m telling you, plaid is out! It was on its way out last year, and it’s completely out the door and halfway to Bermuda by now!” 

“And I’m telling you, we got what we got! I’m not going to tell my elves to throw out a hundred yards of fabric just because you snoots in doll dresses think plaid is suddenly ugly!” 

Judy gave him a sympathetic shrug from where she sat across the conference table. He could tell his forehead was red from how hard he’d been rubbing it the past hour. 

“Look, let’s all just take a breather and table this topic for now. I’m sure we can all come to an agreement once we’ve had time to cool off.” He said as diplomatically as he could. 

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

“Okay, great. Judy, what do you have for me?”

Judy gave the room a serene smile as she took the floor. “The Spirit Department is ready to start this year’s spirit surveillance and we’re confident that this year will be topping charts. This past Christmas was a huge success. Christmas spirit has never been higher.”

“That’s great news!”

“Yes, it is. However, we have noticed something slightly worrisome. While Christmas spirit is high, magic pockets in the human world have never been smaller.” She pulled up a world map on the projector with several large fields of blue overlaid in various places. “This is from 20 years ago. Magic thrived in all these areas marked in blue.” She changed the slide to another world map, but on this one, the totally blue areas from before were now thousands of blue dots instead. “This is from this past year. The areas of magic now don’t extend further than the immediate area around a child who believes. Take New York for instance. The entire city used to be a hot spot for magic and belief. But now it’s mostly a dead zone with magic only existing around individual children. Some neighborhoods have more magic if there’s more children concentrated there, but for the most part, the magic is gone from the streets.”

Bernard chewed his lip as he listened. “Do you know why?”

“No, sir. The children’s belief isn’t any less than it was before, it just isn’t spreading into the world like it used to. It’s a conundrum, for sure.”

“That’s… concerning. This is gonna significantly limit where we can send elves out into the human world. Keep an eye on it, Judy, and let me know if there’s any changes. For now, we’ll just have to work with it.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Anything else?”

Judy’s smile was back in full force. “Yes, actually. As you all know I’ve recently taken on an assistant, Abby. She’s a sweet girl, very hard working. Abby has come to me and requested permission to plan a New Year’s Eve party for everyone.”

The Heads seated around the table seemed interested, hums of delight punctuating her words. 

The Head Elf looked a bit unsure, however. “I don’t know, Judy, y’know, this is going to be a pretty busy year—we could use that extra time to jumpstart production. And isn’t Abby a bit too inexperienced for something like that? She should probably think smaller, maybe just a party for the Spirit team to start?”

Judy blinked at him, a challenging look on her face. “I seem to recall someone else giving an inexperienced elf a chance pretty recently and might I say,” she looked at Quintin sitting further down the table, Peewee nervously fidgeting at his side, “I think he’s doing a fantastic job!” 

Tamika snorted at Judy’s sassy retort. Curtis shot an annoyed look towards a beaming Quintin who sat up straighter at the attention. 

“Why, thank you, Judy!”

Bernard rolled his eyes with a huff. “Point taken. Alright, how about this. Curtis and I will do everything within our power to get production ahead of schedule in the next few days so that Abby can throw her party. But tell her it needs to be in the Village. If a department isn’t ahead in time, then those elves can’t go, so don’t expect the whole Workshop to be there.” 

“Understood, sir. I’ll tell Abby to start preparations.” 

“Great, moving on.”

(December 31st, early afternoon)

Curtis loaded the last doll house roof onto the crate with a definitive grunt and turned to Bernard and Muffin. The Head Elf nodded his head in acknowledgment at the blonde elf. “Nice work, Curtis. I think that about does it for the doll and doll house assembly teams. Muffin, feel free to tell your elves they can head out for the day.” 

Muffin squeaked in excitement and twirled on the spot, dancing away to let her girlfriend, Ishaan, know that they’d be able to go to the party tonight. At her pronouncement, the other elves on the teams let out a cheer and started packing up their work space for the day. 

Bernard faced his assistant. “Who’s left?”

“Just the Woodworking Department and a few general assembly teams, sir. They didn’t quite make quota.” 

“Doug‘s probably kicking himself right about now for wasting all that time pushing oak on the truck assembly teams. He should have known they wouldn’t go for it.”

“He shouldn’t have ordered so much oak to begin with, we never use that much heavy wood.”

“Yeah, true. Well, it is what it is. What’s next?"

A sour expression appeared on the smaller elf’s face. “Quintin was wondering if R&D would be allowed to attend the party since he wasn’t given an actual quota for his elf-shelf thing.”

“Elf on the Shelf. And sure, they can go. We’ve already got over 2k dolls and books ready to ship, I’d say that’s plenty of progress to start.”

“Fine. I’ll let him know.” Curtis grumbled. 

Bernard looked amused at his assistant’s disgruntled expression. “What’s with the face? You don’t like Quintin?”

“He’s okay, I just think he’s a bit arrogant.”

“You’re one to talk, Number Two.” 

Curtis stiffened at the nickname. “Number Two—I, I, I’m your Number Two?”

Bernard seemed to realize what he let slip and coughed a bit to cover his sudden embarrassment. “Yeah, uh, well y’know, sure! Not officially yet, of course. But you’re doing a great job lately Curtis so, uh, y’know, once Santa gets back—we’ll see.” 

Curtis’ eyes sparkled at the praise, his hands grasped together in front of him. “Yes, sir! Of course, sir! I’ll be sure to keep working hard until then!”

“And after, I hope.” Bernard chuckled. 

“Right, of course.”

Bernard coughed again, his cheeks still a bit pink. “Well, uh, listen Curtis. How about you go ahead and take off for the party? I’ll wrap things up here.”

“Are you sure? There’s still a lot to do, isn’t there?”

“Yeah, but it’s fine, I got it all under control. I need to take care of a few other things anyways. No use in both of us missing out on the party.”

“What, you mean you aren’t going? Didn’t you miss the Spirit Festival too, though?” Curtis cried. 

“It’s no big deal, hey, I’m the Head Elf, remember? Comes with the job sometimes. Keep that in mind.” 

Curtis scrutinized his boss, noting the deep dark smudges under his eyes and the tense lines framing his mouth. Bernard had never looked more exhausted. 

“Yeah, I guess it’s a taxing position. Maybe you should sit down, sir—you seem pretty tired.”

The Head Elf pushed past him with hardly any reaction to his concern, just a brusque “I’m fine.” and away he went to do whatever it was he needed to do. Curtis stared after him with open worry. Bernard was obviously not doing well, but if he wouldn’t listen then there wasn’t much the younger elf could do about it. He took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh before heading towards the Workshop exit. 

Bernard hadn’t felt this drained since his dishwashing days. He stopped by the Woodworking Department to inform them they’d have to keep working til the end of the day, Doug arguing with him a bit about whether or not the quota was actually met. Normally he’d have the patience to explain things more diplomatically, but he found he just didn’t have the energy for it today. He growled at Doug to get back to work and marched out in a rage. He was still mad by the time he got to R&D, but managed to push down his bad mood to inform Quintin and his workers that they were clear to go to the party. The elves were all aglow as they rushed out in groups, chatting about what they’d wear and who they wanted to dance with once the clock struck midnight. Quintin gave him a concerned look, but didn’t say anything about his haggard appearance. 

The Head Elf stopped into his office and grabbed his cloak and scarf before heading to the stables. Dancer nudged his shoulder with a worried grunt and he patted her on her velvet nose. “I’m alright, my lovely. I just have one last thing to do tonight and then I can finally take a break.” He climbed aboard and they started weaving through the Village streets towards the exit. He could hear music and laughter several streets over, but he was too fatigued to feel sad that he was missing out again. All he could do was focus on what was in front of him, his vision tunneling on the arctic flats beyond the magic barrier. 

He just needed to check in with Jolly, that’s it. That’s the last thing on his task list. After days and days, he had finally gotten caught up with all his Head Elf duties and his newly acquired Santa duties. He had to cut some of Curtis’ assignments and take them on himself, but everything was now in order. He could actually afford to get a good night’s sleep tonight before heading back to work in the morning. And man, did he need it. He swayed a little and Dancer grunted at him again, this time more insistently. He patted her neck. “Really, I’m fine. Come on, it’s the home stretch. Let’s just get this over with so we can get back home.” 

Dancer took off into the snowy landscape, taking big leaps into the air and gliding back down over and over again as she ran. The elf on her back started waking up a little more as the cold air blew into his face. He felt the nausea he’d been fighting all day recede as well, and in its place, a gnawing hunger. 

He’d forgotten to eat today. 

They jumped into flight and soared over the icy cliffs that separated the huge expanse of flatlands and landed without incident on the other side. After another few minutes of running, Dancer slowed as they rounded a snowy mountain. Jolly’s camp was in the distance, maybe a good 10 minute walk from there. Bernard dismounted and told Dancer to stick near the mountain so she wouldn’t be spotted too easily. He pulled his hood over his head and started the long trek to the human campsite. 

Jolly was absolutely bushed. Every camera, all 12 of them, had been taken from their old locations and brought back to home camp. It had taken several days of riding around and long hours dismantling the frames he’d mounted them on, but here they all were. He’d spent the better part of the day cleaning them up and organizing the parts to pack into the snowmobile, but he was finally ready to head back out and set everything up in their new locations where Bernard had suggested. It was later in the day, but he was eager to get the first few up and live. He had just grabbed his backpack from the tent and zipped the flap back up when he noticed the figure heading towards his camp. 

Bernard! 

He’d finally come back. 

Jolly waved at him in greeting, a smile lighting up his face. Bernard waved back and soon was close enough to call out to him. “Hey there, Jolly Boy!” 

“Well, well, if it isn’t Saint Bernard! Back again already?”

“What can I say, I was a tad worried I’d find a Jolly-popsicle when I came back so I thought the sooner the better.” 

“Ha, ha, funny guy, I told you I’m no amateur! Who could freeze with this sweet set up?” He gestured proudly to the tent and equipment around them. 

“Yeah, not bad. I’ve definitely seen worse.”

“Hey, not all of us get to work with hot shot mysterious Russian super scientists, y’know!”

Bernard held up his hand placatingly, a wry smile on his lips. “Alright, fine, it’s a good—no wait, the best camp site I’ve ever seen. Happy?”

Jolly chuckled. “Let’s say ‘satisfied.’”

“Sheesh, you’re a pain.” 

“If I’m such a pain, then you can go. There’s the door.” He waved his hand out to the open snow drifts all around them. They both looked out into the wasteland for a beat before cracking up. Bernard’s laugh was as musical as ever. 

“So what are you doing here? Just checking in?” Jolly asked when he’d calmed.

“Sorta. I figured you might need help gathering the cameras.” He pulled his hood off, that same green beret he’d worn before pulled low over his ears again. 

“Oh, thanks, but I already got them. I was actually about to head out and set up the first three in their new spots. Wanna come with?”

“Uh, sure, why not? I got time.”

“Awesome! Where’s your snowmobile, by the way? You don’t have to leave it behind when you come to check in, y’know. I’ll know it’s you if you ride up.”

“Ah, uh, no. See, about that. I didn’t ride here, I just walked.”

“You… walked? From where? There isn’t a research station anywhere near here, I’d have seen it.”

“Yeah, well, it’s hidden and uh, look, don’t worry about it. Can I just ride with you for now?” 

A rush of annoyed breath left him at Bernard’s obvious deflection. “Sure, it’s not a problem. Let’s head out.” Jolly pushed past him and he swayed for a moment before regaining his balance. Oops. Maybe he was being too eager. It was later in the day after all, no need to be so energetic when Bernard was probably tired. Honestly, he was just grateful for the extra set of hands. Set up shouldn't take long at all with the more experienced researcher’s help. 

He slung his backpack on the already loaded snowmobile and climbed on top. “All aboard!”

Bernard hesitated for a moment before throwing his leg over and climbing in behind him. “Hold on tight.” Jolly said and kicked it on. The snowmobile lurched forward and suddenly Bernard’s hands were on his hips. A tingle simmered on Jolly’s skin where the fingers pressed against him. They picked up speed and started heading to the first set up spot. As they glided across the snow, Jolly felt the other man readjust in his seat. The researcher had ridden passenger in a snowmobile before, so he knew Bernard was probably struggling with how much bounce there was. He grabbed the hand at his waist and tugged it across his abdomen. “It’s a much smoother ride if you scooch up more!” He called over the rushing wind. He fought a blush and told himself he was just doing this so the dark haired man wouldn’t go flying if they hit a bump. 

For a moment, nothing happened. Then Bernard was sliding closer to him, pushing his chest flush with Jolly’s back. Strong arms locked around him and they both simultaneously breathed a shaky gasp which turned into nervous giggles. He turned bright red as that soft musical laugh was now right beside his ear. 

God, Bernard was warm. And he smelled really, really good. Like nutmeg and something piney. It was a comforting, earthy scent that made Jolly’s toes curl in his boots. 

Too soon, they reached their destination and started setting things up. Bernard wasn’t sure how the cameras worked, but he was a quick learner and took Jolly’s direction without question. 

The next cameras went up much the same, the pair riding from site to site and making swift work of the set up. The researcher had just finished testing the last one when he noticed something seemed off about Bernard. He was drooping where he stood between Jolly and the snowmobile. Jolly took several steps forward until he reached him, grabbing his arm with a baffled “Hey, you alright there?” 

Bernard swallowed thickly and blinked his eyes a few times in quick succession. He was obviously much more tired than Jolly had thought. Maybe he was even sick? He couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed earlier. The dark circles under bloodshot eyes were stark against his pale face. His cheeks, so rosy and plump before, were sunken and tense around his mouth. They were still sparkly, though, maybe he wore makeup? Nothing wrong with that, but if he was this tired why would he bother putting on face glitter? He started to sway and Jolly’s other hand came up to help steady him. 

“Woah, you don’t look so good. Maybe you should sit down.”

“No, no. Why does everyone keep saying that? I’m fine.” He didn’t sound fine. He sounded like he was going to faint. 

Jolly pulled him back to the snowmobile and was alarmed to find no resistance whatsoever from the other man. “Hey, hey, stay with me here.” Bernard slid down into the snow beside the vehicle, his back propped up against it. “Bernard? Bernard! Hey, c’mon man, don’t do this to me right now. Hey! Can you hear me?”

He was passed out cold. Jolly swore under his breath and pulled the man’s arm up and over his shoulders. He wasn’t a very big guy, but he was heavy. Jolly managed to get him on the seat and slid in behind him. “Hold on, bud, I’ll get us back to camp.” 

The dark mass of curls lolled back against Jolly’s shoulder, Bernard’s eyes twitching restlessly behind closed lids. The researcher drove as swiftly as he dared with the man limp like he was and made it back to camp in good time.

He grumbled a bit as Jolly hoisted him up out of the seat. “I don’t need help. I’m fine.” 

“Humor me, okay? Let’s sit.” He led him over to a fold out chair beside the fire and pushed him down until he fell back into it. His breathing had gone ragged and he was starting to shiver. 

“Woah, okay, hold on there. I’ll be right back.”

Bernard wasn’t sure what was going on. His body was failing him, he couldn’t catch his breath, he didn’t know where he was. His eyes cracked open and he realized he was sitting by a fire. Was he home? How did he get there?

“Here.”

A fluffy blanket was suddenly swaddling his body and a vaguely familiar face swam in front of him. 

The human man, Jolly. That’s right. He must have passed out for a minute or two. 

This was bad. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down here. 

Jolly put his hand on Bernard’s cheek and the elf found himself leaning into the touch without thinking. The researcher lifted a thermos to his lips with his other hand and encouraged him to drink. “It’s water. I’m just covering my bases here. Are you with me, Bernard?” He tried to speak but his voice was too weak. He nodded instead. “Okay, good. Have you eaten today?” He shook his head ‘no’. 

“Okay, that’s a place to start then. I’ll get some food going.”

He tried to call out to the man, tell him not to bother, but his voice was still gone. He dozed off within seconds. 

“It’s not the tastiest, but it should have everything you need for your daily nutrition.”

He came back to himself with a start, Jolly holding a spoonful of… something, near his face. “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He shook his head at the apology. “Come on, let’s get some chow in you.” He wasn’t exactly thrilled to be eating the tasteless lumps of what was claimed as food, but he wasn’t exactly in a position to decline. His color started coming back to his face after a few bites. Eventually he was able to sit up and take the spoon to finish feeding himself. 

“So that was terrifying.”

He looked up at the human, now seated across the fire in another fold out chair he’d dragged out at some point while Bernard was out of it. He swallowed the bite in his mouth and answered. “Sorry. Don’t know what happened.”

“Well you didn’t eat today, so that’s probably what happened.”

“I’ve skipped meals plenty of times before.”

“You said you hadn’t eaten at all today. When was the last time you ate something?”

He thought for a moment and realized he didn’t remember eating anything yesterday either. His stomach had been turning then too, so he decided to not bother. His thoughts must have showed on his face.

“Dude, you can’t just not eat! Of course you passed out!” 

“I know, I know, I’ve just had a ton of work to do lately so I didn’t think about it.” He sighed in frustration. “It was careless of me.” 

“Yeah, it was. Geez. You can’t just show up here and pass out, man. What the hell was I gonna do with your dead body if you’d keeled over?” 

“Use me for firewood, I guess. Least I’d still be useful in death.” 

Jolly snorted at his dry remark. “Okay, funny, but dark. Let’s not seriously think about that one.”

They fell into silence for awhile, Bernard finishing his food while Jolly tended the fire. 

“So I’m guessing it wasn’t just the not eating that made you roll up here looking like a zombie. You said you’ve had a lot of work to do lately?”

“Yeah… my, uh, boss is away right now. He won’t be back til later in the year, so I have to take over his duties.”

“Dang, you should get a raise for that. Why’d he just dip?”

“He’s sort of a new hire. He’s gotta go through some, um, mandatory training away from the station. It’s complicated.”

“Sounds like it. Why don’t they just hire you for that position then if you’re already practically doing it?”

“I’m not quite the right fit for that role.”

“Whaaat? That’s bull. I bet they’re discriminating cause you’re young. I know that game and it’s so stupid. Just cause we’re younger doesn’t mean we don’t know what we’re doing, am I right?” 

This seemed to really tickle Bernard. 

“What’s so funny? Its true, isn’t it? I bet you know how to run that station front to back. You’re obviously hardworking! I know your type, Saint Bernard. I bet you worked your ass off and earned your place there, right?”

He had a silly smile on his face, his eyes half lidded as he watched the man rant and throw his arms around dramatically. “Yeah, I did, actually. I started as a dishwasher.”

“A dishwasher!” He exclaimed, pointing at him forcefully. “See! And now look where you are, you’re, uh, you’re—wait, what are you again?”

“I’m the Head E—uhm, hmm.” He coughed a bit into his fist. “The Head of Operations.” 

“Wow, yeah, see now that sounds like a pretty important role right there!”

“It is, yeah. I’m basically in charge until the boss gets back. It’s a lot of pressure, though. Sometimes I miss when I worked in the kitchens.” 

“You miss dishwashing?”

“Well, not that. But I was Head Chef for a while and that was pretty rewarding work.”

“You must really know your way around a kitchen then! I wish I had more than ration packs, or I’d ask you to prove it.”

He chuckled. “Maybe someday.”

“That’s a pretty strange leap though, from Head Chef to Head of Operations. What’s the story there?”

“Well, it honestly was just chance. I was good with my hands—“

Of course he was. Jolly felt his ears turn pink.

“—and the old Head, Raj, had been watching me work in the kitchens all day. I’m not sure why I even caught his eye, to be honest. But at the end of the day, we got to talking. He asked if I thought I’d be able to make something for him. A music box for his wife. It had a lot of small delicate parts. There were others who were actual tinkerers that would have been better choices, but maybe Raj saw something in me? I’m not sure. Normally someone from my background wouldn’t have done that kind of work, not in those days at least. It was kind of unheard of. But I did it, I made it. It was silver and gold painted with a decorative wood frame I carved myself. His wife loved it. He gave me a few other minor projects to do and was impressed enough to make me his assistant.”

What kind of research station had chefs and tinkerers? Curiouser and curiouser, but now wasn't the time for interrogation. 

“He sounds like a great guy.”

“He… was.” He lost himself in his thoughts. “We were quite close.”

“…I’m sorry. What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?” Bernard looked over at Jolly and saw a soft sincere look on his face. Something in his chest unclenched at the sight of it. 

“He traveled a lot. It used to be part of the job. But that aged him and he just got more and more worn down. By the time we realized, it was too late.” He stopped speaking abruptly, seeming unsure. 

“It’s okay, you don’t have to say anymore. I’m so sorry, Bernard. That must have been so painful.”

“No, I’m sorry, Jolly. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. I don’t mean to dump all this on you.”

“Hey, I’m the one who asked, remember? I don’t mind at all.” He smiled gently at him. “Thanks for telling me, Bernard.”

Bernard’s stomach flipped but it was a pleasant sensation this time. “You didn’t ask for me to pass out on you, though. I should get out of your hair.” 

“Yeah, right, like I’m letting you walk all the way back to your station when you still look like that.” He opened his mouth to refute that, but a big yawn escaped him instead. Jolly snorted. “Look, I’ll give you a lift.”

“No, you can’t. Don’t worry about it, okay, I’ll be—“

“—if you say ‘fine’ one more time, I’m stealing your stupid hat.”

He gaped at him. “It’s not—you can’t, just—you think my hat is stupid?” 

Jolly laughed at his shocked face and shook his head. “It’s a beret, dummy. Why wear it pulled down like that? It looks sort of silly, y’know.” 

He turned pink and averted his eyes. “Nevermind that. You still can’t drive me to my station. It’s against the rules.”

He blinked at him, unimpressed. “Okay, then you’re staying here and getting some rest.” Bernard started to protest, but Jolly cut him off. “I don’t wanna hear it! You can walk tomorrow if you want, but tonight you’re sleeping here with me.”

Both pairs of eyes widened when they realized what was just said. “Uhh, wait no, not like that. Sorry, I mean, uh—”

“Nope, yep, I got it. Anyways. So your tent is big enough for us both?” 

“Y-yeah! Should be.” 

Jolly arose and walked around the fire to reach him. “Up and at ‘em, Saint Bernard.” He said, pulling him by the hands into a standing position. The elf was still unsteady on his feet so the researcher ducked under his arm and wrapped a firm hand on his waist, letting him lean into him. Together, they shuffled into the warm tent. Jolly laid down an extra mat on his sheepskin rug and retrieved the blanket from the fireside, making up an impromptu bed for him. He helped Bernard out of his cloak and scarf, noting the deep royal blue tunic he now wore. Apparently this was just his style. It suited him.

He insisted on keeping the hat on. 

“Your ears will be sore in the morning!”

“Yeah, and your nose will be sore from sticking it in my business.”

A surprised laugh flew out of him at the snarky reply. “Alright, wise guy, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Bernard settled down on the mat and pulled the blanket over his body. 

“You aren’t going to disappear again, are you? If you’re gone when I wake up, I’m just gonna assume you’re face down in the snow out there somewhere.”

“I’ll be here.” His eyes were already slits. Jolly smiled at his sleepy face fighting the inevitable. The man’s chest warmed at the way Bernard had curled up on his side, hands tucked under his chin. He looked incredibly cozy. 

“I’ll be right back.” The researcher whispered, just in case the other man could still hear him and grabbed his sleep clothes. He headed out to the sanitation tent he had set up a little ways from the main camp to change and do his business. 

Bernard was fading fast, but he knew he should send a message to Curtis before he fell asleep. He looked at his snow globe watch and tried typing out his location, when he expected to be back at work, and instructions for Core production should he be delayed. He got about half way through when his vision suddenly went blurry. He tried spelling ‘Curtis’ but it kept coming out as ‘Cuties’. His hand dropped as he gave up and told himself he’d message first thing tomorrow. 

By the time Jolly came back, he was out like a light. 

Chapter Text

(January 1st, evening) 

“We need more dye and plastic pellets!”

“Someone spilled all the liquid latex! Rubber ball production is at a standstill!”

“We can’t go ahead with these moldings until Bernard approves these designs!”

“The lifts in the storage room aren’t working. Again!”

“Someone left three bags of synthetic fiber lying next to the furnace and it’s a melted mess! How are we supposed to sew the animal stuffies now?”

“Where’s Bernard?”

“Tell Bernard I need to speak with him right away!”

“Has anyone seen the Head Elf? This is an emergency!” 

Curtis’ head was spinning as he frantically ran around the workshop as fast as his little legs could manage,  helping with what he could and taking notes to give to Bernard whenever he came back from wherever he was. This was a disaster! Bernard hadn’t been there when everyone showed up for work in the morning. He wasn’t in his office. He wasn’t in the workshop. No one had heard a peep from him all day. 

This had never happened before, ever, and Curtis was full on panicking. 

“Curtis!”

He stopped in his tracks, almost running over the concerned looking Head of the Spirit Department. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and tried to catch his breath. “J-Judy! Where’s Bernard?”

“I was hoping you knew that! I haven’t heard from him since yesterday.”

“Me neither. I can’t find him anywhere and he isn’t answering his messages or even reading them!”

Judy looked scared now. “That’s not good. Have you checked his home?”

“I don’t know where he lives. Do you think he’s sick, maybe?”

“He wouldn’t have missed work even if he was. This isn’t normal at all. We should go check and see if he’s okay.”

He wrung his hands together nervously. “But what about the Workshop! Someone’s gotta keep things going while Bernard’s away.”

A new voice cut in at that moment, chilling them both to the bone. “Too true! Perhaps I could be of some assistance?” Jack Frost called up at them from the lower level, smiling as he strolled up the stairs to meet them. 

Curtis looked confused as he took in the frosty legend. “Jack Frost? What are you doing here?”

Judy, however, looked on edge. Her smile was wide, but strained. “He came to check on us before. Isn’t that kind, Curtis?” Curtis nodded nonplussed, eyebrows pinched together. She turned to face Jack. “So you’re staying longer?”

“A spur of the moment decision, but a fortunate one as well since you all seem to be down a Santa AND an Arch Elf now.”

“We were just on our way to retrieve our Head Elf, actually.”

“Retrieve him from where exactly? Surely he didn’t sleep in. That would be quite careless of him, and awfully inconsiderate, don’t you think?”

Curtis opened his mouth, but Judy grabbed his wrist and answered herself. “He’s down south, actually.  Checking in with Santa. That’s our Bernard, always on the go!” 

Jack looked suspiciously between the two elves. “And you’re going to retrieve him, are you? I wasn’t aware someone other than the Arch Elf was able to” he made a poof noise and wiggled his fingers in the air “sparkle away somewhere.” 

“We can’t!” Curtis blurted out. “We’re taking the reindeer, of course. Prancer’s been wanting to stretch her legs, new baby and all. Poor thing needs a break.”  

Jack hummed thoughtfully. Silence stretched as the three stood in a stalemate. “I see. Well, if you all need any help, don’t hesitate to ask! I’d hate for you darling little elves to be behind on Christmas.”

The herald of winter clapped his hands with finality and streaked away into the village. Judy’s shoulders dropped in relief and she faced Curtis. 

“The Core teams will just have to handle things on their own for now. We need to find Bernard, quick. Follow me.” 

Bernard’s home was a cozy little two story in the oldest district of Santa’s Village, Stellaris, and the last house on SC Lane. It had belonged to the previous Head Elf, Raj, who had lived there with his wife and daughter. But now it was just Bernard who habited the cottage. 

The Old Workshop was about a block south, renovated into a fresh market that vendors from all over the elf world would gather in to set up shop and sell their wares. Besides that, it was mostly residential, with big brick and stone houses sparsed here and there and a great lake, eternally frozen and separating the district from the frozen wasteland outside the barrier. 

The space hadn’t been properly laid out for the large-scale operation that Santa Claus and his toys had turned into over the years, so the current Workshop had been built along with the bustling shops and apartments in the Downtown Nord district. Bernard had a place he owned right beside the current Workshop, just to sleep in when things were especially busy and he couldn’t afford to be too far away. They’d checked it out already, but he wasn’t there. 

Judy pulled out a key and unlocked the front door of Bernard’s cottage, Curtis watching with a raised brow. 

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not at all what you’re thinking.”

“It’s just a bit unusual for 'just-friends' to have keys to each other’s places, that’s all.”

“Curtis, when you’ve known someone as long as I’ve known Bernard, stuff like that isn’t strange at all. He’s a very dear friend, that’s it. Besides, I don’t swing that way.”

The blonde elf’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh! Uh, no? I didn’t know that about you.”

“Yep. Me and my girlfriend, Belle, have been together for over 600 years now.” She smiled. 

“That’s good, I mean, good for you.” 

Curtis looked like he wanted to say something else, but thought better of it and shook his head dismissively. 

They stepped quietly into the foyer. The house was cold and silent, the coat stand beside the door was bare, and a thin layer of dust coated the pictures on the side table in the entrance hall. It looked like nobody had been here for quite a while. Curtis stepped forward to take a closer look at the pictures. Bernard was only in a couple of them. One was a painted picture with him and Judy dressed in fashions that hadn’t been popular for at least 1300 years. They stood at the same height in the picture, Curtis noted with wonder. Bernard had been so small, his hair a little wilder and his ears a tad too big for his head, but perhaps that was a mistake on the artist’s part. The picture beside it was of a more recognizable Bernard standing beside Raj. Painters back then weren't the best at capturing motion so everyone stood stiffly beside each other, but the twinkle of happiness in Bernard’s eye was telling. The remaining pictures were photographs, some in black and white of various things in the village: Dancer in her stable, Judy and another lady elf with a cup of cocoa smiling proudly at the camera, a candid of Downtown during a Spirit Festival, Betty standing with arms behind her back and a ribbon on her collar. 

“Bernard! Are you up there?” Judy called up the stairs, but neither elf expected an answer. He wasn’t there either. 

“Judy, what are we going to do? We need Bernard.”

“Let’s just keep calm, okay? We’re no use to anyone if we start panicking. I think it’s time we take this to Elfcon.”

Curtis nodded solemnly. They locked the front door behind them and started the trek back to the Workshop, worry for their beloved boss hanging like a cloud around them both. 

Jolly was concerned. His lip worried between his teeth as he glanced over at the sleeping man still laid out on his rug. It had been almost 18 hours and Bernard was still completely dead to the world. He had tried tip-toeing around and being as quiet and considerate as possible when he first woke up and found his company still asleep, but now he didn’t even bother. He had banged pots and pans, cooked breakfast and lunch at this point, and had a whole radio conversation with Dr. Branson. Bernard hadn’t even twitched. 

The sleeping man had whimpered a bit at one point, but Jolly had put a gentle hand on his arm and he’d seemed comforted enough to settle back into a quiet slumber. He hadn’t moved much since then. 

He really had been running on fumes. Jolly’s heart clenched thinking of how much he must have pushed himself to get to that point. The researcher knew all too well the damage that could be dealt to a body when wrapped up in hustle culture. He was one of the youngest researchers on the team and the only one who had been given a field assignment. That wasn’t for nothing—he’d given blood, sweat, and tears to be here. And a recurrent spinal injury at 24. He still needed to wear a neck brace sometimes and the early onset arthritis wasn’t exactly pleasant either. 

Bernard would need to take it easier from now on. Jolly would make him if he had to. This just wasn’t healthy. He was torn between shaking the man awake to give him a piece of his mind and just letting him rest for as long as he needed to. 

He hadn’t quite made a decision on which he’d go with when he heard a noise outside. He went still as he listened harder and heard the crunching of snow as something walked about his camp, its 4-legged gait distinctly not human. 

This was bad. If a polar bear had stumbled into his camp, then this could get very deadly, very fast. He had a reinforced metallic panic chamber for just such an occasion, but it was a tight squeeze for even one person, let alone two. And Bernard was practically dead weight at this point. By the time he hauled the unconscious man over to the panic chamber, they could both be dead, but he couldn’t just leave him there unprotected either. With grim resolve, Jolly grabbed the rifle propped beside his bed. He had never wanted to have to use it, but he wouldn’t sacrifice his life and Bernard’s. He loaded it with a fast efficiency and cocked it, aiming it in front of him as he approached the tent exit. 

He nudged the flap open with the tip of his gun and peered outside. 

Bernard felt like an absolute wreck. His whole body ached with disuse, his stomach was hollow, and his head was pounding. He smacked his lips as he blinked fully awake, his throat scratchy and dry with thirst. He stared blankly at the neat bed a few feet away before recognition returned to him. He was at Jolly’s camp. He’d passed out after helping to set up cameras and then… he couldn’t remember. It was all just flashes here and there—being wrapped in a blanket, eating something lumpy, looking at the fire, Jolly’s concerned face, talking about Raj—Raj! He had told a human about his work! 

How could he be so careless! He must have been delirious. He told a human about his life. His hands flew up to his sore ears—covered, thank Christmas. At least the researcher hadn’t seen that he was an elf. But how much had he revealed last night? And what time was it? He looked down at his snow globe watch and balked at the display. Not only had he slept the entire day, but no one at the North Pole had any idea where he’d been. He had about 30 messages from Curtis, each more frantic than the last, and a dozen from Judy. The Elfcon team had also sent a few messages asking about his status and he saw that his location had been pinged not 10 minutes ago. He quickly typed a message to Elfcon. 

Will return ASAP. Currently with human. Do not engage. - B

The reply was immediate. 

Understood. Standing by. - Alpha Team

This was going to be a mess to sort out. 

A sudden laugh from outside pulled him from his thoughts and he staggered to his feet. He walked unsteadily to the tent exit and had to stop and catch his breath at the sight before him. 

Jolly was chuckling, a graham cracker held high over his head as he leaned away from an insistent Dancer. The reindeer was pushing her snout into the side of the human’s face, nuzzling with soft snorts that ruffled Jolly’s hair. 

“Alright, alright! Here!” he said, lowering the cracker so that Dancer could lick it up and start munching. “You’re so greedy, sheesh.” 

Jolly noticed him standing there stupefied and a relieved smile overtook his face. “Hey, you’re up! I was starting to wonder if I should radio medical. You’ve been sleeping for ages.”

“What’s, uh—what’s going on out here?” He said looking between Jolly and the deer at his side. At his voice, Dancer perked up and gave a happy haw when she spotted him. She trotted over to him and pushed her nose against his hair. He grabbed his hat to keep it in place with one hand and patted her cheek with the other. 

“Tiny Dancer here showed up about a half hour ago. Looking for you, I’m guessing.” Jolly chuckled at the happy reindeer practically cuddling the groggy man in front of the tent. 

“Tiny Dancer?” He asked. 

“Her collar—it says ‘Dancer’. I’m guessing it’s her name, right? She obviously knows you.”

“Y-yeah. This is Dancer, she’s a friend of mine.”

“So that’s how you’ve been getting around without a snowmobile, huh? I knew you hadn’t just walked. No one could take the cold for that long a distance.”

He could actually, elves were a lot heartier than humans. The cold didn’t bother them much, him least of all since he'd lived in it all his life. As for distance, elves had more stamina than humans as well. He’d definitely pushed it too far lately, but working a couple days with little food and no sleep wasn’t normally very taxing, so walking a few miles in the snow was no problem for him. But he wasn’t about to refute the human’s conclusions now. Dancer was here, Jolly had seen her, so now it was time for damage control. 

“You caught me. I didn’t expect her to come looking for me—” he shot an exasperated look at Dancer, “—guess the secret’s out.” 

“Is she like a pet?”

“No, like I said, she’s a friend. She just helps me get around sometimes, that’s all.”

“Y’know, you don’t have to be ashamed if you really are a LARPer. Cause more and more you seem like some kind of Disney elven prince or something. I mean, who just goes around riding reindeer? That’s pretty magical, don’t you think?”

“It probably seems that way, but it’s not that strange for, uh, Russians.” He was banking on Jolly not having much knowledge about Russian culture. 

Thankfully, he didn’t. “Oh, neat! I’ve heard about Russians and bears, but not Russians and reindeer. Huh, the more you know.” 

Jolly walked up to them both and ran a hand up the side of Dancer’s long neck, reaching up to scratch at a fluffy ear. “She’s a sweetheart.” 

Bernard couldn’t help but grin at the human’s soft coo. “Yeah, she is. She’s my special girl.” Dancer bumped his face affectionately. 

Jolly’s expression turned more somber, his attention returning to the still groggy elf. “So are you feeling any better?”

“I’ve got a headache and my back’s a little sore, but I’m not as tired as I was. Thanks for letting me crash here.” 

“Of course, dude, I wasn’t gonna send you out in the snow like that. You really looked rough. It was pretty terrifying, actually.”

He winced. “I’m so sorry about that. I shouldn’t have come here as tired as I was, that was really irresponsible of me. I don’t even remember what all happened. I hope I didn’t say anything too weird.” He had a searching look in his eye. 

Jolly laughed. “Don’t worry, you didn’t say anything embarrassing if that’s what you mean. We just talked a bit about your work at the station. You said you used to be a fancy chef. Which is insanely cool, I gotta say. You’ve done a lot of stuff for someone so young. How old are you exactly anyways?”

“Isn’t it rude to ask someone about their age?”

“I think that’s only a thing with older ladies. C’mon, you can’t be older than me.”

He smirked. “If that’s what you think, then sure.”

“Whaaat? So you’re—“ he squinted, “—nah, you’re messing with me. I’m gonna guess… 20? 21?” His elbow dug into Bernard’s side playfully. 

The elf laughed. “Yeah, okay, let’s go with that.”

“Ugh, you’re impossible! It’s just a number, y’know.”

“Then it doesn’t matter what it is, right?”

“This mystery man thing is gonna get old.”

“Just like me.” The smirk on his lips told Jolly there was a joke there he wasn’t getting. He rolled his eyes. 

“Will you at least tell me more about being a chef? Cause that’s still blowing my mind, to be honest.” Brown eyes were warm with amusement as they took in the eager and curious tilt of the researcher’s head. 

“What more can I say? I made food, good food in fact, not to toot my own horn here.” A puff of white clouded the air, his laugh dry at Bernard’s cocky tone. “Now it seems I’m always on the go, so I don’t get to cook as much as I used to. Which is a shame because I really miss it sometimes.”

“What was your favorite thing to make?”

“Shrimp étouffée, hands down. There’s something so simple about it, it’s essentially a comfort food. But the way the sweet notes of the shrimp and onion play with the heat of the celery and spices, ah,” his hand swooped through the air, the fingers grabbing at something unseen, “there’s nothing like it.”

Jolly could almost taste it, the words floating in the air like a ballad. Bernard’s musical voice was just that much more compelling when he talked so passionately about something he obviously loved. 

“I’ve never had that before. It sounds amazing.” He sighed with awe. “You’ll have to make it for me sometime.”

Fat chance of that up in the arctic, but a guy could dream. The elf didn’t call him on the fanciful notion, however, playing along with an indulgent quirk of his lip. “Maybe I will.” 

A long moment passed, their shared breath fogging between them, before they both seemed to realize at the same time just how close they’d gotten. Bernard took a half step back and cupped Dancer’s snout in tender hands. 

“Dancer and I should probably get going, we’ve been in your hair long enough.” They shared a laugh as, at that exact moment, Dancer swung her head away from him and snuffled into Jolly’s hair. 

“Yeah, I bet your station is wondering where you’ve been. I’m surprised no one came looking for you, honestly. I would have sent them a message, but Dr. Branson wasn’t sure who to contact.” His eyes softened. “I’m glad you’re okay now, Bernard. Please try to take it a little easier from now on, yeah?”

Bernard’s heart thumped in his chest. “I will. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“Somehow I don’t quite believe you.” Jolly’s lips twisted wryly. “But I’ll let it slide, just this once.” He ducked into the tent and returned with Bernard’s cloak and scarf. The elf accepted them with a grateful nod and suited up. He climbed on Dancer’s back and they trotted to the edge of the camp. 

“Hey, Bernard!” 

He turned to look back at the human. 

“If you ever need a break from everything, come stop by! Anytime, okay? You’re always welcome here.” 

His heart thumped again, harder this time. “I just might take you up on that, Jolly Boy.” 

And away they went, leaving a flushed human in their wake. 

Tamika grimaced as she watched the Head Elf devour another plate of shrimp étouffée. He’d arrived late that night with Dancer and made a beeline for the kitchens where he cooked himself a feast. There were at least three different kinds of meals on the table and some garlic bread in the oven. The elves on Alpha Team took this in stride as they asked him questions about where he’d been and what happened. Curtis hadn’t stopped hovering the entire time, shifting his weight from one leg to the other and wiping his palms on his trousers every few minutes. 

She huffed at Bernard’s vague explanation about getting caught up with the human. He’d passed out apparently, and had been unconscious this whole time. Tamika wanted to send out a team to investigate further and see if this Jolly guy had done something nefarious to their boss to make him incapacitated for so long, but Bernard insisted he had done nothing but help. 

“I don’t like it.”

He slurped a saucy spoonful of rice and cut his eyes up at her. “You don’t have to like it. Just trust me on this one, ‘kay? He’s not a threat.” 

“Sir, he is a threat. And he’s gonna be a threat as long as he’s so close to the Pole.”

“There’s nothing we can do about that, Tamika. He’s here, he’s got sponsors backing him, it would be suspicious to force him out now.” He licked his lips. “I’ll handle it. I’ve got a rapport with him, so I can keep his nose well away from the village. Just leave it to me.”

“I did leave it to you, and look what happened.”

“Nothing happened, I’m fine.”

A voice cut in from the kitchen entrance. “And I’m very glad you are.” 

Judy looked at him with tears in her eyes, taking in his hunched figure seated at the mess table. She rushed over to him and threw her arms around his neck. He caught her small form in his own arms with a grunt. 

“Don’t ever do that again.”

“Sorry, Judes.” 

Tamika stepped back and started walking away, her head shaking in frustration. “When this blows up, don’t come complaining to me.”

“Noted.” 

Curtis shuffled at the edge of the action, looking unsure. Judy pulled away from Bernard and took in the odd way his hat was covering his head. She pulled it off and he groaned in relief as his ears were finally free from confinement. “Ugghhh, you have no idea how good that feels.” He shook out his curls and Judy snorted when a few threatened to hit her face. 

Curtis cleared his throat. 

“Yes, Curtis, what is it?”

The Workshop was behind. Things were in complete disarray. Jack Frost was still here somewhere in Santa’s Village. There was a thick stack of notes clutched in the blonde elf’s hand filled with problems for the Head Elf to look through. 

Judy looked at Bernard with a serene smile as he took another bite of shrimp and peered back at his assistant expectantly. Curtis blinked and the corner of his mouth curled up. 

“I just wanted to say, it’s good to have you back, sir.” 

“Coming to bed, Honeybuns?”

“In a moment, Puddin Pie. There’s just a couple more things I need to do first.”

Noel gave her a sleepy kiss on the cheek in reply and stumbled away to their bedroom. Bernard was back, Elfcon had followed up with him about his whereabouts, and they’d filed an official incident report that night. She didn’t really need to read over it that night, it would still be there in the morning of course, but she had been on pins and needles all day ever since hearing he was missing. She just wanted to know he was okay and the best way she could express that was by making sure the paperwork was in order. It was sort of her love language. 

She flipped onto the next page and started reading the general summary from the physician on call who was brought in to perform Bernard’s physical. Everything was fine. He was okay. He would be fit for duty by tomorrow. 

The silence was broken by her light sigh of relief. 

That’s all she really wanted to know. Tamika was thorough with her 20 page report and most of the info wouldn’t give her any additional insight into Bernard’s wellbeing. But once Betty started something, she had a hard time not finishing it. She sent a silent apology to her snoring partner in the next room and settled into her home office to read the rest. 

The fireplace kept the room nice and toasty, the glow lighting up the delicately carved music box painted in silver and gold that lay on the corner of her desk.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

That was too close. 

The card game had been a fun distraction. Jolly was terrible at it, but he really didn’t expect the human would be able to keep up with elven speed and dexterity. He was a good sport, though.

Well, in attitude at least.

Jolly kept trying to win hands by tricking him or outright fibbing, but it was all just good natured silliness, really. He was dramatic at times, making light of both Bernard's strange aptitude and his own losing streak. 

A buzzing tingle of magic against his wrist had made him glance down at his snow globe watch, his attention still half on the human man sat across from him. Elfcon had sent an alert that Noel and the sleigh had breached the area immediately above Santa’s Village and were heading out over the arctic toward the human’s location. 

He had to think quick. The card game was fine, but he could tell Jolly was starting to get bored with it. He patted the elf's head, a quip on his lips about how much younger Bernard supposedly was.

He brushed the man's hand away with a scoff.  

“Okay, keep laughing, chuckles."

He looked away from his watch and back to Jolly. He felt his heart drop as he saw the cherry red sleigh in the distance behind his head. It was still far away. Jolly wouldn’t notice unless he turned and looked.

A heavy dread crawled into his stomach as he searched his brain for something, anything he could do to distract him.

His heart was screaming at him to not let the human see that sleigh. To not let his secret be revealed. To not lose him like this. 

“Hey, you are pretty short too,” Jolly joked. “Maybe you still have some growing to do!”

“Hey, I’m plenty tall—tall enough to do this—“ he didn’t think, he just acted on pure instinct, letting his heart guide him on this one. The next thing he knew, Jolly was in his arms, startled and breathless and feeling so incredibly right. 

Jolly had been hesitant at first and it filled him with such sadness to see that humans continued to lose their natural love of dance. It was such a pure expression of joy.

The North Pole was filled with dancing. Half the time when an elf was moving, they were dancing. Walking to go on break, leaning over to grab the next toy part in assembly, climbing the stairs to the workshop—elves incorporated dance wherever they went. The casual way they all lived in musical joy was something they used to share with humans, a bridge in the two species’ cultures. But that had been fading in recent centuries. It was such a profound shame. 

After some gentle coaxing, Jolly fell into a rhythm, easily letting his own natural inclination to move tug him into step with the elf. Once he saw Bernard wasn’t trying to mock him, his eyes sparkled with elation. Bernard knew his own eyes mirrored them. 

His heart was positively singing. He recognized it for what it was—but, really, that just couldn’t be true. Jolly was a human. And he was an elf.

It was more likely that his heart was simply fluttering from the dance. He’d missed out on most of the festivals and parties this year because of the extra work, after all.

Gentle swaying turned into silly swinging with the odd hop or hip shake thrown in. Jolly was really getting into it. His face split wide at how cute and carefree the man looked.

Humans could be wonderfully delightful creatures sometimes. 

Humans could be terribly wretched inconveniences sometimes.

Jack strolled through the quaint little Downtown, a leisurely swagger to his step. Elves waved and greeted him wherever he went, their sparkling eyes and cheeks lighting up to see the spirit of winter walk through their Village.

He loved the attention, the appreciation. Humans never showed him this kind of respect. If they brought him up at all, it was in a complaint spat out between chattering teeth. They used their stinking plows and disgusting salts to ruin his beautiful work, like he was the problem here. 

But elves were charmingly simple little creatures, humbly slaving away for a noble cause, or Claus as the case may be. They worked with the lovely fallen snow to make their already whimsical homes even more picturesque.

Most every elf village in the world had some purpose it bragged—the best shoemakers, farmers, potion makers, book binders, whatever. Elves were skilled by nature. They were also little magical sponges.

And North Pole elves were on a whole different level, altogether. 

Their inherent magic was powerful, but the little buggers had gone and managed to harness the magic of human children as well. Santa’s Village had become a hub for the most influential trade items and industries in the magical world.

Only the best of the best got to live here. And only the best of the best of the best got to work in Santa’s Workshop. And only the best of the best of the best of the best was elected to lead his fellow elves as the prestigious Head Elf. 

Bernard was a pain in Jack’s shivering ass. He was the only elf whose magic was even close to being on par with Jack’s own, and thanks to the new Santa settling affairs down south, Bernard had the authority to back it up. 

If that candy cane sucker would just take a hike, he’d be able to do all sorts of fun things up here. Like maybe soak up a bit of that human magic for himself. Still, just being up here was a boost to his mood. Magic hung heavily in the air, energizing every creature within the Village. The constant compliments from the sweet little elves was an extra perk, as well. They were just so cheery and nice, it did something to his already legendary ego. 

A swift turn around the corner and he was heading up the grand stairs to Santa’s Workshop, intent on visiting Bernard’s twerpy assistant. 

Curtis had been a favorite of his to mess with lately. He was already wound tight due to his boss nitpicking his every move. Bernard was such an oppressive little control freak, insisting on perfection. 

Lately, there’d been an interesting twist in their dynamic—Curtis had tried his best to keep up with the Head Elf’s demands and failed miserably. Bernard would usually take on these responsibilities himself, but the ever poised Spirit Head, Judy, had been stepping in instead. Bernard was obviously struggling to not look down on his assistant for this, but his aggravation had been leaking through the cracks more and more.

Curtis wanted to take on more responsibility, but he became overwhelmed every time he tried, further inciting the ire of his ever impatient boss. Curtis’ self confidence has never been lower, and Jack loved to pluck at his pathetic internal contempt. 

“Look out!”

He’d barely managed to duck out of the way as Santa’s iconic red sleigh and half the reindeer team dove down in a grand swoop before zooming off back up into the sky. 

A crowd of elves were suddenly swarming the courtyard outside the Workshop. He tried to ask what was going on, but no one would stop long enough to hear him.

A bewildered scowl twisted his face and he looked at the open set of doors that everyone was rushing in and out of. He slipped unnoticed inside and followed a line of uniformed Elfcon agents down one of the hallways.

When in doubt, follow the breadcrumbs. 

He managed to stay silent as he trailed after them, but they seemed too preoccupied to notice him anyways. They soon came to the Elfcon control room, where Curtis was huddled with two elf women. One was decorated in the Elfcon uniform with a badge stuck proudly on her chest. Tamika, the big cheese around here. 

The other elf woman was dressed plainly, with her hair in a tight decorative bun and a sensible green velvet dress. Most likely a bore and not at all his focus right now. 

Poor little Curtis was sweating bullets. Jack decided his arrival was excellently timed. 

“And just what seems to be the problem here?” he boomed.

The three elves whipped around at his voice, varying levels of surprise on their faces. 

“Jack Frost!” Tamika looked annoyed at his unexpected appearance, and he felt a thrill of giddiness shoot through him at being able to finally visibly shake the normally composed Elfcon leader. 

“Santa’s sleigh is out of control. We need to figure out a way to get it down.” The stiff elf women answered him evenly. 

“Betty!” Tamika growled. “This is elf business! We don’t need to bother Mr. Frost with our problems.” 

“Maybe he could help us, though?” Betty looked confused, recognizing that Tamika was upset, but not understanding why. 

“No, no—Betty, was it?—no, if our Tamika here believes this is for you elves to figure out, then I’ll gladly keep out of it. The last thing I want is to be a bother.” His teeth gleamed like ice. “After all, since Bernie seems to be missing from this little meeting, that would make this a job for the next one in the command chain, wouldn’t it? I’m sure Curtis has this all under control.” He gave the blonde elf a pointed look, brows raised. “Don’t you?”

Curtis looked like he might pass out. 

“Can we control the sleigh remotely?”

“You know we can’t, Curtis. Quintin hasn’t even started practical tests for those features.”

The veins in Tamika’s forehead throbbed with the effort to keep her voice even in front of Jack. He had backed them into a corner here, putting Curtis on the spot. This was an Elfcon job, but since Curtis was acting Head Elf while Bernard was out playing ref with the human, he technically outranked her for now.

At Jack’s incessant prodding, the young elf had stepped up and started taking a more active role in trying to solve their current problem.

Too bad he didn’t know what he was doing. 

Betty had faded into the background once it became clear there was now a power struggle between Curtis and Tamika. The last thing she wanted was to get in the middle of that. She was manning the radio transmitter now, trying to get through to Noel. If he would just listen to her, then this could be solved in no time. 

Jack had kept his word for the most part, staying out of their way. He made sure to send a quip here and there, though, to keep the sparks flying between Curtis and Tamika. 

“I think it was a fine suggestion, Curtis. No harm in asking, is there?” Frost’s smirk was sharp and cold. 

Betty saw now why Tamika was opposed to having Jack Frost involved. He was obviously trying to sow discord, but for what, she couldn’t even guess. 

“What about a reindeer whistle?”

“That is it!" the Elfcon leader growled, "Curtis, you don’t know what you’re doing. Just butt out and let me handle this.” Tamika had reached her limit, evidently. 

“I’m trying, okay! I don’t hear you coming up with any solutions!” The young elf was beet red, his little fists balled at his side. When Tamika just ignored him and went to join Betty at the radio, he whirled around and marched over to the opposite side of the room, fuming all the way.

Jack saw his chance. 

He slipped in beside the distraught blonde elf, giving his back a consoling pat. “I thought you were doing a great job there, personally. What insubordination, am I right? I bet she’d never talk to Bernie like that.” 

Curtis wiped his sleeve discreetly across his eyes, a quiet sniffle escaping him. “He wouldn’t have let it get to this point, period. Bernard would’ve known what to do from the beginning.”

“Curious that he’s not here to help out, isn’t it?”

“He is helping! He’s keeping the human distracted," Curtis defended. 

The… human? Hmm. 

“Ah, yes, of course. But it’s not quite as hard a job as getting a sleigh down, now is it?”

“Well, it’s no walk in the park, I’m sure. The human’s set up so close to the Village, all he’d need to do is look up at the wrong time and our secret could be out! Bernard's counting on us to get that sleigh back before that happens.” 

“You mean he’s counting on you." Jack wrapped a chilly arm over Curtis' shoulder, leveling their faces while pointing a frosted finger at the smaller elf's chest. "You're his assistant, aren’t you? You’re his first pick to be Number Two elf. You should be the one to get that sleigh back.”

Curtis scoffed. “Fat chance of that. Tamika’s right, I don’t know what I’m doing. Bernard should never have picked me to be his assistant.” The little elf looked like he might start tearing up again.

“Hey, now, that can’t be true! Bernie saw something in you, kid," he simpered, giving the elf's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Now let’s think: if we can’t get that screaming oaf to land the sleigh, then maybe we should be looking at other options. I liked your idea about a reindeer whistle. Maybe we could lure them down some other way?” 

A contemplative look took over Curtis' face, his eyes shifting left to right as he thought. 

“Well… the reindeer love carrots… Maybe we could use those to entice them?" he blinked, an epiphany flashing in his mind. "And… and maybe we could send out E.L.F.S.! They could jet pack up to meet the reindeer and use the carrots to lead them down!”

“Ha! Now you’re thinking, kid!” Jack cheered, jostling him good-naturedly.

Curtis looked unsure again, though. 

“But," he mumbled, "it sounds a bit crazy, doesn’t it? I don’t think Tamika will go for it.” He shot a worried glance at the elf women talking lowly across the room. “I probably shouldn’t suggest that one. She’ll just yell at me again.”

“Well, I think it’s a great idea, little guy! But that Tamika, she’s a real stale cookie, isn’t she? You’re the one in charge here, though! If you think it’s a good idea, then make it happen.” 

“I-I don’t know…” 

But before he had the chance to make up his mind, Judy ran into the room at full speed announcing, “I have a plan!” instantly grabbing everyone’s attention. 

“I’ve been thinking—we can’t get Noel’s attention, but maybe we can get the reindeer’s!” From behind her back, she held up a bound bunch of fresh crisp carrots. 

Tamika gasped. “Judy, that’s brilliant! We can send out E.L.F.S. and lead the reindeer back manually!” She turned to type something into her watch. “I’ll let Bernard know the plan.”

Curtis’ mouth hung open as he watched this all unfold. Now if he said anything, it would look like he was just trying to steal some of the glory for himself. His indecision had cost him. A cold chill swept through his body as a sickly sweet voice whispered in his ear. 

“That should have been you.” 

Bernard let go of his hand abruptly and looked at his watch. Jolly hadn’t heard an alert or anything, but maybe he needed to keep an eye on the time? Whatever he was checking, it seemed to put him a bit more at ease. 

Their playful dancing had slowed as Jolly tired, his laughter breathy and his steps sluggish. He spun around one final time before collapsing in his chair with a half sigh, half groan.

Bernard continued to step jauntily to the beat, chuckling at his incredulous look. 

“How do you have so much energy?” 

“I eat all my green vegetables," he teased. 

Jolly's eyes flicked up in a partial roll. “Well, at least you’re eating.” 

“You’re never gonna let that go, are you?”

“It was like the second time we’d ever met! Left a pretty big impression.” 

Bernard finally made his way over to the table, smoothly taking a seat as well. 

“You’ll be happy to know I haven’t skipped any meals since then,” he remarked cheerfully. 

“Til now, of course,” he shot back. “It’s past dinner time.”

“Ah, so it is.”

“Do you need to go? I saw you checking your watch.”

“Oh, ah, no. Actually, I was hoping to stay longer, if that’s alright.”

“Sure!” Jolly chirped, smoothing his face soon after to not seem so eager. “So, uh, you avoiding something back at your station?”

“Let’s just say, there’s a bit of a fiasco going on. It’s best for everyone if I stay here for now.” A growl echoed about the camp and Bernard grimaced, his hand laying across his stomach. “So what’s for dinner, then?”

Jolly held up the foil bag of uncooked popcorn he’d set aside earlier and gave it a little shake. 

Noel hadn’t screamed this much since Betty proposed.

The wind whipped around his cold ears, blood pumping so hard he thought he might pass out. He’d really done it this time. He was definitely gonna be kicked out of the North Pole for this one. He’d have to leave his only home, a failure.

And Betty, sweet perfect Betty, would stay here and try to forget what a careless, foolish partner she’d had. She would move on, find some hunky new elf to call her Honeybuns, become the most successful business-elf in the world, and live her happily ever after. His screams turned to sobs at the thought. 

Through his tears he saw a shape fly out from behind him towards the front of the sleigh. He blinked the moisture away as best he could and saw three more shapes suddenly surrounding him and the reindeer. He watched in awe as the shapes pulled something orange out of nowhere and showed the reindeer who abruptly yanked the sleigh in a different direction. 

“Noel!”

He looked up at the sound of his name and there was a fifth shape descending from above, the silhouette against the moon creating a silvery halo that stole his breath. 

An angel. 

The shape came closer and the familiar form of a certain elf became clear. She smiled at him and he felt his breath return, a wide relieved smile of his own splitting his face. 

“Betty!”

“Okay, I gotta ask. What’s with the hat?”

“Oh, you mean the one you hate?”

Bernard convinced him to move their impromptu party into the tent claiming he wanted more comfortable seating. Jolly shrugged at his request and brought everything inside without much further convincing. If the guy wanted to get away from work and relax, he’d do his best to accommodate.

And no, not just because of his crush. He’d have done this for anyone.

Probably. 

He had a blow-up cushion he deployed and draped his sheepskin over. It made a decent couch. The popcorn foil was meant to withstand an open fire, but it cooked fine on the electric stovetop too. He made them a couple thermoses of powdered hot chocolate to go with their ‘meal’ and they settled down to enjoy. 

Jolly lightly knocked his companion's arm from his position seated next to him. “I never said I hate it!” He smirked. “I said it was stupid.”

“Right, which is so different," Bernard snorted.

“It’s just cause you insist on wearing it like that. It’s a beret, Bernard. It’s not supposed to be pulled low like a beanie.”

“I know that! It’s just how I like to wear it.”

“Uh huh. You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

He looked caught off guard at the accusation. “Wha—no! No, I’m not hiding anything. I told you, I just like to wear it this way.”

“Holy shit, you are hiding something! What, do you have a weird mutation? Birthmark? Nasty scar?” 

The grumpy glare he sent Jolly's way made him giggle.

He reached over and squeezed the other man's knee apologetically. “Ah, sorry, sorry! That’s pretty insensitive of me, isn’t it?" He leaned back, mirroring Bernard's pose sitting cross legged on the 'couch'. "But look, whatever it is, I promise I won’t care. It won’t make me think of you any differently.” 

“Ha, yeah, I seriously doubt that.” He mumbled under his breath, his shoulders stiff. 

“I’m not that shallow, y’know. Looks don’t matter for much. I mean, you’re a handsome guy and all—“ his eyes shot to Jolly's, rosy cheeks darkening, “—ah, ahem, uh, but you’re also really nice! I know you’ve got this tough guy thing going, but you’re actually a secret sweetheart.”

Bernard scoffed. “Okay, so you’re obviously delusional is what you’re telling me.” He angled himself slightly away from the human, looking around the tent with a tense brow. 

“No, you really are! You might be a sarcastic grump sometimes but I can see you’ve got a good heart in there. It shines through whether you mean it to or not, Saint Bernard!” He nudged his side. 

Bernard snorted, still looking away from him. “You’re the sweetheart, Jolly Boy.”

Jolly's face heated at his flippant reply. He cleared his throat uneasily, the irony of basically the same compliment he just handed out making him flustered wasn’t lost on him. It was hard to keep up a confident front with Bernard when he so easily returned his verbal volleys. 

“Look, what I mean is that I don’t care what you’re hiding under that dumb hat, okay? We’ll still be friends either way, cause you’re an amazing person.” 

Bernard looked bemused as he listened to his spiel. 

“We’re friends, huh? And when did this happen?”

“Well, you are hanging out at my place, eating my popcorn, and avoiding your responsibilities. Sounds like friend type activities to me.”

“Okay, good point.” He inclined his head, a teasing twitch on his lips. “Fine, we’re friends.”

Jolly let out an exaggerated whoop and tossed a popcorn piece into the air, catching it in his mouth. Bernard laughed at his theatrics and copied his trick, tossing his higher than Jolly's had gone with a cheeky wink thrown in for good measure. 

“Pff, show off!” 

They took turns tossing popcorn up into the air, trying to outdo each other with each try. Several pieces were littered on the floor of his tent, but neither seemed to notice. 

“So what’s Russia like?”

“Cold.”

“Wow, no kidding?”

“Shut it, you.”

Jolly tossed another piece up, but it arched over towards the opposite side of the couch. Bernard leaned back and caught it in his mouth, taking a mock bow now half sprawled out while the human clapped in delight. 

“You must miss it, huh?”

“Not really. I don’t think about home much these days.”

“What about family? Are they in Russia?”

He chewed a piece slowly, looking out at some distance that Jolly couldn’t see. “Maybe. Probably. I haven’t really talked to my family since I was a lot younger.”

“Complicated family stuff?”

“Something like that. My mother wasn’t the warmest person on earth.”

“What about your dad?”

“Never knew him. For most of my life, it was just me and my mother. She was a pretty strict person. Always demanding the best out of me.” 

“She must be proud of you, being the Head of Operations at a prestigious research station, huh?”

“I don’t think she thinks about me much either. We didn’t part on the best terms.”

“She’s your mother, though! I’m sure that’s not true. She probably brags about her hot shot son to everyone in Russia.” His lighthearted tone swiftly faded into something unsure as he saw the look on Bernard’s face.

He still wouldn’t look him in the eye and now his lip was curled up on one side in mild disdain. 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Jolly.” He said evenly, stiff shoulders hunching. 

Uh oh. He hadn’t read this discussion correctly at all.

Bernard was uncomfortable—had been uncomfortable for awhile now. Jolly of all people knew family relationships weren’t always so simple. He’d gotten carried away thinking of them as ‘friends’ now, but just because they had formed a tentative friendship over the past few weeks, didn’t mean Bernard was comfortable spilling his guts to him. 

The guy had come here to relax and instead he’d been subjected to Jolly's childish teasing. He'd been making jokes out of things Bernard clearly felt embarrassed enough about to hide.

Guilt churned in his stomach as he thought back on their conversation. 

“Bernard, I’m so sorry. You’re right, I don’t know anything about your mom. It wasn’t cool of me to assume like that.” He swallowed nervously. “I’ve been an ass all evening, haven’t I? You came here to chill and I’ve just been making everything into a joke.”

”I like your jokes, Jolly," he sighed, "but some things are my business. That’s all.”

His gaze cut through the human out of the corner of his eye, his brows slightly knitted. Jolly looked away from those sharp eyes, feeling terribly seen. 

“I understand,” he replied, hands twisting anxiously into each other in his lap. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’ll try to do better from now on and respect your boundaries. I hope you can forgive me.” 

“You really know how to stretch out an apology.” Bernard's voice was carefully neutral. 

“Ah, sorry—I mean, sorry! Shit, I mean, I’m just kind of anxious about this sort of thing, I guess. I misread tones sometimes. It’s not on purpose, but I’m still sorry when it happens.” 

He exhaled deeply. “It’s fine, Jolly Boy. I know you didn’t mean anything by it. My relationship with my mother is complicated, but it all happened a long time ago.” 

“I get it, I’ve got issues with my mother too.” He winced. “Not to make this about me, though.”

Bernard breathed a soft laugh at his conflicted look. “You’re good. Stop worrying so much.”

“Easier said than done.” He huffed a quiet laugh of his own. 

“Look, I’ll let you know if I think you’ve overstepped, okay? It happens, no big deal. I’ll be direct about it, so there’s no more misunderstandings. Sound good?” His smile was kind. Jolly couldn’t quite return it. 

“Yeah, sounds good.” 

The Russian kicked his feet out and leaned back into the couch with a sigh. He checked his watch again and scowled at whatever he saw there, digging his hand absentmindedly into the popcorn between them.

Jolly's stomach still churned uncomfortably, his thoughts turning decidedly unkind toward himself. He went to take a sip of his drink when a popcorn piece hit him on the side of his cheek. 

Jolly gaped at the cheeky offender.

“How about a game?” Bernard asked, head tilted back confidently and hand still posed after his popcorn assault.

Jolly blinked at him blankly. 

“A game?”

“Yeah, I try to toss popcorn in your mouth and you toss in mine. Whoever makes a shot gets to ask the other a question.”

“But what about before when—“

“We’ll keep it light! Twenty Questions style.” He still looked doubtful. “C’mon, consider this practice! If we don’t wanna answer a question, we just say so. End of turn. There's no pressure and no hard feelings. What d’ya say?” 

This guy. 

Air rushed out in an amused breath and he finally smiled back at his charming companion. 

“Uh, sure. Okay, why not?”

“Okay, me first. Open wide!”

He launched a piece across the couch and banked it right into Jolly's mouth. “Yes! Okay, first question. What’s your favorite color?”

He snorted a soft laugh as he chewed, already feeling a lot better than he had. “Blue! But purple’s nice too.”

He picked up a piece of his own and landed it perfectly in Bernard’s waiting mouth. “What’s yours?”

“Red—like a deep crimson red.”

They continued like this back and forth. 

Bernard would make one. 

“What’s your favorite type of music?”

“Anything by Rush. You?”

“I’ve always been partial to Freddie Mercury, myself.”

Then Jolly'd make one. 

“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”

“Maybe Australia? It’s one of the only places I haven’t really been much. It’s so big.”

“Wow, you must have traveled a lot.”

“I used to. What about you? Where would you go?”

“Hmm… maybe India? I’ve heard it’s gorgeous there.”

“It is, yeah—very colorful.”

But eventually, the game turned into them just throwing popcorn at each other while asking questions without really keeping track of whose turn it was. 

“What’s your favorite holiday?” Jolly asked.

“Oh, Christmas, for sure.”

His face lit up. “Same! It’s the most wonderful time of the year. All the decorations and lights, the cookies and candy. And the songs!” An enthusiastic finger jut earned him a bark of laughter from the dark haired man beside him. “I love Christmas songs so much, sometimes I even listen to them in the summer.” 

“Yeah? Same here.” Humor shone in Bernard's crinkled eyes. “It’s certainly a magical holiday.”

“For sure! The whole spirit of Christmas is so pure and wholesome too. Giving gifts and being with loved ones is the best. It’s like the one time of the year where everyone tries that much harder to be a good person.”

The Russian's cheeks sparkled in the lamplight as a wide grin overtook his face. “What’s your favorite part about Christmas?”

“Oh man, that’s a tough one. Maybe the kids?” His hand came up to rub at his chin as he thought. “I love kids, especially around Christmas. They just really believe, y’know? They get so into the idea of Santa Claus and it’s infectious. Makes me wish I believed.”

“Why’d you stop?”

“I’m not sure I ever started! My older sister was a teen already when I was born and she never really bothered to censor herself, so I kind of grew up knowing that Santa was just for fun. Like pretend.”

Bernard looked suddenly, profoundly sad when he'd said that. “So you never got to experience the magic at all then.”

“I guess not?" he blinked. "But it’s not like it was a tragedy. It was still fun to put cookies out and pretend some guy was gonna bring me toys. I never felt like I missed out.”

Bernard didn’t look cheered by his words. He was strangely bummed that he’d known the truth about Santa as a kid, and Jolly's heart twisted at his downturned expression. He scrambled for something else to say, to maybe bring the conversation back to something lighter. 

“My favorite part of that whole myth was the elves, though.”

Bernard looked startled. “What? Why?”

“Why not! Santa delivers the toys, sure, but the elves make them, right? Just picture it—cute little elves that happily make all kinds of toys for kids out of the goodness of their hearts. What’s not to love?”

“I… suppose.”

Okay, that hadn't quite worked. Now he just looked weirded out. 

“Anyways," Jolly coughed, feeling a bit embarrassed at his admission, "it’s a fun little story." His grin returned as he continued. "And seeing kids come alive because of it makes everything about Christmas a hundred times better.”

“I agree,” he looked up at Bernard's gentle tone to see the sweetest look on his face, eyes sparkling with something warm and soft, “children are wonderful. The best.” 

Jolly's heart melted at the sight. “Do you want kids, Bernard?”

He froze and went silent for a long moment. “That’s probably not in the cards for me.”

A cold stone dropped in his belly at hearing that. He was curious, but he didn’t want to pry again. Did that mean what he thought it did? Back home, something like this sprinkled into conversation would be enough to let someone else know your tastes were less than heteronormative. He'd wondered, hoped, but didn't want to assume, of course. After their dance, Jolly was pretty sure Bernard swung his way, but he'd been wrong before. Maybe Bernard meant something else entirely when he said he probably wouldn't have kids. Either way, it seemed too personal to just come out and ask.

The Russian glanced down at his watch once more before springing to his feet. 

“It’s late, I should probably head back before the place burns down.”

“Oh! Yeah, sure.”

Jolly didn’t want to leave it on such a somber note, but he really wasn’t sure what to say. He hoped he hadn’t overstepped again, but Bernard had promised to let him know if he did. He'd just have to trust him. 

“Thanks for letting me hide out here, Jolly Boy. And for the popcorn. Not for the powdered hot chocolate, though, that was terrible.” 

Perhaps he didn’t need to worry about leaving on a sour note after all. Bernard seemed like he was back to his usual snarky self. 

“Ungrateful brat. See if I feed you again!” 

Bernard chuckled at his grumbling as he pulled his outerwear back on and headed outside. Jolly followed him out and watched as he climbed aboard his snowmobile. 

“You should bring Tiny Dancer by, sometime. I miss her.”

“It’s up to her, really. But I’ll try to put in a good word for you.” He smirked, kicking the engine on. “See ya, Jolly Boy!”

“See ya.” 

He watched him recede into the distance, heart clenching uncomfortably. This crush was getting complicated. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Bernard and Jolly giggled as they fell through the open doorway into the foyer. The stolen kisses they shared while ice skating had left a lingering giddiness that followed them back to the house. Jolly made to step further into the room when Bernard pulled him back by the sleeve, playfully wrapping him up in his arms and kissing his cheeks as the human laughed. 

“Take your cloak off, you animal! Where’s your manners?” he growled, a wide smirk half hidden in Jolly’s hair. 

“How will I keep warm then?” he retorted, a challenging gleam in his eye. His arms wrapped loosely around Bernard's middle as he leaned into him.

“I can keep you plenty warm myself,” Bernard smirked, pulling the cloak from Jolly's shoulders.

Jolly's cheeks were aglow as Bernard hung their cloaks up in the closet beside the entrance. This was insane. The air between them was heady with the thrill of their confessions. They had spent the better part of an hour skating around, playing tag, and kissing all the way. 

Bernard was a really, really good kisser. Which made complete sense knowing how old he actually was—he must have so much experience. Jolly felt his ears burn at this line of thinking. It was kind of intimidating to consider just how much the man knew. How much he’d lived.

Jolly gulped and put it out of mind. 

As far as Bernard's experience went, the only thing Jolly needed to think about for now was his kisses. He was still resolute about that. He really, really liked Bernard. He wanted to take this slow and enjoy the ride; it was only just starting, after all. 

Bernard's hand reached for his hat, stopping short when he noticed Jolly's faraway look. “Hey, why don’t you get the fire going again? I’m gonna grab us some drinks.”

Jolly snapped back into focus, blinking at him tiredly. “More drinks, huh?”

“I was thinking some wine this time if you’re up for it.”

Jolly's brows lowered as he thought about it. Wine was nice. A good way to end the night, especially since he was staying there. 

On the way back, he’d yawned one too many times and Bernard suggested he crash at his place for the night. Jolly had saucily demanded to use his shower as well, and he’d conceded easily, laughing at the human's renewed energy from the promise of a hot shower and warm bed. 

Hey, who could blame him? He hadn’t had the luxury of either in months. 

But now, at the offer of wine, something occurred to him that he should have realized earlier. They had been stealing kisses and tender embraces for over an hour now. Bernard had invited him to stay over. Jolly had asked to use his shower. And now the suggestion to drink wine.

Maybe Jolly was giving him the wrong impression here. 

“Um, well,” he stuttered, mortified at the possible misunderstanding. “I’m not so sure about wine, actually.”

“I’ve got other things if you’d prefer something else. I just figured it’d be a nice way to relax before bed,” Bernard shrugged, busy straightening the different coats and other odds and ends in the closet. 

Oh, boy. Jolly was just gonna have to say it, wasn’t he? God, he hated this. “Look, Bernard. I really like you and all—“ he paused, unsure how to proceed. 

The elf looked over his shoulder at him. “Are you ending it already? That must be a record for me,” he said, watching Jolly struggle curiously with an amused grin tugging his lips. 

“No! It’s not that. It’s just, well…” he tried again, hands wringing together. “It’s just that I want to take things slow, y’know?”

Bernard blinked. “Okay? That’s fine. We can go whatever pace you want.”

Jolly sighed. “I’m sorry if I misled you saying I’d stay over. It just doesn’t seem like the right time to jump into something like that, is all.”

Bernard's chin tilted up, mouth forming a silent ‘oh’ as realization sunk in. He shook his head at the apology as he turned to face the human fully. “You didn’t mislead me, Jolly Boy. I had no expectations, I promise. I just thought since it was so late, I’d save you the trip all the way out to your camp.”

Jolly's mouth fell open. So he had genuinely just offered to let him sleep at his house? Just sleep?

“But,” he said, “the wine—“

“An honest offer to relax!” Bernard exclaimed, shrugging with a light laugh. “Look, I agree. It’s too soon for all that. Let’s just take things easy for now.”

Jolly burned bright red again. Bernard hadn’t misunderstood—in fact, Jolly was the one who had misunderstood. So now he’d made a mountain out of molehill and landed them in this awkward situation instead. Just great. “I am so sorry, I just assumed,” he mumbled, looking away. “God, I could die right now.”

“Please, don’t,” Bernard snorted. “It’s fine, really. It’s good to establish anyways. We would have had to talk about it at some point, right?”

“…yeah, true.” Jolly felt a little better when he put it like that, but his cheeks still tingled in lingering embarrassment. 

“So… wine? Yea or nay?” 

“Yea!” he chirped, “I’ll go get that fire going!” He turned on his heel and rushed to the den, looking over his shoulder briefly with shy eyes. Bernard faced the closet again, pulling his hat off his head and placing it on the top shelf of the closet. Jolly had to avert his eyes before he could get a good look, however, coming to the step leading into the den area. He hopped down and scurried over to the fireplace with butterflies dancing in his stomach. 

Wine and kisses. What a night! 

He was glad Bernard had agreed to take things slow. Jolly's feelings already ran deeper than any he’d ever had before. Bernard had all but told him that he was going to fall in love with him—which was apparently an elf thing—but Jolly had no obligation to return his feelings. The researcher already knew that it would be impossible not to, though. He fell for Bernard more every time he saw him. He was right; what they had could be really special someday. 

And complicated. Obviously the rest of the elves, sans Judy and Belle, didn’t know about him. Jolly didn’t know how common it was for elves and humans to date, but he guessed not very. But there would be time for those questions later. For now, he wanted to enjoy Bernard's company and maybe finally get a look at those ears of his. He'd been unbearably curious to see what they looked like properly, not just in the pictures. 

He stoked the fire back to life, adding a couple more logs from the pile beside the fireplace. 

He heard Bernard enter the den behind him, footsteps heading over to the couch and the sound of two glasses being placed on the fold out table they’d used before. Once the fire was sufficiently caught, he stood. His eye fell on the pictures above the mantle again, examining them with a new perspective now. 

Judy and Belle were in many of the black and white pictures. There was one other elf woman that also made a regular appearance, but mostly in the more recent looking ones, although even those looked like they were taken before Jolly was born. 

He zeroed in on the portrait of what he now supposed was a very young Bernard, curls piled high on his little head with big eyes and bigger ears. 

Absolutely adorable. 

He’d been an incredibly cute kid; although, knowing how young Judy and Belle looked at first glance, Jolly wondered if he really was a kid here. Bernard was obviously an adult now, but why wasn’t he as short as the others? Judy and Belle had adult bodies, but perhaps they were just much younger than Bernard and elves eventually got taller with age. The way Bernard talked about her, Judy was certainly hundreds of years old at least, but what did that mean exactly for elves? 

Whatever age he was in the portrait, he was a cutie, that was for sure. 

“That reminds me—I need to eventually put this in a frame,” Bernard said, walking up from behind Jolly and setting a loose photo on the mantle, letting it lean against the other framed pictures. “Instant cameras are one of my favorite inventions of the past century. Handy.”

The picture he’d placed was of him earlier today, judging by the still lit party decorations and full food table. He was standing beside that elf woman that Jolly didn’t recognize in the other pictures and a darker skinned elf with a big smile lifting a mug of cocoa proudly towards the camera. 

“Who are they?”

“Betty and Noel. Betty is sort of a protégée of mine, I guess you could say. Noel’s her partner.”

“They look like a nice couple.”

“They’re disgusting, really. So sweet they’ll give you cavities if you’re around them too long,” he chuckled. 

Jolly could see that Bernard's head was bare from the corner of his eye; he was tempted to look over at him, but before he could, Bernard moved to stand just behind him, looking over his shoulder at the mantle display in full. Jolly brought his attention back to the pictures as well. The new photo blended in seamlessly, although it could do with a nice frame like the others. 

“So is Betty the one you’re training to take over someday?”

“No, that’s Curtis. I don’t think I have any pictures of him, actually.”

“Just a colleague, then?”

“Yeah, that’s probably how I’d describe him. I wouldn’t say we’re close. He gets on my nerves like no one else, honestly. Always slowing me down and asking questions about every little thing.”

“Why’d you pick him to take over if he’s such a pain then?”

“Technically, I haven’t yet. He’s still in a trial period. But he isn’t a pain , exactly. He’s smart, y’know? Lots of potential. He could be greater than me someday if he works hard,” he said, a note of admiration coloring his tone. “He’s as cocky as a partridge in a pear tree, but not for nothing. He made Department Head when he was 700 years old—that’s young for a position that high up, by our standards at least.”

“Sounds like you do like him,” Jolly teased, reaching down to grab the poker and adjust the logs on the fire again. 

“Huh,” he started, a long contemplative pause following. “Y’know, I actually think I do. I guess he’s kinda grown on me over the past few years.”

“Maybe he should have a picture up here too then, huh?”

“Hmm, maybe.” 

“So then where does Betty fit in?” he questioned, placing the poker down again as he examined the pictures once more. 

“Ah, well I’d sort of taken her under my wing when she was an elfling—“

“Elfling? Oh my god, is that a baby elf?” Jolly questioned, suddenly excited as he looked at the painted portrait of a younger Bernard. ‘Elfling’ was too fitting. 

“Uh, yeah—“

“Holy shit, that’s such a cute way to say it!”

“Jolly,” Bernard deadpanned. 

“Sorry, sorry! Go on,” he giggled. 

Bernard rolled his eyes behind Jolly's back, but a small grin gave away how charmed he was by the human's enthusiasm. At least he wasn’t panicking anymore. 

“Right, so Betty’s father was my predecessor, Raj. I told you about him.” He pointed over Jolly's shoulder at a portrait of an olive skinned elf on the far left of the mantle. Jolly nodded, sobering at the reminder of Bernard’s dearly departed boss. “We were really close. Raj’s wife—Betty’s mother—passed away not long after she was born. Then Raj passed soon after that.” He let out a deep sigh. “So I ended up looking after Betty.”

He turned and walked away from the mantle, but Jolly continued to look over the pictures, examining the different shots of the serious elf woman and comparing them to the portrait of Raj. They had the same eyes, he thought. 

“You adopted her?”

“No, I didn’t raise her. I just checked in on her, made sure she had everything she needed, things like that. We didn’t get close until she became an adult, really. I look out for her even now.” His voice had a familiar note in it that Jolly usually only encountered when the man was in ‘Saint Bernard’ mode, when he’d worry himself sick over something small or silly—usually their schedule. “Although, she can definitely look out for herself. I’m not sure she ever really needed me. Betty’s always been such an independent little elf,” he chuckled. Jolly tilted his head at the explanation, realizing the tone he heard in Bernard's voice was concern. 

In the loose picture, Betty stood with her arms behind her back, the same position she’d seen Bernard in dozens of times since knowing him. In fact, most every picture of Betty had her posed in a way that looked so familiar it brought a smile to Jolly’s face. She may not be blood related, but Jolly could see Bernard’s influence in the way Betty carried herself. 

“Sounds an awful lot like dad behavior to me.”

A short hum sounded behind him, Bernard pausing a long moment before replying. 

“I love Betty dearly. Maybe not quite as a daughter, but definitely something close to it.”

Jolly could tell. The way Bernard spoke about Betty was very different from how he spoke about Judy or Belle or Curtis. He was definitely concerned for her—her well-being and happiness. If things continued between Jolly and him, he’d probably end up meeting Betty too. The thought was daunting. Betty sounded like she was much more serious than Judy and Belle, and while Jolly knew Bernard took his friend’s opinions seriously, something told him that what Betty thought of him would really, really matter. 

Whether Bernard wanted to admit it or not, Betty was practically his daughter. Hopefully when the time came, Jolly would make a good impression.

He inhaled and stepped away from the mantle after giving the fire one last look over. He turned back to his—Bernard. 

He still didn’t know what to call him. He’d have to talk to him about that. 

Bernard was sitting wide legged on the couch, one arm hung over the back with a glass of red wine in the other’s hand. And he didn’t have a hat on. His curls were even more voluminous than Jolly thought, wild and wonderful. They framed his face so well, accentuating his sharp jawline. 

And out from that mass of dark curls stuck two little ear tips. 

Jolly couldn’t take his eyes off them, walking over to join the other man on the couch. He sat down, a whoosh of breath leaving him. Judy and Belle’s ears had also caught his eye, but he’d tried very hard not to stare at them. A lot about them was different from what he was used to seeing; he didn’t want to be rude. But it was mystifying to see Bernard’s ears bare. 

He’d imagined them loads of times, Bernard made it a point to hide them after all, so naturally Jolly had been curious. And of course, in his imaginings he’d always pictured round ears—maybe ones that stuck out or were damaged in some way to explain the secrecy. He’d never pictured them like this. 

As he stared, they twitched. His eyes widened and he gulped, a question at the front of his mind. He looked over at Bernard's eyes to gauge his reaction to Jolly's blatant fascination and found him watching amusedly. 

Well, at least he wasn’t offended. Maybe Jolly could get away with being a little more forward, then. 

“Can I touch them?” 

“Sure, you already did before, remember?”

Jolly blushed at the reminder of their kiss. 

He lifted a hand to push the curls away from Bernard's face and ear, bringing his other hand up to help pin them in place when it became clear just how thick his hair really was. Bernard chuckled and pulled his hair up out of the way himself so Jolly could have free hands to explore. 

Pointy ears. He had pointy ears. Feeling them was one thing, but seeing them made the whole thing feel a lot more real. They fit his face so much better than any ears Jolly could have imagined. 

They curved out and up into a delicate little point, and the biologist in him couldn’t help wondering just how much it helped functionally. He’d noted before just how much better Bernard's hearing was than Jolly's own. This would definitely explain why. 

He traced the edge with a finger, bringing his thumb up to gently rub the tip like he had before. 

“Mm…” Bernard sighed. 

Aha, just as he thought. Jolly smirked at the flush of the Russian's cheeks, red spreading down underneath the shadow on his lower face and to his neck. Jolly eyed the slight stubble. “Are you growing your beard out?”

“We can’t grow beards,” Bernard replied. 

“But you can grow stubble?”

“No. No body hair of any kind.”

Jolly released the pointed ear and curiously brought his hand to Bernard's cheek instead. Bernard let his hair fall and turned more to face him. Jolly rubbed his hand over the sharp jaw, tell tale rough of new hair growing in making him pause. “So why do you have this then?”

“Have what?” He seemed genuinely confused by Jolly's questions. 

Jolly grabbed one of Bernard's hands and brought it up to his face, urging him to feel for himself. The elf rubbed his cheek, a strangely disturbed expression on his face. 

He stood abruptly and walked hurriedly over to the mirror on the far wall, staring hard at his reflection. He squinted at the shadow on his face, lip curling in disgust. “…what is this?” he whispered harshly. 

“I think it looks nice! Makes you look rugged.”

“Elves aren’t supposed to look rugged. This isn’t right.”

He was thrown by this turn in their conversation. Bernard seemed very upset by the revelation that he could grow facial hair, and Jolly wasn’t sure how to react. Bernard must have noticed the look on the human's face in the mirror because his posture changed drastically, straightening up and taking on a more relaxed expression. 

“It’s… probably nothing to worry about.” His smile was a tad forced as he turned away from the mirror altogether. “Let’s just have our drinks and relax.”

“Okay…” Jolly said, still unsure. “Are you sure it’s alright that I stay here? I don’t mind going back to camp for the night if you’re not feeling up to company anymore.”

Bernard's hand waved the Jolly's concern away, returning to his previous carefree manner as he put whatever had spooked him before out of mind. 

“No, no, it’s fine. Really. It’s late, so you might as well. Hey, it lets me get some use out of the guest rooms for once, so it’s a win-win for everyone.”

“Plus I get a shower!” Jolly said enthusiastically, mood brightening at the thought of properly cleaning up for the first time since arriving in the arctic. 

Bernard chuckled. “‘Course. You’re free to use my shower anytime you want, Jolly Boy. I won’t make you go back to just cold rags.” 

“Much appreciated, good sir!” he chuckled. 

Bernard rejoined him on the couch, picking up his forgotten glass and taking a long sip. Jolly followed suit. The wine wasn’t exactly to his tastes but he hadn’t had a drink in ages, so he didn’t mind. The slight burn of alcohol warmed his chest and made him lean back further into the plush couch. 

He figured it would be a good time to ask some questions he’d been holding onto all night. 

“So what exactly is the difference between a human and an elf?” he asked. 

Bernard hummed, thinking as he took another sip. After he swallowed, he replied, “well, there’s a few key things.” He swirled his wine, looking pensively out the window. “Humans are pretty short lived. Elves live around 5-6000 years on average. Elves have magic throughout their whole lives, but humans only have magic when they’re children.”

“Wha—we do?” he asked, bewildered. 

“Yeah, that’s what this whole thing is for! Well, that and just general good will. Human children share their magic with whatever they believe in.”

“But the magic goes away when we grow up…?” Jolly asked, looking at his hands thoughtfully. 

“Yeah. It’s just how humans work. It's a pretty big difference between our species. And we look sort of different from humans as well.”

Jolly looked up at him at that. “Oh, that reminds me! You look different from Judy and Belle, are you older than them?”

“No, actually, Judy is a little older than me. I am older than Belle, though, by about 100 years. Normally my kind doesn’t get this tall until around our 3000s. But since I’m Head Elf, I’ve spent a lot of time out in the human world running errands for the big guy. Being in magic dead zones like that saps the magic out of an elf and makes them physically look older. For elves, aging just means growing a little taller, no wrinkles.”

Jolly's brows twisted as he struggled to keep up with this new information. “Does that mean that you’re…” he couldn’t quite find the words to voice his question in a delicate way. Luckily Bernard seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. 

“We don’t know if life expectancy for elves who experience this is shortened or not. It’s a new thing. When we naturally get very old the silver sparkles on our cheeks turn golden with age. We’ve observed that when an elf experiences too much rapid magic loss in the human world to where their sparkles turn golden, then they’re dead within a year. It’s the only conclusive thing we can say about it for now. Me and a few others are the first guinea pigs for what happens with built up exposure, unfortunately.”

“God, that must be so terrifying,” Jolly whispered. “Is that why you’re concerned about the stubble?”

Bernard's eyes were tense, mouth downturned in a grimace. “That’s not supposed to happen at all. Magic sapping or no. My species of elf doesn’t grow facial hair, no matter what age we get.”

Once again Jolly was unsure how to comfort him. This was obviously a serious matter, but he couldn’t really do much in the way of offering solutions. He was very, very new to this world. Maybe a change of topic, then?

“You said your species of elf. So there’s other kinds of elves?” He grabbed Bernard's hand and squeezed, trying to offer some form of comfort despite not fully understanding.  

Bernard snapped out of his worried thoughts, bringing his focus back to Jolly and their joined hands. “Yeah, there’s a couple. My kind is the most common. Usually the big guy is another kind, though.”

Jolly appreciated him avoiding saying his boss’s name. The thought of that, of him, was too much right now. Jolly knew who he was, but he just wasn’t ready for that part of Bernard’s world just yet. His brain still felt foggy when he thought about it. 

“So what’s the difference?”

“His species is called The Panes. They’re the Olde Aelfs—immortals. Humans used to call them high elves. They’re as tall as humans and albino. They’re also magical, but even more so than common elves.”

“So, wait. They don’t die? Ever?”

“Many have chosen to pass beyond this realm to a higher plane, but no they can never die.” Jolly looked overwhelmed. “This is kind of heavy stuff, huh? Maybe we should talk about something else.”

“Yeah, okay, good call. Sorry, this is just a lot.” Bernard nodded and rubbed a thumb over the back of Jolly's hand soothingly. “Okay, um. So you said you’re the Head Elf? What’s that mean, exactly? Belle said you were in charge, but wouldn’t that be S—your boss?”

“It’s like I told you before, we’ve got a new boss who’s away right now while he gets his affairs in order. He’s human actually—it’s a new arrangement we’re trying. Long story, don’t ask. Before him, the title of Head Elf was for our boss. But well, since the new guy isn’t an elf, the title was passed on to me a few decades ago. My job hasn’t really changed, though. It’s just a title.”

“So you’re in charge for now?”

“Right.”

“Wow. No wonder you’re so high strung.”

“Watch it.”

The evening passed smoothly from there. Jolly had a million questions, but Bernard didn’t seem to mind, answering every one patiently. 

“Are you actually Russian?”

“I am, yeah. I was born in a small Russian elf village, but I came here when I was about 20 or 30–still a kid by elf standards. I haven’t left since.” 

They continued slowly drinking their wine, tongues loose and hands soft, wrapped up in each other on the couch. 

“How do the trees grow? Is there ground below the ice here?”

“No, no ground. It’s just a magical place.”

Jolly's mouth twisted as he considered that answer. 

“What is magic, exactly? Is it a force?”

“Yeah, pretty much. It’s just an objective force that acts on and through certain things in this world. You may be an adult now, but you still should instinctively know what it is and how it works.”

Something long forgotten warmed in the human's thoughts and several quick flashes of his childhood shuffled in his mind—a beloved toy, a trusted friend, pinkie swears, parties, and the scent of rain. “Yeah… I do, actually. God, this is so weird.”

“You’ll get used to it.” Bernard's hand squeezed his knee in comfort. 

At some point, the glasses had been put away and Bernard had laid back on the couch, settling deep in the cushions. Jolly was half draped on him, laying between the back of the couch and his warm body. His left leg was tangled up in Bernard's, pelvis snug against the elf's hip while their top halves cuddled. 

Jolly had been partially sitting up before, but the lull in conversation and the wine warming his belly made him relax into Bernard's loose embrace. He laid his head on Bernard's chest while Jolly's left hand played with the curls that lay next to his face, their springy texture endlessly fascinating to him in his slightly tipsy state. 

“Bernard? Can I ask you a question?”

“You’ve been asking questions all evening, Jolly Boy.”

“This one’s different,” he insisted with a huff and eye roll. 

Bernard snorted. “Let’s hear it, then.”

“We’re together, right?” 

He felt Bernard's head shift to look down at him still laying on his chest. 

“I really hope so. I’d like to be.”

Jolly smiled and snuggled further into his arms, face burying itself in the curls beside his neck. He breathed in deep, savoring that piney nutmeg scent. “Me too,” he murmured. 

“Great. That's settled, then.” Amusement colored Bernard's voice. “Anything else?”

Jolly nuzzled Bernard's neck with the tip of his nose, tracing shapes in the smooth skin. He felt the elf shudder, breath catching at the sensation. “What can I call you? I think we’re too old to be boyfriends—you, especially!” he giggled. 

“Ha, ha, very funny. ‘Significant other’?”

“Ehh, I don’t think we’re there yet. Too much implication, y’know?”

“Yeah, I see your point. How about ‘partner’?”

“Hmm, I guess so. Technically we’re work partners, so it seems like it’s not enough to describe what you are to me.”

Bernard turned his head, angling it so they could be face to face. Jolly's eyes lifted from his curls to that piercing gaze. 

“You’re my sweetheart.”

Jolly's heart thudded in his chest at the tender look Bernard sent his way as he said that. Those dark eyes would be the death of him. 

He was so unbelievably beautiful. Now, having seen others of his species, Jolly understood that elves were quite attractive in general. But Bernard was especially lovely to him, those big brown eyes and dark curls driving him wild. Anytime the man shot him that smug smirk of his after a biting remark, Jolly's stomach fluttered. He was a pain sometimes and could honestly be such an asshole about a lot of things, especially when working together, but Jolly wouldn’t change anything about him. 

What he just couldn’t understand, though, was what Bernard saw in him. Plain, human Jolly. He didn’t think he was particularly unattractive, but compared to Judy and Belle? There was no contest. Jolly really just couldn’t compare. 

“But why?”

“Why are you my sweetheart? Well, to be honest, I thought it was what you wanted,” Bernard teased. 

“No, I mean, why me? I’m so… ordinary. Human. If the rest of the elves in your village are as gorgeous as Judy and Belle, then I can’t understand why you’d want to be with me.”

“Jolly,” he sighed, ruffling the human's hair. “I know you have a hard time taking what I say at face value without worrying, but please, believe me when I say you are so incredibly handsome to me. Okay? Don’t think you aren’t.” He pressed his lips to Jolly's hair. “I don’t want anyone else but you, I promise.” He felt Bernard's lips stretch into a smile. “I like you just as you are, sweetheart.”

Jolly's heart thumped at hearing the endearment again. The worried lines on his forehead smoothed, a calm coming over him at Bernard's reassurance. 

“Yeah, okay. Sweethearts. And partners.” He shifted his body up and over the elf's more, his mouth hovering above Bernard's own. Both pairs of eyes were lidded with a shared contentment, lips coming closer together. 

“To start. And we’ll just see where it goes from there, okay?” Bernard murmured against his lips. 

Jolly inhaled his sweet scent, nose softly nuzzling Bernard's. 

“Okay, sounds good,” he whispered before pressing his lips down. 

Bernard immediately reciprocated, bringing his hands up to cup Jolly's cheeks. Jolly's face was somewhat tingly from the alcohol, but he felt every pass of those soft lips as they caressed his. Bernard's thumb brushed his cheek and he sighed happily into the elf's mouth. 

Jolly's hands tangled in the ends of those curls again, arms still keeping his propped up on Bernard's chest. He readjusted to deepen their kiss, brushing his tongue against Bernard's bottom lip. A waft of peppermint hit his face as Bernard chuckled at the human's eagerness. His hands slipped into Jolly's hair and gently massaged the back of his head, angling him into a better position as he slipped his tongue into Jolly's mouth. 

Jolly only distantly noticed that he was completely on top of Bernard now, their kiss getting rougher and faster as their hands started wandering over each other. He raked his nails softly down Bernard's clothed chest, feeling the soft curves and hard planes there with much enthusiasm. Bernard's hands glided over his shoulders and down his sides until they firmly grasped Jolly's hips, bringing the human's awareness to the heat that pooled at the juncture between his legs. His body rocked unconsciously trying to ease the sensation. Bernard groaned when Jolly pushed his pelvis down into his own, the outline of something long and hard providing wonderfully sweet friction. 

Jolly writhed on top of him, kisses becoming sloppy. The groans and grunts Bernard made were lovely and masculine, shooting pleasure straight to his core. Jolly's hips dragged sensually across his lap, the feeling of Bernard's desire straining against his pants sending Jolly's mind into a haze of lust. 

“Jolly. Sweetheart.”

Oh god, he could love this man. This elf. He wanted to. So badly. 

“We’ve been drinking, Jolly. We shouldn’t.”

That sounded like hesitation to him. Jolly's brain struggled to regain some semblance of control as he pulled back to look Bernard in the eye. The Russian looked out of control himself, honestly. His curls were splayed in every direction and his dark eyes were clouded with desire. Jolly had never seen a more enticing sight. 

“You said you wanted to go slow, remember?”

He did remember. He’d had a little too much wine and gotten carried away. But Bernard had stopped it, because he knew Jolly wanted to wait. God, he really could love him some day. 

“Yeah,” Jolly exhaled. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry.”

“No need to apologize.” Bernard leaned up and recaptured his lips in a slower, sweeter kiss before smoothing Jolly's hair down and helping him lean back. “I think it might be time for bed, anyways. How about I make up the fire in the guest room and you can go get that shower?”

“Okay,” he replied meekly. 

Bernard kissed him again chastely, before rising and offering his hand to help the human up off the couch. 

They headed upstairs and Bernard showed him his personal bathroom, attached to his bedroom. It was too dark for Jolly to get a good look, but he did notice the large plush bed and dark oaken furniture that matched the general aesthetic of his house. 

Bernard's bathroom was spacious and clean, a large bathtub in the corner that tempted Jolly severely. But he was just too tired to bother and ultimately drug himself over to the large standing shower. It was nice, the glass walls giving him plenty of room to move about. The hot water was perfectly lovely, the pressure just right on his sore body. He moaned at finally being able to get fully clean in a real shower, spending a long time just standing beneath the hot spray. 

He used the products on the shelves, curiously noting the outlandish ingredients and packaging that marketed it for ‘elves with curly to coily type hair’. Everything had a fresh light scent. He expected the products to smell more, perhaps like something he hadn’t smelled before, but they really didn’t smell like much at all. 

He finished washing off and stepped out into the plush red rug. He opened the cabinet near the tub and found towels and other extra toiletries. He dried off and took a look at himself in the large gold framed mirror above the double sink. 

Jolly looked the same as he always had, but he felt very different, somehow. Logically he knew he would look no different now than before, but with the revelation he’d had that elves and magic were real—as real as he was—he somehow expected that he’d be changed externally just the way he had been changed internally. 

But no. The same old Jolly stared back at him, looking overwhelmed and tired, but more happy than he’d ever seen himself. 

The clothes Bernard had left for him on the corner of the sink caught his eye. A soft light green tunic and some loose matching pants. Bernard's clothes, obviously, but not day wear. Pajamas, he guessed. He pulled them on, hugging himself to feel the silky texture all over his skin. They weren't a perfect fit; the pant bottoms were a good inch too short. But damn, they were comfy! 

Bernard was waiting for him when he stepped out and swiftly led him to a room across the hall from his own. The fire cast a soft glow on the guest room, sparsely furnished with a dark oak nightstand and chest of drawers. The bed looked inviting, all made up with a thick golden comforter and plush cream pillows. Jolly tiredly trudged over and collapsed in it, a groan of relief leaving him as he was enveloped in the soft blankets. 

Bernard chuckled and arranged Jolly's legs so that they were under the covers before pulling them up to cover the rest of him. Jolly peeked an eye out at him, mumbling a quiet “Thank you, Bernard.” before his eyes slipped shut again. 

Bernard smiled softly at him, hands smoothing a crease on the top blanket. “You’re welcome, Jolly. Good night.”

“Mm, g’night.”

The elf slipped out into the hallway, shutting the door quietly behind him before heading to his own room to sleep—the sweet human across the hall starring in all his dreams. 

Chapter Text

(February 16th)

Jolly blinked curiously at the crisp parchment stuck to his tent entrance. If he hadn’t seen it appear in a burst of sparkles himself, he’d be worried there was some rogue mailperson lurking in the tundra. 

He lifted it away from the tent and noticed a familiar medal pinned to his tent underneath the letter. 

Bernard’s hat thingy—the gold medal with the ribbon!

He had a few different ones, actually; he would dress up his signature green beret to match whatever outfit he wore that particular day. The gold one was a favorite of his for sure, though, judging by how often he wore it. 

Maybe he used it to send the letter just now? Jolly was still kind of unsure of how magic worked exactly, but Bernard had mentioned yesterday morning when they were riding back to camp, that he could teleport anywhere he wanted so long as his magic had a tether to another magical source to pull on. This source could be Dancer, his boss, another elf, a special object, anything magical basically.  

He’d been in a rush trying to drop Jolly off quickly so he could return to the Workshop before it got too late in the day; he was already running late since they’d slept in and had a slow breakfast that morning. Those pancakes were to die for. 

Bernard must have planted the medal there to have an easier way to get to and from camp. Or to send letters instead? Jolly wondered why he hadn’t just come himself to talk if he could just teleport. 

Jolly examined the medal in the light of his lamp, its symbol foreign to him. Holding it, he felt a warm buzz in his hand that made him think of a crackling fire. A little smile pulled at his lips as he fastened it to the front of his coat before reading over the letter. 

‘Hey Jolly Boy,

There’s been some unexpected problems that have come up here at work. I’m not going to be able to make it out there to see you until next week probably. 

I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ll try to make it up to you.

-B’

Unexpected problems, huh? He wondered what was going on. 

Well, that was fine. Jolly did just see him yesterday, after all. And while he wanted to see him again as soon as possible, he knew Bernard was a very busy guy. He only managed to make it out to visit him about once a week for most of the time Jolly had been there. 

Bernard had come to see him a few days in a row leading up to Valentine’s Day, but Jolly knew he couldn’t expect him to do that too often. 

Knowing what he did now about Bernard’s position at the North Pole, he was surprised the elf was able to see him as much as he had. Belle and Judy implied that he practically ran their whole operation up there, and Bernard all but confirmed it himself. 

He was the Head Elf, apparently. Initially Jolly might have thought that it was a silly title to have, but knowing what he did now about the existence of elves and magic, it was actually a very intimidating title for his partner. Supposedly, there were many, many magic elves that lived in the Village, all of them incredibly old and powerful. And Bernard— his Bernard—was Head Elf of them all. 

Of course he would need to take care of things at work. Jolly wasn’t so selfish to think he would drop his whole life to be with him, just like Jolly wouldn’t be dropping his whole life to be with Bernard. 

Jolly had work to do, anyways. Those polar bears weren’t going to track themselves!

(February 22nd)

When the next letter arrived, he’d been heating up breakfast over his stove. 

At first, it was hard to go back to normal field rations after being so thoroughly spoiled by Bernard’s cooking, but after a week, he was finally able to choke them down without gagging once again. He wouldn’t usually mind, he’d signed up for all this when he first started working with the Hale Company, after all. But when he and Bernard had shared that kiss and Jolly was told that he could use the shower whenever he wanted, he’d started to get his hopes up that he wouldn’t need to resort to rations and wiping off in the cold sanitation tent as much. 

But hey, Bernard was an important guy. Obviously he wasn’t going to make Jolly food all the time. 

And even if he had the courage to just show up at Bernard’s house to casually use his shower, Jolly didn’t really know how to get back there. The barrier might let him in, but that meant next to nothing if he didn’t know how to get to the barrier in the first place. That icy maze outside the Village was way too confusing to try to navigate by himself. He’d get lost for sure. 

Oh well. Maybe once Bernard came back, he could draw a map? 

A flash in his face made Jolly gasp and jump back away from the electric stovetop he’d been leaning over. His eyes were wide as he watched the rain of sparkles float down through the air and onto his ration before dissolving as if they were never there to begin with. 

He looked around, expecting to see Bernard or something there, but he was alone in his tent. 

Eventually he shrugged and decided maybe it was just a fluke. Magic was weird. 

It wasn’t until the crinkling of paper sounded as he settled down on his futon to eat that he remembered he still had Bernard’s pin fastened to the lapel of his coat. 

There, stuck to the medal, was another letter! He set his food aside to read it. 

‘Hey Jolly Boy!

I’m so sorry about this, but we’re still having a lot of problems at the Workshop, so I’m not going to be able to meet up with you this week either. I’m having some trouble with my assistant, Curtis, and things are really falling behind. 

I can almost hear you now, telling me to remember to eat and take care of myself. That’s what you were thinking, wasn’t it? I promise I am. As soon as I get all this figured out, I’ll come see you, okay?

I miss you. 

-B’

Curtis was the one he was training to maybe take over for him someday. Jolly remembered Bernard mentioning before how he was often annoyed with the other elf, but it actually seemed like he was quite fond of him, really. 

What could possibly be the problem, he wondered. Maybe Curtis was being more of a pain than usual? Jolly didn’t know him, really, but Bernard painted quite the picture. His impression was that of an arrogant, uppity elf that might often get too big for his breeches. Jolly would just have to wait until Bernard came to visit to hear the details. 

Whatever was going on must be pretty serious if Bernard wasn’t even able to make it out for their weekly check ins. 

A frown appeared on Jolly’s face as he thought about how hard his partner must be working. He was slightly annoyed that Bernard had been right that part way through reading he’d had the thought that the elf might not be taking care of himself. But Jolly wouldn’t be admitting that to him, of course. 

Anyway, he had good reason to worry! Bernard didn’t have the greatest track record. And lately Jolly had been having nightmares of that time the other man had passed out on him, and he’d had to drag him back to camp. Why his unconscious mind was suddenly so worried about Bernard’s health and safety though, he had no clue. 

He read the last three words over again, his heart beating fast as he thought of Bernard saying them aloud to him. 

Jolly missed him too. 

The past week had been harder than he thought it would be. The bears were especially active, which managed to keep him busy and on his toes. But every time he caught some great footage or recorded some extra interesting data in his logbook, he couldn’t help but think of what Bernard would say if he were there. 

Well, it shouldn’t be too much longer. He said he’d come visit as soon as he sorted everything at work. If he really could teleport like he’d said, then he might pop in at any moment. 

Jolly blushed at the thought that he might come at a more… private time. Maybe he should put that medal some place specific so the elf wouldn’t just appear while he was changing. 

Or while Jolly was thinking of him late at night in bed touching himself. 

His blush darkened at the thought. 

He’d been doing that more and more. Their kisses had fully awakened the sex drive he’d so diligently kept under wraps since coming up here. It was almost a nightly ritual now to climb in his cot, get warm and settled, and run his hands over the bare skin under his many layers. He imagined the hands touching him were different, coarser, with long fingers and trim nails that would skim over Jolly’s heated skin leaving a trail of fire in their wake. 

He wanted to see Bernard again so badly, but maybe some time apart would throw some water on the blaze that had ignited within him. They both agreed to take things slow, but who knew what that really meant? 

The subject of protection needed to be addressed before anything went too far, obviously. The last thing he wanted was a magical STD. 

But that didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy each other in different ways, right? Or maybe Bernard wanted to wait for that too? Jolly would have to talk with him about it and see where he stood with everything. 

At this point, he’d be fine with just a kiss, really. He missed him. But he’d be patient and let Bernard come when he was ready. Not that Jolly really had a choice. 

Soon the handsome elf would be back in his arms and they could pick up where they left off. 

Soon. 

(March 6th)

Jolly’s eyes frantically darted back and forth as he poured over the maps he and Bernard had drawn. 

George was missing. 

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d spotted the bear, and reviewing the footage was proving to be an insurmountable task with only one person working at it. If he could find a pattern in George’s usual trails then maybe he could guess where he’d gone and narrow down the amount of footage he had to look through. 

But he just couldn’t focus. 

The neat loopy scrawl Bernard had written in the margins of the map explaining the different territories and trails was swimming around his vision. 

Every time Jolly thought of the elf, he hurt. 

His brows lowered and he squinted harder at the page when the image suddenly blurred. A stuttered gasp left him as drops fell onto the map, partially freezing onto the page. 

Where was Bernard? It had been almost two weeks since his last letter and nothing. He hadn’t sent anything more and hadn’t popped in to see Jolly even once. Not only that, but Dr. Branson hadn’t heard anything official from Bernard or Morozko in weeks either. Jolly was in charge of sending weekly reports to his team, but Morozko never failed to have a monthly summary and action strategy for upcoming plans sent in as well. 

He had fudged the reports some lately, trying to keep things vague so he wouldn’t have to come out and say he hadn’t seen Bernard in weeks. But after that frantic call with Dr. Branson this morning, getting interrogated about what Morozko was up to and when they could expect further communication, he felt like things were falling apart before his eyes. 

Why was Bernard just leaving him hanging like this? What was Jolly supposed to tell his team? When was his partner going to come back?

He furiously scrubbed the tears off his cheeks before returning to trying to read the map notes. 

Bernard’s handwriting was so pretty. Almost as pretty as he was. 

Had he forgotten about Jolly out here? Or was he staying away on purpose? 

He certainly seemed too good to be true, so Jolly wouldn’t really be surprised to learn this had all been some elaborate trick. Maybe Bernard wasn’t magical at all and had just been leading the researcher on to get what he wanted from him… 

No, wait, that was ridiculous, wasn’t it? They hadn’t even had sex yet. What could he possibly want from Jolly? His research with Hale wasn’t confidential by any means. Bernard had nothing to gain from tricking him. 

And Jolly knew what he’d seen. The Village was real. Those ears were real. Magic was real. He didn’t even have to see it to believe it—he could feel it. 

His anxiety was just running a little wild here. Bernard didn’t deserve that. 

A deep breath had Jolly feeling a little more in control of his emotions. He glanced at the watch sitting on his desk and blanched at the time displayed there. He’d worked through lunch and dinner. Not good. 

No wonder he was getting so emotional.

Now who wasn’t taking care of themselves? He could just imagine the scolding he’d be subjected to if Bernard was there. The elf would probably try to seem more casual about it, teasing Jolly for being so high and mighty before, but he wouldn’t be able to hide that concern in his voice. He never could. 

His Saint Bernard. 

His sweetheart. 

Cracks sounded as Jolly struggled to his feet, sore bones and muscles loudly protesting their sudden mobility. He turned to his electric stove, dreading another ration when the letter stuck to his coat caught his eye. 

His breath hitched as he spotted it, the paper facing him due to the angle of the coat hanging by the tent exit. 

His feet stumbled as he rushed over, food once again forgotten. Shaking hands clasped the letter, and he started to read. 

‘My sweetheart,

I’m sorry I haven’t written sooner. It feels like I’ve put in triple the effort these past couple weeks just to find enough time to write this. 

I can only imagine what you must be thinking right now. Please, know that I wish with all my heart that I could come see you. Things are so chaotic here, I’m not sure what’s going on. I wish I could see your sweet face again. It’s so hard to get through the days knowing you’re out there alone and I’m still stuck here. 

My heart is gray without you. 

-B’

He read it over three times before finally lowering it with a weary exhale. 

The letter was a comfort and a curse. He was glad to hear from Bernard at all, but he wished it had better news. While he knew some of his current emotional state was from not taking proper care of himself, he still did miss him terribly. 

It was so lonely up there. 

He’d met Bernard not long after arriving in the North Pole and the elf always made sure to visit him at least once a week since then, even if it was just a quick check in to see his progress. The regular conversation he provided was invaluable. 

Of course, Jolly’s professors and the other researchers on his team had sufficiently prepared him for how isolating it could feel up there, but he’d been spoiled by Bernard’s pleasant demeanor and steady company. But while it was hard to go so long without other people in general, somehow this felt like it was more serious than that. 

Bernard’s absence was profound in a way that made Jolly embarrassed to admit even to himself. 

They’d only just gotten together. He shouldn’t be this torn up just because Bernard couldn’t see him—for a perfectly valid reason, no less. 

Nonetheless, as he ate his ration that night, a steady stream of tears left tracks down his cheeks, and this time he couldn’t blame it on a missed meal. 

(March 22nd, late afternoon)

Dusted. 

Complete memory loss. Or memory replacement? Probably record changes too so his team wouldn’t notice the sudden switch. Their memories would most likely be altered as well. 

Magical fuckery, basically. 

It was a terrifying thought that had been plaguing him for days now: what if Bernard decided he wanted to break up with Jolly? He said he was going to fall in love with the human, but that it wasn’t compulsory. He also said that if Jolly decided to end things and be dusted, then their bond would be broken and they’d go about their lives. So obviously the bond could be broken, then. 

And it wasn’t just up to Jolly whether or not that happened. He had already decided to go along with this elfin bullshit, but Bernard also had a say, didn’t he? So he could just as easily decide that all this wasn’t worth it. That Jolly wasn’t worth it. 

And why wouldn’t he? It definitely seemed like it was an awful lot of trouble to simply come see Jolly. So maybe he’d already decided to break things off. Maybe he was just waiting til the right time to dust him. If he wanted to, Jolly couldn’t stop him. The human wouldn’t even know it, would he? 

Just, bam! Memories wiped. No warning and no way to fight it. 

The first time Jolly had seriously considered that notion, he’d sobbed all night, shaking in his cot. What a heavy thought to wrestle with all alone. 

Five days ago, another letter had appeared while he was sitting by the fire. He’d spent the night before crying, terrified that Bernard would come at any moment to steal his memories away. The flash of sparkles on his coat had sent him into a panic attack that ended with him crouched low in the snow, letter crumpled in his cold fist while he gasped for air. 

The very thing he’d been anticipating, was now a source of great anxiety that haunted his every waking moment. He couldn’t sleep most nights and he’d almost completely lost his appetite. The bears were the only thing keeping him going—the drive to track and film them reminding him of his purpose. 

His heart ached for Bernard, but it beat for those bears. He knew it was kinda corny, and Bernard would poke fun at him for his bleeding heart optimism if he’d been there, but Jolly fully believed he could make a difference. That’s why he was up there. For them. Not for Bernard. 

And that thought actually brought him some peace. Even if he was dusted, he’d never lose his sense of purpose in life. 

The letter sat on his desk, unopened, for days. It still sat there now as he drove his snowmobile back from another supply run to the outpost. It was a pain to load things up on his own again, but he might as well get used to it. 

Last night, things had reached a head. He still couldn’t bring himself to read the letter, afraid of what it might say. He’d busied himself with all sorts of chores around the campsite to keep his mind from wandering, but it was no use. 

He’d met some of Bernard’s friends, but obviously Jolly was being kept a secret from the rest of the elves. Why would that be? Judy and Belle hadn’t acted like his being human was such a big deal, but maybe it was? He kept thinking about that story Bernard had told him about the monkey king. If fae thought so little of humanity back then, what did they think now? 

Was Bernard embarrassed of him? 

Was he a dirty little secret? 

Or maybe Bernard was hiding him because he was seeing someone else. It was seriously hard for Jolly to believe that he wasn’t seeing another elf. They were so lovely, and Jolly was so ordinary. It made no sense at all that he’d want to be with a human. So then, maybe Jolly was his side piece and he was trying to hide him from his actual lover. 

The thought made him sick. 

But then an insidious line of thinking shoved its way into his mind; what if Bernard was just doing this for fun? Not that he was trying to trick Jolly about the existence of magic though—he’d already been convinced that Bernard really was an elf and magic really did exist. But c’mon. Him? With Jolly? Now that was a joke. 

How many bedtime stories had his dad told him where some fae would fool a human into doing something dumb simply to watch them suffer? If myths and fairytales could at all be believed—and apparently they could be to some extent—then the fae loved causing humanity strife simply for entertainment. 

Because they thought it was funny. 

The sick in his belly rolled over itself until it had churned into an angry wave, the acid burning its way up and out of his throat as he screamed into the blank white tundra all his fears and frustrations from the past few weeks. 

Was he just some dumb human to him? Was that really all he was? 

Jolly honestly wished he’d never met him. 

With one final screech, he ripped the pin from his coat and threw it as far as he could away from his camp into the white expanse praying it would be swallowed and lost forever. And Bernard with it. 

The relief and sorrow twisted together within him as he realized what he’d done. The snow was falling hard and fast and undoubtedly had buried the pin quickly after it’d landed. He wouldn’t be able to find it even if he’d wanted to. 

He’d made a resolution then to stop waiting for the elf. It had been over a month now and Bernard still couldn’t find the time to see him? Fine. Jolly wouldn’t be shedding any more tears over it. 

He still didn’t sleep soundly that night, though. 

And now here he was the next day, riding back to his camp, that letter stuck like glue to his mind. Just as he’d promised himself, he hadn’t cried today. Which he thought was some progress, at least. 

But that letter was an annoying thread that he couldn’t help picking. He was tempted to just rip it up, snip the thread and be done with it so to speak. But that would be a bit hasty, wouldn’t it? Maybe Bernard had broken up with him in that letter. Maybe he’d told him a specific day he would be coming, although it had been so many days since Jolly had first gotten it, that didn’t seem a very likely option. Maybe he’d revealed his trick and was waiting for him to read it so he could see Jolly’s reaction and laugh before dusting him. 

How quickly his mind had turned Bernard into a villain. 

But what could Bernard expect? He said he would teleport to Jolly, but instead of doing that, he’d pushed off visiting him for weeks to deal with some vague ‘problem’ at work, writing a few meager letters like that was somehow a sufficient replacement. 

Seriously, what the hell? 

If anything, Jolly felt justified in his anger. Bernard had kissed him senseless, promised him love, then basically ghosted him. The other man was clearly in the wrong here. 

But as Jolly parked his snowmobile and started unloading the supplies, he kept going back to that letter. That last little doubt. 

Or maybe it was hope. 

Huffing at his own inconsistent thoughts, he stomped into his tent and snatched the letter up before beelining it back outside. He’d done two nervous laps around his camp, the letter held tight in his clenched hand, before he stopped abruptly and took a deep breath. 

Might as well just get it over with, right? Read it and then it’ll be done and he can move on from there. Easy peasy. 

Okay. He inhaled slower this time, eyes closing as he willed his heart to steady its panicked beating. 

His fingers made quick work opening it and he immediately started reading. 

‘Jolly,

It’s been over a month now since I’ve seen you. That’s almost a third of the time we’ve even known each other. Far too long. 

I wonder about you every day. I hope you’re doing okay out there. Have you seen Catherine and Crystal anymore? Did you know that Annise and Matteo are together now? Have you seen George at all? Every little thing I hear about them makes me wish I could talk to you about it. 

I love when we learn something new about the bears and your eyes light up brighter than my favorite stars. I love when you go off on one of your rants about arctic wildlife and how people should care more. As if it would be possible for anyone to care as deeply as you do. I love when you get so lost in your research that you don’t even notice I’m there anymore, and I get to just watch you work, so focused and beautiful it makes me want to kiss every inch of you until you can see yourself how I see you. 

I would give anything to be there with you, sweetheart. I’m at my limit here. All I want is to feel your touch again. My heart is in agony without you. I wish I could tell you when I’ll be able to leave the Village, but I have no idea. Until then, know that not a day goes by that I don’t ache for you. 

I’m yours. I hope you’re still mine. 

-B’

The quiet was smothering after he finished. 

His hands shook and his knees threatened to give out. His mind couldn’t hold onto a concrete feeling, let alone a thought. He struggled to swallow around the sobs that were building up in his throat. 

So much for his resolution. 

A familiar flash brought his attention to the white space in front of him. When he’d finally calmed enough to read the letter, he’d unknowingly found himself at the same edge where he’d raged and screamed before. 

Those same emotions bubbled in him now, but they were warring with the sorrow and pain and confusion he’d been pushing down for weeks. And even more confusing were the feelings of joy and elation at reading the letter,  which had swiftly overtaken all the other emotions as Bernard’s handsome face stared back at him from several yards away, having just teleported to where Jolly had thrown the pin the night before. 

Jolly didn’t know whether to kiss him or kill him.

Chapter Text

(March 21, morning)

“Hey, did you hear about Bernard’s secret lover?”

“No way! What happened to Deja?”

“You’re so behind, Duck. Bernard hasn’t been with Deja for over 200 years. His last one was Roger.”

“Woah, he’s bedding Roger? What a twist.”

“No! They broke up too, like a while ago. This is someone new.”

“C’mon, Goose, out with it! Who’s he seeing now?”

“That’s the thing—no one knows. Buddy and Amar heard Noel and Betty talking to the Head Elf himself at the Valentine’s party about his secret lover!”

“How do you know that? You never talk to Buddy or Amar—wait, which Buddy?”

“The one from Stuffing, but it doesn’t matter! Amar told Bob who told Nougat who told Candlewick who told Aliyah who told me that’s what they were talking about. Apparently he was trying to be real hush-hush about it all.”

“Why’s he keeping them a secret? It’s been ages since the Valentine’s party. If there really was a secret lover then they would have gone public by now, wouldn’t they?”

“Don’t know! That’s another reason everyone’s talking about it. Who are they and why is Bernard keeping them a secret? If they’d already broken up, we’d have heard about it by now, don’t you think?” 

“You know what I think?” A harsh voice cut into the two elves’ whispered conversation over their Elfcon consoles. “I think you two need to mind your holly jolly business and get back to work!” 

Duck and Goose jumped hearing their superior’s voice so close, immediately rushing to look busy pushing buttons and twisting knobs. 

Tamika shook her head at the two gossips. This was really getting out of hand. That was the third time she’d overheard someone talking about Bernard’s ‘secret lover’ just today . 

The Head Elf had been reckless, brazenly bringing his human to that party last month. As far as she knew, only Judy and her partner had seen them, but Noel’s big mouth had kicked off the rumor mill that night and now Tamika was sweeping up the pieces. 

She hadn’t given the gossip flying around a second thought at first. It was a Valentine’s party, after all, and whoever her boss chose to bed was none of her concern. 

But then she’d reviewed the Elfcon summary report the following week after the party. 

She was the only one who checked those reports. They were comprehensive and long, automatically printed off from the compilation database by their main computer once a week. 

If there were immediate problems, then a machine would alert the Elfcon team and the issue would be addressed at once, otherwise they were filed away in the database. But all occurrences, whether they were an unexpected visit from a legendary figure or the benign monthly arrival of the supply planes, were summed up in the weekly reports. Surveillance was the name of the game here. 

She was the only one who even saw those reports since they were essentially tedious, low priority paperwork that the computer just spit out in an unorganized mess. But hey, Tamika was thorough. She never missed checking them off. 

Never. 

So imagine her surprise when, a whole week after the party, she noticed some especially odd points in the middle of the report. 

Her mouth hung open as she read through it once, twice, three times before finally comprehending the words printed out on the page. 

-Human male allowed entrance into Santa’s Village by the magical barrier at 11:23 pm, February 14th. Accompanied by Bernard, Head Elf. No threat detected. No alert sent to Elfcon. 

-Human male allowed to depart Santa’s Village by magical barrier at 8:14 am, February 15th. Accompanied by Bernard, Head Elf. No threat detected. No alert sent to Elfcon. 

This couldn’t be real. 

What was he thinking?  

But she’d double checked with the barrier and it had indeed allowed a human passage. Bernard hadn’t done an override or magicked the human in. The barrier itself had let him through. As if he was supposed to be there! 

Tamika decided to look a little closer at this before making any assumptions. She didn’t immediately go to Bernard, watching and waiting a few days before she approached him with her concerns and questions. 

“You want to explain yourself, boss?” she deadpanned once she’d gotten him alone in his office, slapping the report down on his desk with the damning points highlighted. 

He froze, staring at the page for a long moment before steepling his fingers and bringing them to his mouth. 

“Tamika, this needs to stay between us.”

“Good luck with that. Every elf in the Workshop’s trying to figure out who you bedded on Valentine’s. Noel can’t keep a secret to save his chestnuts” She shook her head deprecatingly. “This was dumb, sir. You’re lucky I’m the only one who reads these things.” 

His eyes were hard as he listened to her. 

“I don’t need a lecture, Tamika. Jolly isn’t a threat.”

“You think I don’t know that? The barrier let him in. Beyond that, I did some recon of my own to make sure he wasn’t going to expose us.”

“You spied on him?!” He had the audacity to look upset at the news, hands slamming down onto his desk. Her arms crossed in front of her as she shot an unimpressed look at the Head Elf. 

“For two days, yeah. Listened in on all his communications and did a pretty thorough background check too. He’s clear. He’s a dork, but he’s clear.” He snorted at her assessment of Jolly, despite still looking upset. Tamika smirked, brow quirking upward. “It’s my job, Bernard, remember?”

His curls bounced with the force of his dismissive head shake and he scoffed, joined hands covering his mouth as he leaned forward. 

“I trust him,” he stated, simply. 

Now it was Tamika’s turn to scoff. “Yeah, and now I trust him too. Look, I had to be sure he wasn’t more than he seemed. You have to admit this is pretty out of character for you.”

“I can explain-“

“I’d love if you did.”

He paused, taking a deep breath as he angled his body slightly away and refused to meet the Elfcon Head’s gaze. 

“It seems,” he blushed, burying his face more behind his clasped hands, “that I’ve become heart bonded with him.” 

Tamika’s brows raised high on her forehead, taking a minute to process this new information. 

“Oh,” she said, “Well. That certainly explains some things.”

A wry chuckle left him as he nodded. 

He gave her a quick summary of that night, recounting how the barrier had reacted to Jolly and all about Judy’s involvement. Tamika was still partially annoyed to have missed something this big, but with Bernard and Judy working to cover it up, it was a wonder she’d caught it at all. 

Bernard urged her again to keep quiet about the whole thing, which didn’t make sense to her initially. He was bonded to this human, so of course, if things progressed, then the other elves would eventually find out. 

He said that at first, he wanted to keep things low key between he and Jolly until the human got more used to the idea. He had apparently broken out of his fog the night of the party and realized what they were, but Bernard hadn’t known for sure at the time that was going to happen. He had planned to make an announcement to the elves once things were more serious. 

Of course, Tamika wasn’t sure how much more serious it could get. It was a heart bond—practically as good as a betrothal. But Bernard insisted that Jolly, as a human, needed more time to be sure. After all, his heart didn’t work like an elf’s. Tamika thought this was also a pretty weak excuse. Bernard’s heart wouldn’t have bonded in the first place if the human’s hadn’t allowed it. But whatever. 

Anyways, plans had changed. 

Apparently Curtis was on a warpath. He and Quintin were the hot new couple of the Workshop. The older elves, including Bernard, looked down on them both for committing to a relationship so young and in the same year as two major promotions, no less. They had only just become Heads and they suddenly wanted to start spending extra time together? It was absurd! 

But Curtis didn’t care what Bernard or anyone else had to say about it. He’d dug into the Handbook with gusto and found several rules that vaguely implied something about love and how beneficial it was to an elf’s mindset and work ethic. He’d taken these passages and twisted them into a justification for blowing off duties to hang out with his new boyfriend in R&D. Quintin, at least, seemed keen to keep up the good work he was doing, but Curtis had dropped half of his overseer duties, some of the paperwork organization, and all of the Workshop rounds which left Bernard scrambling to get everything back on track. 

Normally a reprimand from the Head Elf would set the little blonde straight, but not anymore. Curtis was talking back and standing tall, all with that book tucked against his side, ready to whip out some obscure rule to keep Bernard from questioning him. He’d even made a custom leather strap so he could keep it on him at all times. It was beyond frustrating for their overworked boss. 

And apparently, Curtis was now on an anti human campaign. He didn’t think Scott Calvin should be allowed in the North Pole—that no human should. 

This was way outside Curtis’ lane, but nevertheless, he’d begun telling anyone and everyone how incompetent and harmful humans could be. The worst part was, the sentiment was gaining some traction. Evidently, there had been a child named Sara last Christmas who had an extremely bad experience with their new Santa and this was being touted as proof that Calvin wasn’t a suitable replacement. Bernard’s own concerns earlier in the year about the human man potentially not being ready in time to check the list twice certainly weren't helping things. 

Within a week, the Workshop had become divided. Most elves believed Bernard and Judy when they assured everyone that Calvin would be a fine Santa. But some still had doubts and Curtis just kept fueling them, questioning Santa and Bernard at every turn. Things had never been so temperamental around there. 

Once Bernard laid things out like that, it was clear why he thought waiting to tell the other elves about Jolly might be for the best. Human adults weren’t exactly popular right now. 

Technically, Curtis was right—about humans, at least. They were not allowed in the North Pole. That wasn’t being twisted, it was clearly stated as a rule in the Handbook. 

But it was obviously outdated at this point. Their last Santa had hand picked Scott Calvin as his replacement. No one was above the word of Santa, not Bernard, not the Handbook, and definitely not Curtis. But it was sort of a grey area, at the moment. The last Santa hadn’t stricken this rule before he left the earthly plane, so the only one who could possibly go against it would be the new Santa. But since the new Santa was himself a human, it could be seen as a conflict of interest. 

It was quite the hot debate in the Workshop. Noel was beside himself with grief about the whole thing. No one defended their new Santa like him. 

The only silver lining with the whole situation was that Jack had left the North Pole. Winter was officially over in the northern hemisphere, but it was just beginning in the southern hemisphere. So he had taken off down south to work his icy magic there. 

Good riddance—for now, at least. 

She could only imagine the amount of damage Jack might do with Curtis so unhinged and rumors around every corner. 

Speaking of, the low buzz of a whispered conversation drifted past her ear and she turned back to Duck’s and Goose’s consoles once more. 

No matter what she tried, her workers just couldn’t resist the wild speculation of some controversial drama. 

“Hey! Do I have to separate you two?”

(March 22nd, afternoon) 

Bernard glared down at the smug little blonde elf sitting at the opposite end of the conference table, his hands flat on the shiny wooden surface as he leaned over it. 

Curtis always sat at the Head Elf’s right hand during leadership meetings, he was supposed to be his assistant after all. It was little things like this that were piling up and adding to the overall disrespect that Bernard was being shown lately. 

Quintin looked uneasily between his boyfriend and his boss, unsure how to react in the growing tension. The rest of the Department Heads around the table sat stiff in their seats, holding their breaths as they waited for someone to break the icy silence. 

Judy sighed, shooting Curtis a look of disappointment. He actually seemed briefly ashamed at seeing her obvious reprimand, but still stayed seated near his new beau who was looking more and more uncomfortable as time went on. 

She really wasn’t sure where all of this was coming from. Curtis used to practically worship Bernard. And now he acted like he hated him. 

Things had really reached a boiling point after yesterday. 

Curtis had made an absolutely ridiculous claim yesterday evening in front of half the Workshop that because Scott Calvin was human, he was sucking the magic away from any elf who had spent time with him and that was why Bernard suddenly had facial hair. 

Which was the reason for this little emergency meeting. 

Bernard exhaled in a great rush as he stood back up straight and locked his hands behind his back. 

“I think we all know the purpose for this meeting, so I’m just going to get straight to the point: these rumors are getting out of hand and they’re starting to affect Core Operations. This is absolutely unacceptable.”

“All due respect, sir,” Doug, the hot-headed Woodworking Head, piped up with a drawling tone that certainly didn’t sound like it gave due respect, “but if there’s some kind of… issue you’re having, then shouldn’t it be our right to know about it? If you’re, I don’t know, say… turning into a human or something-“

“I am not turning into a human, Doug,” Bernard ground out between his teeth. 

He’d been changing as the years went on; he was Head Elf, after all. Specific duties called him away from the North Pole from time to time. Bernard had been overseeing the Workshop for over 600 years now, and in all that time he’d grown to be one of the tallest elves in Santa’s Village. 

But lately he had been looking kind of different. 

His cheeks were just as rosey, his silver speckles just as bright. But the lower half of his face had begun darkening with a gray shadow. 

Facial hair? On an elf? Simply unheard of and downright disturbing. 

It only added to the confusion and chaos that Workshop leadership was devolving into. 

“But something is going on with you, sir; you can’t deny that,” Edie pointed out, shooting her sister, Tamika, a nervous glance. Edie was a relatively new Head, only promoted last century. She and Tamika couldn’t be more different, and while she was competent at her job, she often got thrown off when she butted heads with her sister.

 And they certainly were butting heads now. 

Edie was sympathetic to Curtis’ concerns, wanting to explore all the possibilities to this new problem. 

Tamika disagreed completely. 

“How is that any of your business, Edie? We still don’t know what kind of effect the magic dead zones have on elves long term. If the Head Elf is experiencing side effects from exposure then that’s between him and Doc Hismus,” Tamika shot back, arms crossed tight over her belly, “The rest of you need to keep your noses out of it.”

“If it’s as Curtis says and this is because the Head Elf spent all that time with Scott Calvin, then we deserve to know!” Doug cried angrily. 

“Hey!” Bernard shouted, “That’s ‘Santa’ to you, Doug. I won’t allow that kind of disrespect here.”

“He’s not my Santa,” Doug returned, “and maybe he shouldn’t be yours either. He’s human .” An ugly sneer twisted the elf’s face as he spat the last sentence like a curse. 

“ Out!” Bernard pointed forcefully at the double doors, fury glinting behind his hard eyes. “ Now , Doug. Get your stuff and leave, right now. I’ll deal with you later. ”

For a beat, nothing happened; both elves just continued glaring at each other in heated silence. Then Doug stood abruptly and gathered his folders, walking briskly to the exit. He tossed a “You’re putting us all in danger, I hope you know that.” over his shoulder and then he was gone. 

Bernard’s eyes closed and he took several deep breaths, lifting his head to address the room once more. “I understand that this is alarming for you all. It’s alarming for me too, believe me . But if the new Santa was the cause for my recent changes, then wouldn’t you think Judy would also have experienced some kind of change? She spent just as much time with him as I did.”

Every head turned to look at Judy sitting at Bernard’s left hand. Indeed, she was as she always had been. No changes whatsoever. 

Edie looked almost reassured at this. 

Curtis snorted, finally speaking up for the first time since the meeting started. “That hardly proves anything. Santa isn’t the only human you’ve been spending time with. What about that man ?” Bernard’s brows pinched as he listened. “Just how much time have you spent with him, huh? You just don’t see it, do you? He’s obviously turning you into a human too.”

“And what proof do you have of that, Curtis?” Betty asked, a challenging gleam in her eye. “There’s never been a case where an elf has turned into a human, that’s ridiculous. Even if we give up our eternal youth, we’re still elves.” 

“Look, I’m not saying he’s doing it on purpose, but what other cause could there be? Bernard spent all that time with him, and now all of a sudden he can grow a beard like a human? It lines up!” he said, smugly folding his hands overtop the table. 

Judy hummed thoughtfully, eyes cast upward as she thought. “Y’know, it’s funny. I had actually noticed some changes in Bernard over a decade ago that made me question some things.”

“What?” Bernard turned toward her. “What changes?”

“Well, it’s not just the hair, is it? Quintin has been affected by magic dead zones as well and is just as tall as Bernard, but he still looks like an elf, doesn’t he?” Several elves turned to consider the normally confident R&D Head curiously. Quintin flushed, looking mortified as he hunched in his seat as Judy continued. “But Bernard doesn’t look completely like an elf anymore, right? His jaw shape, the width of his shoulders—they’re very much like a human male, or even an Olde Aelf, but not like a common elf at all.”

“See?” Curtis sneered, “That’s exactly what I—“

“However,” Judy cut in, “like I said, I noticed those changes years ago. I just brushed it off as my imagination at first, but in light of yesterday’s-“ she glanced at Curtis disapprovingly from the corner of her eye, “-outburst, I went back and looked at some old pictures.” 

She pulled out several pictures from her bag and laid them flat on the table for all to see. Several elves stood to get a better look. 

“These ones,” she pointed at a group of three black and white portrait style photos with Bernard in them, “were all taken between 1920 and 1940. While these,” she then pointed at three other pictures with Bernard in color, “were taken between 1970 and 1980.”

It was apparent what her point was; the black and white pictures showed a regular elf—prematurely tall for his age, like every elf who spent time in the dead zones or who lived long enough to reach that height. And like Quintin, he still had the soft jawline and slim musculature of a common elf man. 

But in the more recent photos, he appeared much like he did now: sharp jaw, broad shoulders, bulkier build all around. He looked like something between an elf and a human. 

Judy gazed at them all unimpressed, as she stated, “I propose that facial hair is simply the newest symptom in something that is happening solely to Bernard for unknown reasons, but which certainly has nothing to do with our new Santa or the human researcher. Not only does it have nothing to do with them, it has nothing to do with any of you either. This is Bernard’s personal business and I suggest we put this matter to rest and afford him the privacy he deserves. Honestly, he’s a wonderful Head Elf. The way you all have turned on him like a pack of unloyal gnomes is disgraceful.” 

Almost every Head around the table had the decency to look ashamed, except Curtis whose eyes glinted with confliction. 

“It could be an exponential thing, though!” he cried, frustration and fear coloring his voice, “We keep having to switch out the recon elves we send down to keep an eye on the new Santa and his son, because the effects of the dead zones are getting so out of hand. Who’s to say this isn’t just the next level in this—this sickness? Maybe with repeated exposure, elves turn into humans! The handbook specifically says ‘no humans are allowed at the North P—“

“Curtis.”

Everyone froze hearing the Head Elf’s voice again, calm and even. Bernard had sat down in his chair at some point, stress showing plainly in the lines of his face. 

“Listen, bud. I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I need this to stop.” The weariness in his eyes was palpable. “Maybe I am turning into a human, y’know? I don’t know! If I did know, I’d tell you all, I can promise you that. But I don’t know. Something is obviously happening to me and it's terrifying, okay? I won't pretend it's not.” 

He tapped a finger forcefully against the table top as he leaned forward, locking eyes with his assistant. “But there is no evidence that the new Santa is the cause. Whether you like it or not, he was chosen for this by the previous Santa and there’s nothing anyone can do to change that. Let it go.”

The chair squeaked as he leaned back into his chair, exhaling as he looked around at all the attentive faces in the room. “Now, as for humans not being allowed at the North Pole. Let’s discuss that, shall we? Obviously Scott Calvin is human. He was specifically chosen to be the next Santa Claus and the Handbook also clearly states that Santa Claus must live in the North Pole. So we have an obvious contradiction there.”

Betty cleared her throat, lifting a hand slightly to gain Bernard’s attention. 

“Yes, Betty?”

“Sir, I’d like to remind everyone of the case of Antonin of Elgebara and Mad Santa.” Several gasps sounded across the room at the reminder of those dark, dark times during the 1600s. At Bernard’s nod, Betty continued. 

“As you all may recall, a rogue Aelf stole the mantle of Santa after forcing the previous one off the earthly plane. For 10 agonizing years we suffered under Mad Santa’s reign, until our Head Elf here-“ she nodded to Bernard, “-with the guidance of the spirit of St Nicholas, found a suitable Aelf to come to the North Pole and take on the title of Santa—none other than Lufodo of Elgebara. Mad Santa was banished, and Lufodo took his place, thus reestablishing the pure spirit of Christmas once more. But that wasn’t the whole story, was it?” 

She raised her brows as one by one she looked at each Head. They watched her intently, some of the older ones nodding thoughtfully at her words. “Antonin of Elgebara was Lufodo’s lover. His human lover. Antonin abandoned his home, his country, and his people , to travel here and help defeat Mad Santa—in fact, if Antonin hadn’t released the caged elves and gotten Lufodo’s saber to him, then who knows how things might have turned out.” Her brows tilted as she emphasized her words with a shrug. Hums of agreement buzzed around the table. 

She cleared her throat and continued. “The Handbook has been around since the first Santa and yet, Antonin lived all his days by Lufodo’s side until they both passed into the higher realm together. He was a beloved hero who deserves our respect no matter what his species was.” Betty sat straight in her chair, tucking in her chin demurely. “Of course, the Handbook is important. Rules are important. I think it’s clear that humans, in general, aren’t allowed here for obvious reasons. But adult humans are not inherently harmful.  There has been an exception to that specific rule in the past, and I think that’s a precedent we should be considering here.” 

“Well said!”

“Here, here!”

Most everyone  around the table looked convinced by her argument. Betty took the praise in with a straight face, blinking at the enthusiastic elves offering their words of agreement. 

“Good enough for me!” said Edie, shrugging with a bright smile. 

“Thank you, Betty, that’s an excellent point,” Bernard nodded, clapping his hands once to bring the attention back to himself. “Well! Does anyone have any remaining concerns about having a human Santa?”

The majority shook their heads as they murmured their assent with Betty’s argument. Curtis’ face was conspicuously blank, but he said nothing more. 

“Great. I urge you all to tell the elves in each of your respective departments about our decision here. If anyone has any remaining concerns, send them to me or Judy and we’ll be willing to talk with them further until everyone’s fears are addressed. In the meantime, keep everyone working and on schedule. We’re falling behind and I won’t tolerate that. Understood?”

“Yessir!”

“Okie dokie!”

“Got it!”

He stood, grinning tightly at them. “Great. Dismissed.”

The Heads slowly trickled out, Curtis leaving first in a hurry, unable to look Bernard in the eye as he passed. Quintin ran after him, concern clouding his gaze as he shot an apologetic look at Bernard before swiftly darting out the door. 

Judy lingered behind. She walked up to Bernard and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. He exhaled, shoulders sagging under her touch. 

“What in the name of Christmas is going on, Judes?”

“I have no idea, but the stuffing’s really hit the fan, hasn’t it?”

“No kidding,” he sighed, dropping back into his chair. Judy sat back down in hers as well, leaning on the table as she listened. “He’s lost his mind! It’s like he doesn’t even care about being Number Two anymore! I mean, I’m sure Quintin’s a perfectly fine elf, but is he worth giving up everything Curtis has been working towards?” 

“I guess,” she sighed, “at least, Curtis seems to think so.”

“I’m trying to be patient here, but he’s really putting me in a hard spot. If he’d just come to me and asked about having more time for his boyfriend-“

“You’d have said ‘no’, of course,” Judy smiled cheekily. 

He snorted. “Okay, yeah. I’d have said ‘no’, but if he’s this insistent, I’d like to think I’d at least consider it. He’s a good assistant, I don’t want to let him go.”

“Maybe give him time, then? He might come around on his own.”

“I don’t know if I have time to give him. Production is behind,” he grimaced, “and I haven’t gone to see Jolly since the party. He’s probably worried sick.”

“What?! You haven’t seen him since—Bernard that was over a month ago!” she cried, eyes wide in disbelief. 

“I know . I’ve been sending him letters but I know it’s not nearly good enough. Curtis has been slacking off on duties for weeks!” He tugged his hat self consciously. “I didn’t think it would take this long to get him back in line.”

She hummed in disapproval, watching him thoughtfully. “Jolly's probably inconsolable at this point. You have a new heart bond with the man, Bernard, you can’t just leave him like that!” 

His face twisted in pain. “What choice did I have? Not only was work piling up, but every eye in the Village has been fixed on me since Valentine’s either to find out who my ‘secret lover’ is or because of this-“ he swiped a frustrated hand across his shadowed jaw. “Curtis asked me point blank after the party why I was seeing Jolly so much. In front of the entire R&D Department!” He rubbed the back of his neck, brows pulled low with worry. “I panicked and said I was doing some last check ups before I left him to it. That I wouldn’t be seeing him at all anymore after that.”

Judy gasped. “That’s why I haven’t seen any more reports about him! You dissolved the partnership?”

“Not officially, no. Elfcon thinks I have, though. Tamika’s running interference for me until I can figure something out, but it’s only a matter of time before someone finds out that we’re still affiliated with the Hale Company.”

“What’s Hale think of this?”

“No idea. I haven’t updated them about any of this either. They’re probably sweating right now too.”

“Gingerbread, what a mess!”

“Exactly. I feel like I’m stuck with not even a chance of a way out,” he exhaled, the sigh turning into a long and low groan as he leaned back in his chair. “I left my pin with Jolly so I could teleport to him whenever I got the chance, but honestly, if I suddenly slipped away, how long do you think it’d take a nosy elf from Elfcon to track me down and find out where I’d snuck away to? With everyone on this anti-human brigade, the last thing we need is to draw more attention to him! This whole situation has gotten so much more complicated than I thought it could. Even if I did manage to get Core Operations back to normal, I can’t risk Jolly's safety.”

“Hopefully these radical anti-human ideas will die down a little now that we’ve addressed it,” she said, voice soft. “Everyone’s all stirred up but I’m sure the dust will settle soon.”

“Not soon enough for me. Maybe not soon enough for him either. I feel two steps from a breakdown and sick to my stomach near constantly, so I can only imagine what Jolly must be feeling at this point.” His eyes were far away and unfocused, heart throbbing with the need to go to his human and comfort him. 

An uneasy quiet fell upon them as each elf was lost in their thoughts. This wasn’t a problem with an easy solution. 

She finally broke the silence after a few minutes. “I heard from some of the elves in town that Catherine was bringing Crystal out into the open for the first time.”

Bernard blinked out of his worried thoughts, coming back to the present with a start. “What? When was this?”

“Sometime last week. They’re hunting seal around the eastern flatlands, apparently.”

“Nutcrackers, I’m missing it! Jolly’s probably over the moon-“

“He might not know. That area’s outside his jurisdiction, isn’t it? And,” she gave him a sly eye as she ducked her chin, “he probably would want to wait for you to join him, anyways.” 

He exhaled deeply. 

“I wish I could go see him, but what can I do? His safety is everything to me. And really, there’s just too much that needs to be done around here.” A huff of frustration filled the air as he roughly rubbed at the stubble in his face again. “And I’m going at it practically alone now!”

“Let me help!” she offered. “Noel and the others don’t need so much one on one time anymore, so my schedule’s wide open. I’ll take on the duties Curtis isn’t doing and you can go see Jolly.”

“But what if-“

“Who cares what if! Don’t you think it’s more suspicious to avoid him completely? So what if the elves think the partnership was dissolved, you need to go check in with him again because you’re the Head Elf and you say so!” She reached over the table to clasp his hand. “Bernard, I’ll take care of it. I’m gonna talk to Tamika and get her up to speed. Then I’ll push for us to ‘partner’ with the Hale Company again and say it’s cause I want the polar bears to appear in the upcoming Earth Day festival. If anyone pushes back I’ll just keep insisting that I need to consult an actual polar bear expert on a few things beforehand for the safety of the bears.”

“You don’t have to do that, Judes.” His eyes looked hopeful despite his words. “I don’t want anyone giving you a hard time.” 

“I’d like to see ‘em try!” she quipped. “I’m a big girl, Bernard, I can handle it. Plus I get to put the bears in costumes and maybe get them to do a dance number. I’ve been wanting to give that a go for years.” Judy shook her head in amusement. “Now, I don’t want to hear another word about it! I can see how much you miss your little human and I’m sure he’s beside himself at this point. Here,” she pulled a notepad out of her bag and handed it to him, “make a list of what needs to get done tonight for Core duties and I’ll take care of them after I talk to Tamika.”

His hand was a blur as he wrote out the list, feeling only slightly ashamed that he hadn’t fought harder against her on this. “You have no idea how much this means to me, Judy. Thank you.”

“Of course. Now go see him!” She shooed him with her hands after snatching the pad back and looking over the list he’d written. It was a lot but it was doable, especially if she got Belle and some of her friends in Wrapping to help. 

A sharp, excited grin was the only reply she received as he took off out the door, an extra skip to his step that had been missing for several weeks now. 

She smiled at his excitement. This may not be the smartest decision he’d ever made, but he was her dearest friend and she was going to help him in any way she could. 

Now… she’d better get started on those duties.

Chapter Text

Jolly had no words for the emotions welling up inside him at seeing Bernard again after so long. Whatever he felt was hot and acrid, crawling up his belly into his chest to burn deep and scarring. 

Bernard looked as bad as he felt. 

The circles under the elf's eyes were even darker than the scruffy shadow on his face. Hunched shoulders were tense when he first arrived but gradually relaxed the longer he stood there looking at him. 

Jolly's own posture was softening with relief at finally being able to see him again. The acidic churning in his stomach that had plagued him for days and days had dissipated, his headache rapidly easing. The sore muscles and joints he’d been trying to manage, so inflamed and painful lately, calmed immediately as if his body were suddenly cushioned in a soft, plush blanket. 

Instant comfort and contentment.

Bernard's eyes drank him in like a man lost in the desert, mouth pulled into the sweetest, gentlest smile Jolly had ever seen on him. 

Before he knew it, Jolly's legs had stumbled toward him completely without permission. He tripped through the snow, eyes locked with Bernard's as the elf rushed toward him as well. They met somewhere in the middle, and Jolly buried his face in sweet dark curls. 

Tears spilled over his cheeks, running rivers into Bernard's scarf. Jolly really couldn’t have controlled the sobs ripping from his throat if he’d tried. 

Bernard's whispered assurances were unintelligible to him, half words and phrases cut off by the kisses pressed into the human's hair. 

Pine and nutmeg filled Jolly's lungs, and he greedily sucked in that comforting scent as he returned with his own kisses, pressing chapped lips into dark curls, pointed ears, stubbled cheeks. 

His eyes had slipped close at some point but he felt everything so clearly. Bernard's arms strong and solid around his back, a sharp jaw between his palms, and then—

Lips pressed desperately against lips. 

Bliss. 

Their noses bumped together in their haste, but neither of them seemed to care, teeth clashing briefly as well before they settled into a steady but frantic rhythm. 

The wetness on Jolly's cheeks was cold and sobering though, and he broke away, blinking more tears as he pulled back. 

Bernard was a wreck with his red rimmed eyes and disheveled hair. 

Devastatingly beautiful. 

But while Jolly's physical ailments had left him, the emotional storm rolling around in him had only grown at finally seeing his partner again. He pulled away from Bernard's embrace. The elf reluctantly released him, hands slipping up to rest near Jolly's waist as he sighed a deep, steadying breath. 

Jolly had so many questions, one swimming at the front of his mind for just a second before two more drowned it out and so on. Not a single coherent thought managed to solidify in his mind as they stood there staring into each other’s eyes. 

A rumbling growl broke them out of their daze, neither sure who it had come from exactly. 

“Are you hungry?” Jolly blurted out before he could think better of it. Bernard swallowed and nodded wordlessly. With numb legs, Jolly led him back to camp, pulling out a couple of ready made rations for them to eat. It was certainly a testament to how little he’d eaten the past several days that it actually tasted decent to him. Bernard looked similarly content as he wolfed down his food in an uncharacteristic display of haste. He must have really been hungry too. By the time he’d finished, Jolly still had half his meal to go. 

Bernard placed the food container down and moved around the fire to where Jolly was sitting on the deployable cushion they often used as a couch, settling flush against the human's side and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. His dark head rested lightly against Jolly's as they both relaxed against each other, staring silently at the fire. 

Jolly's lower lip trembled as he swallowed the bite in his mouth, pausing in his meal as he considered what would come next. After what felt like hours, he finally worked up the nerve to break the quiet. “Why did you just leave me like that?” he asked brokenly. 

“I didn’t want to, I swear,” Bernard whispered, both of them still staring at the fire. “Everything has been falling apart in the Workshop. I just couldn’t manage to get away.”

A long moment passed still and quiet. Tense. 

“What was the problem?” Jolly asked, voice now muted and emotionless. A large part of him was still expecting something nefarious from Bernard. Whatever explanation he had wouldn’t be able to undo the damage he’d done. Jolly's jaw clenched just thinking of the many possibilities for the long absence his mind had tortured him with these past weeks. 

“My assistant, Curtis—he’s gone completely rogue. He dropped most of his duties and I’ve been scrambling to keep things going. We were struggling before with all hands on deck but now,” he sighed, deep and slow, “now we’re drowning.”

“You couldn’t have teleported here for just a minute to explain that yourself?” The spite in Jolly's  voice made the elf flinch and he almost felt bad. Almost. 

“Curtis has been on this anti-human campaign,” he started. The arm wrapped around Jolly felt more uncomfortable and heavy as he spoke and he had to resist the urge to shrug it off. “He called me out for seeing you so much in front of a whole department. I panicked and said Morozko wasn’t working with the Hale Company anymore so I’d just gone to wrap up some things with you before dissolving the partnership. It was a dumb thing to say, I know, but he’d already been making the elves so nervous about humans by then, I just kind of blurted out the first excuse that came to mind. He’s making all these assumptions and spreading them around like they’re facts and now half the elves are convinced humans are evil and somehow causing my new hair growth-“

“Wait, what? Is that true?” Jolly's head turned, leaning away from Bernard's own to look him in the eye. “Is it because of me that you have a beard now?”

“No,” he shook his head, eyes never leaving Jolly's. “We’ve already proven that whatever is going on with me has been happening slowly for decades now, long before you were even born.”

Jolly's stomach clenched uncomfortably at the reminder of how much older he was. It hadn’t bothered him too much before, but now it just further reminded him of the power imbalance between them. His brain unhelpfully reminded him that Bernard could dust him at any time. He took a shaky breath and shoved the thought away. 

“So why is it happening then?”

“We don’t know,” he answered, “but Curtis has a good chunk of the elves terrified that human contact will make the same thing start happening to them. I didn’t want to draw anymore attention to you while this was going on. I’m sorry I didn’t come see you sooner, but I was afraid of what it would look like.”

Jolly's heart begged him to accept the explanation, but his mind just couldn’t. 

So Bernard had stayed away to protect him, huh? Pretty convenient. 

“Are you embarrassed of me, Bernard?” He ground out between clenched teeth, eyes stuck stubbornly to his food. 

“What?! No!” Bernard's hand came up to Jolly's cheek, urging him to look back at him. “Jolly, it’s not like that at all. I would tell everyone in a heartbeat if I could.”

Sure he would. 

Jolly's eyes cut to the side, refusing to meet his as the pain and heartache of the past few weeks came back to the front of his mind. The relief and comfort Bernard's presence brought was a balm to the human's hurting soul, but he had too many questions and fears to just move on like nothing had happened. “So what was all the secrecy on Valentine’s for, then?”

Bernard winced. “Look, at the time, we weren’t sure if you’d notice that we weren’t human and-“

“How could I possibly not notice?” Jolly cried, furious eyes blazing as they met his. “Judy and Belle had their ears out like it was nothing, and you didn’t even try to hide those pictures!”

Bernard's hands fell away and his posture tensed. “And you still might not have noticed!” He laughed incredulously, brows tenting together in frustration. “You could have come up with some elaborate explanation for it in your mind to explain it away just like you did with all the unusual extremely not-human things about me. I conjured firewood and gloves and skis out of nowhere. You saw Dancer fly. My name is Bernard Evergreen—you said yourself it sounded like an elf name!” 

“Well, sorry for wanting to take you at face value, I guess!” Jolly huffed, lip curling. 

“Jolly,” he sighed frustratedly, “that’s not what I meant! I’m not trying to say you should have noticed sooner, I’m saying that this is what human adults do in the presence of magic.” His hand waved through the air as he talked, emphasizing his words. “It’s just an automatic response that you can’t help. The point I’m trying to make here is that you could have just as easily stayed ignorant of magic even after seeing our ears.” 

“But you were gonna ask me to be together that night anyway, right? So then, why not just sit me down and prove that magic is real instead of waiting until I figured it out and had a fucking panic attack?!”

This wasn’t the point of this conversation, really. Jolly knew that. But now the floodgates had opened and he just couldn’t help but nitpick every little thing Bernard said that didn’t make sense to him. 

Those dark knowing eyes slipped close as Bernard took a deep breath, shoulders heaving with the effort. After a beat, he answered. “Seeing isn’t believing—believing is seeing.”

Sheesh. 

And Jolly thought he was the cheesy one here. 

“So what the hell does that mean?” he deadpanned. 

“It means that even if I showed you everything, if you didn’t believe it then you still wouldn’t see it.” Sincere eyes twinkled at him, pleading for Jolly's understanding. “You just weren’t ready to believe me. Just like how you still aren’t ready to believe in… Santa.”

Jolly's heart sunk at the sound of that name, a whimper pulled unbidden from his chest. He placed the food container he’d been gripping down on the ground near his feet, nausea rolling through his stomach as his mind struggled with what was just said. 

Okay. Maybe he kinda saw what he meant there. 

Bernard's gaze softened. “I wouldn’t have hid you at all, but I thought you needed more time to get used to everything first. The elves,” he sighed exasperatedly, a reluctant note of fondness at the edge of his voice, “they can be a lot, trust me. The last thing you'd want while still coming to terms with the existence of magic would be to have to deal with hoards of nosy well-wishers.” Jolly allowed him to reach over and grab his hands, the gesture warm and comforting. “I promise you, it was just bad timing. I’m not embarrassed of you, Jolly. Not at all. I love being with you.”

The thumping in Jolly's chest had dulled to something more manageable, the blood rushing in his ears no longer so distracting. But where the rage he felt before had dimmed, the fear and sorrow remained. 

“And what happens when that changes?” he asked wearily, pulling his hands out of Bernard's grip. “And when you eventually realize that I’m not worth all this work? You’ll dust me and move on, and there’ll be nothing I can do about it, right?”

Bernard's brows pulled low, baffled eyes squinting. “Wha—dust you? I’m not going to dust you!”

“You might,” Jolly intoned, eyes sliding away despondently. He swallowed around a trembling breath. 

“Jolly, no! I’m not going to do that,” he insisted. 

“But you could. And there’s nothing I can do to stop you. Don’t you see how terrifying that is?” Tears shone in Jolly's eyes again as his words got gradually faster and more panicked. “You’re so much older and more experienced and gorgeous and magical and I’m just me! Just Jolly! I’m so pathetically human,” he sucked in a wheeze that got stuck in his throat, voice thick and wet, “there’s nothing I could do to stop you from erasing my memories or even my existence if you wanted to!”

Bernard's expression was equal parts hurt, confused, and disturbed. “Do you really think I’d ever do that?” he whispered into the space between them. 

Jolly's face twisted into a pained grimace as he fought to keep holding the elf's heavy stare. Bernard looked so wounded that Jolly would say that, but it was the truth, wasn’t it? 

Jolly swiped a coat sleeve across his eyes, clearing his throat uneasily before he replied. “I don’t know, Bernard! We really haven’t known each other for very long, have we? Is that something you’d do?” He shrugged, mouth pulled tight into a straight line. “I mean, you said before that if I wanted to break up, I’d be dusted and that was that. But what if you want to break up? Then what? You wouldn’t even need to tell me cause I’d forget anyways. So I’m just meant to live my life in fear that at any moment, you could dust me once you inevitably realize that this isn’t going to work out.” 

“Stop, stop.” Bernard's hands lifted placatingly to pause the frenzied avalanche of fears Jolly had suddenly unleashed. “You’ve completely misunderstood what I meant. I told you about dusting so you’d feel more at ease about this whole thing, not to make you even more afraid! I just wanted you to know about it, so if you decided you didn’t want to be with me, you could go back to a normal life—that it was an option for you if that’s what you chose. But Jolly, I would never dust you if you didn’t want me to.”

“B-but,” he stuttered, “but no, you said it was to preserve your secrecy!” Jolly's hands twisted restlessly at the edges of his sleeves. 

“That is what dusting is normally for, yes,” Bernard nodded. “When a child wakes on Christmas Day and sees something they shouldn’t, when someone spots a sleigh flying through the night, or when a particularly perceptive person starts asking why the new kid in class has pointy ears, a quick dusting saves everyone a lot of trouble. Humans can go crazy seeing one little display of magic and believing it with no other proof or explanation. It’s cruel to leave them like that.” His hands cupped Jolly's shoulders, rubbing them gently as he faced him fully. “But for you and many other humans who know about magic, it’s not some accidental slip up. You’re in this world too now. If you don’t want to be with me and you also don’t want to be dusted, then that’s okay!” A hesitant smile broke through the tired expression he wore. “I hope that if that was the case, though, we could at least still be friends.” 

So… he wasn’t going to just dust him out of nowhere? Jolly was officially part of the magical world now and… it was completely his choice if he wanted to stay there or not? 

Something in his chest that had been winding tighter and tighter as the days went on slowly started to unravel. A cloud of air partially blinded him as an exhale of relief rushed out of his lungs and into the cold air. The warm hands cupping his shoulders squeezed once and some of his lingering tension evaporated. 

“Really?” Jolly asked quietly, another tear slipping down his cheek. 

“Really,” he answered, just as quiet. “Now,” Bernard's hands squeezed his shoulders again before dropping as he peered at Jolly sternly, “don’t think I’m just going to ignore that you somehow believe I’m ‘inevitably’ going to leave you. Cause that’s not going to happen, okay? Maybe I’m just completely misremembering in my ‘old age’ but I could have sworn I explained heart bonds to you. I’m dedicated, Jolly. I’m here for the long haul. And you can be sure that I am because you are, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Jolly whispered. “I am.”

Bernard grinned at the reply, dark gaze holding his so sweetly that Jolly felt like he might cry for a whole other reason. Bernard's palms cupped his cheeks and his lip wobbled. 

“What your heart feels, my heart feels. That’s why they bonded in the first place. You don’t need to be afraid that I’ll suddenly change my mind. I won’t. I never will.” His thumb wiped away a stray tear on Jolly's cheek. “The only reason I mentioned dusting was so you’d know you still have a choice here. You don’t have to stay with me, and your feelings are your own. If you decide you don’t want to be with me for whatever reason, then our bond will dissolve and that’ll be the end. But I’ve already made my choice, okay? And I choose you.”

Bernard's saccharine words were everything Jolly was craving to hear for so long, but the ache in his chest remained. 

His explanations were understandable to a degree, but it didn’t really make Jolly feel any better. Like his anger, the sorrows and fears he’d had sitting cold in his belly were suddenly gone, as if Bernard had plucked them away with his own hand. 

In their place now was a numb, nameless feeling that stole the emotion from Jolly's face and made the elf's dark eyes look more inhuman and frightening than they ever had before. 

“You still could have come,” whispered Jolly, “just once. Just to explain. You wouldn’t have had to stay long.” Blank eyes watched dispassionately as the warm tenderness slipped away from Bernard's expression. “Can you honestly say you were so convinced that the elves would notice you gone for just five minutes? Really?”

“I was constantly being watched, Jolly, I couldn’t just-“

“I don’t believe you.”

Chapter Text

“I don’t believe you,” said Jolly, heart twinging only once at the pained grimace overtaking Bernard's handsome features. “As you’ve so aptly pointed out, I’m human. You can’t just put me down somewhere to go fuck off for awhile and expect to just pick things back up again when it’s convenient. A month might not be long for you, but it is for me, Bernard.” 

Bernard's jaw clenched and he blinked, taken aback. The hands that had been cradling Jolly's face and neck had slowly been slipping away as they continued speaking, but now at his final declaration, they fell from him completely. Bernard leaned away, chin dipping towards his chest as he averted his gaze back to the fire. 

Jolly watched him cautiously. He wanted so badly to just take his words for what they appeared to be, to let himself be reassured of Bernard's good intentions. But they’d never had a serious fight before, had they? They’d never really had a reason to. Professional boundaries were easier, simpler. Personal boundaries were another bear altogether. Polar and vicious, with more at stake than a simple difference of opinion. 

It was important to Jolly to know how Bernard would handle this. Whatever the elf claimed, he still could hurt him, quite easily in fact. If Jolly wasn’t mollified by his excuses, then what? Would he force him to accept what he claimed was the truth or would he actually put his money where his mouth was? 

Anyone could say anything, after all. But actions were more deafening than any declaration of love or good will. 

“You’re right,” said Bernard, words stilted and deliberate. “I guess I was worried it wouldn’t be enough for me to just pop in for a short time. That it would be more painful to see you knowing I’d have to leave so quickly. So I thought staying away completely would be better… easier,” he sighed, eyes still fixed on the flames in front of him, “but you are human, I know. And that wasn’t fair to you.”

Jolly's frown pulled lower, Bernard's dejected words falling like a stone on the numbness of his mind, rippling the calm surface. 

“No, it wasn’t fair,” he bit out, “And that’s a huge part of the problem right there, isn’t it? This-“ he waved his hand back and forth between them, “-isn’t fair. It’s not equal at all. You hold all the power in this relationship because I’m human. That’s not fair to me.”

“I don’t hold all the power, Jolly,” dark eyes sparked again with frustration, “you do have a say! How many times do I have to tell you,” he dragged a hand roughly through his locks. 

Jolly's nostrils flared at his companion's sharp tone. “Just because I have a say in whether or not we stay together or if I keep my memories, doesn’t mean we’re equals here! Maybe you wouldn’t dust me out of nowhere. I don’t know why you’d lie about that, so I’ll just have to trust you I guess. But that doesn’t change the fact that you still have so much more power than me in this relationship.”

Bernard shook his head and opened his mouth, but Jolly immediately cut off whatever he was going to say, plowing forward as his anger reignited. 

“You do, Bernard!” he cried. “Don’t pretend you don’t! You left me here with no way to even contact you—that shows perfectly what I’m talking about here. There was literally nothing I could do but wait for you to decide for us both that it was the right time to come see me.” His fists clenched in his lap and he saw Bernard's eyes flickering down to watch them as the elf turned away from the fire and back towards Jolly. “That’s not fucking fair. We’re obviously not equals here and you acting like that’s not the case isn’t going to change anything.” The crease between Bernard's brows cut even deeper as he listened, and he swallowed heavily. Jolly's fists shook with how tightly they were clenched now. “You made the decision for both of us, Bernard. I never got a say. How can you think there’s no power imbalance when there clearly is and you clearly used it to get your own way?”

For a painfully long time, no one spoke. Jolly stared at Bernard's tense face, fists twisted up in the edge of his coat. After a few minutes, when Bernard didn’t even move, let alone speak, Jolly exhaled and forced himself to turn away, leaning back on the couch to watch the fire. 

Something about the ever changing flames dancing over the coals was hypnotizing. His mind wandered, switching from frenzied thought chains to blessed static and back again and again. His anger would burn bright and hot until the numbness would douse it for a while. Was Bernard really that dense or was he being purposely obtuse? He may not think of himself as having power over Jolly, but he absolutely did. Denying it was useless and downright offensive. 

“I don’t know how to fix this, Jolly,” Bernard's voice broke through the quiet, startling him out of his spiral of thoughts. “I’m an elf. You’re human. I can’t change that.”

“I’m not asking you to,” he said, quietly. 

“So then, what? What do we do?” Bernard shrugged helplessly, lashes hiding his eyes from view. “Elves are stronger than humans and here at the North Pole, I’m always going to have more power than you. So does that mean you want to leave me?”

“No,” Jolly whispered, “I don’t want to leave you.” He sighed heavily, a groan mixed in the sound that broadcast a bone deep weariness. “I guess, I just want you to acknowledge that we don’t have the same amount of power here, and… I want us to try to equal it out as much as possible.”

Bernard finally raised his head again, looking Jolly in the eye with an interested spark. “How?” 

“I don’t know, Bernard,” answered Jolly, exasperation warring with the fatigue evident in his voice, “I don’t have all the answers. I just know that this isn’t fair and if we want to continue being together we have to at least try to make it fair.” His eyes searched the air for a moment before he nodded to himself and continued. “We can start with finding a way for me to contact you when I need to, so I’m not just sitting here helpless, waiting for you to come to me.”

“Okay,” Bernard said, mirroring the nod with his own, “Yeah, we can do that.”

“And I want an apology,” Jolly added with a stern jut to his chin. 

“I said you were right before.” Despite his words, Bernard's tone wasn’t argumentative, just confused. 

“But that’s not an apology,” said Jolly, giving him a significant look with raised brows and wide eyes. “You never actually said you were sorry.”

Dawning realization lit Bernard's face, and he nodded again, measured and conceding. “You’re right. I was selfish, and I hurt you when I said I wouldn’t.” He sighed, jaw subtly trembling as his eyes slid away from Jolly's. “I think I just let my own worries about work get the best of me and I…” he paused, throat bobbing as he seemed to struggle with his internal thoughts for a moment, “Jolly, I’m so, so sorry. I told you that you had a say, but I didn’t act like it.”

“No, you didn’t,” he said bluntly, shoulders only starting to relax once he heard his apology. “You can’t just leave me out of the loop like that, okay? We’re a team. We have to trust each other.”

“I do trust you.”

“Prove it, then,” said Jolly, sighing at Bernard’s chastised, attentive face. “Don’t just decide for the both of us what’s right.”

A long moment passed while he seemed to absorb the human's words. “I will do better, I promise,” he said, gaze finding Jolly's again. 

They stared at each other for a long tense moment before Jolly spoke. “You promised before.”

“Yeah,” he winced, regret hanging heavy on his brow, “I guess I did.”

Jolly's lip worried between his teeth as he took in his partner's hunched shoulders and tired eyes. Bernard honestly looked exhausted. Jolly's stern expression softened with a short exhale, his own shoulders dropping completely as he realized that much of his anger had gone away with his apology. Clearly, the elf was trying here, and whatever his intentions or actions, Bernard truly didn’t mean to hurt him. For Jolly, that mattered. 

And anyways, Jolly wasn’t completely blameless here either. He could admit that. Bernard may have fucked up, but when Jolly hadn’t heard from him in awhile, he made a lot of assumptions about Bernard's character that weren’t exactly kind. It had already been apparent long before this incident that Jolly had some trouble accepting his affections as sincere. Bernard knew that about him, but he never took it personally. Because Jolly's insecurities were never really about Bernard, were they? They were about Jolly, himself. 

There were obviously some larger trust issues that they both needed to work on. 

“Maybe I can believe in magic now,” he said, voice soft and gentle, “but I think it’s still going to take a while for me to believe in you. For now, though,” Jolly dipped his chin, eyes peering up through his lashes, “this is a start. I’m sure there’s more we’ll have to figure out as we go, but it’s like you said, I am dedicated to you too. So as long as you can tolerate me, I wanna try to make this work.”

Bernard's face twisted with confliction, hand raising to cup his cheek. “I do more than tolerate you, Jolly,” he said, thumb swiping slowly over the curve of Jolly's face. “I wish I could make you believe that.”

“Maybe someday.” Jolly blinked through the tears suddenly blurring his vision, shocked at the feeling of moisture on his cheeks again. His heart lurched with feelings that he hadn’t allowed himself to have during the last part of their conversation, all of it hitting him again now that his anger had been properly acknowledged and put to rest. The sorrow, the fear, the frustration, and the relief of it all dripped from his sparkling eyes, little hiccups encouraging their descent. 

Bernard dutifully wiped each one away, dark eyes watching expectantly. Jolly wasn’t sure why, until he noticed the urge to say something had made his mouth fall open without yet having the words. 

His brain felt sluggish and unsure, so he let his wounded heart speak instead. 

“I just,” he began, staggered words coming out between hitched breaths, “don’t understand why you’d want to be with a human. We’re nothing special, y’know? Not compared to elves.”

A deep sigh left him and Bernard shook his head. “That’s not true, Jolly.” Gears were clearly turning as his eyes darted over to some unseen thing on the horizon. The corner of his mouth twitched as he thought and the expression was so charming, Jolly felt his stomach flutter with fondness. “Humans are the main drive of creativity in this world,” said Bernard, looking pensive. “Elves may have longevity but humans are innovators . Judy told you a little about what her job is, right?”

Jolly blinked, and thought a beat before answering. “She said she was in charge of morale?” 

Bernard's hands slid down Jolly's face to his arms and all the way to his hands again. Jolly’s eyes followed the motion down to their joined hands as Bernard spoke low and slow, the murmur of his voice settling his anxious mind. 

“Sorta. She’s Head of the Spirit Department. She and the elves who work under her make up half of the Workshop. Core Operations—what I’m technically in charge of as well as being Head Elf—is the other half. Core takes care of building toys, tech, security, scheduling, logistics, and everything else that could possibly go into making this whole thing come together. But Judy’s Department is just as important. They take care of making sweets and treats, creating art, singing songs, planning festivals, dancing, and anything else that bolsters the Spirit of the elves. Elves need Spirit to do our jobs. But that Spirit doesn’t just come out of thin air! So where do you think we get it from then?”

“Humans, I’m guessing?” Jolly blinked. “But why? How?” One of Bernard's hands released his and he took the opportunity to wipe the remaining tears from his cheeks. 

“Elves have experience and can become experts at many things over our long lives but the flip side to that is that we’re slow to change our ways and aren’t very good at coming up with new ideas. We would still be stuck in the dark ages of art, philosophy, and technology if it weren’t for humans.” 

Although Jolly kept his eyes down, gaze darting back and forth between their hands and the fire, he could still see Bernard’s one free hand gesturing wildly as he talked from his peripheral. A tiny smile pulled on his lips at the sight. 

Bernard continued, “Y’see, we elves use human creativity by monitoring the human world and its advances. Judy’s got a whole team of over 100 elves whose only job is to discover new music, recipes, art, ideas in the human world to put into their Spirit work. Everyone in the Workshop then takes that Spirit and uses it to make amazing toys for human children. And when children receive those toys, they pour their love and belief and magic into them. The magic born from that makes us stronger, and the kids themselves get an extra boost of creativity that starts the cycle all over again.” 

“Woah,” Jolly murmured, eyes following the flickering fire as he listened. “So that’s what all this is for?”

“Well, that and just general good-will. Children are wonderful no matter what species they are and they deserve to feel like someone somewhere out there is thinking of them, y’know?”

A throb in his chest almost left Jolly breathless. The sincerity of the sweet sentiment Bernard shared was almost enough to make his tears fall once more. “Bernard…” 

He felt the elf scoot closer until their knees were touching, Bernard's stray hand returning to the tangle of their joined fingers. 

“Listen, humans are wonderful in their own right. Elves aren’t inherently better, okay? Just because you aren’t magical doesn’t mean you aren’t still amazing. And you are, Jolly.” A thumb rubbed the back of Jolly's hand, and he startled, looking up into Bernard's eyes. The expression he wore was so patient and kind. “You’re amazing. I’ve never met such a beautiful person in all my years. You care so much about the land, the bears, and your fellow humans. That’s why you’re even up here, right? Because you care?” Jolly nodded stunned and Bernard grinned, pressing on. “And not only that, you’ve taken the next step past caring and you’re actually doing something to make a change. It’s people like you that are gonna do real good in this world, Jolly. So don’t think you’re nothing special, okay?” He lifted their joined hands between them, placing a soft kiss on the back of Jolly's wrist. “Cause to me, you absolutely are.”

A shiver ran up Jolly's arm from where Bernard's lips had brushed his skin, leaving fire in its wake. The relief of their candid conversation was quickly overtaking any remaining fear or sadness he felt. Gratefulness and something dangerously close to love bubbled up alongside the relief, filling his heart and spilling over into his belly and limbs leaving his whole body buzzing with euphoria so strong he could feel himself shaking.  

A stuttered breath past a wobbling lip, and then he was suddenly in Bernard's arms again. A startled grunt escaped the elf at the weight unexpectedly flung into his lap, but his arms came up to cradle him nonetheless. Bernard leaned back into the cushion and Jolly shifted his weight so he was fully laying on top of him. The slight difference in height made the position somewhat awkward, but neither seemed to care. 

Jolly's cold nose nuzzled into his neck and Bernard chuckled at the sensation, but the sound died on his lips when he felt moisture dripping onto his skin. 

“Hey,” he murmured, low voice vibrating the sensitive shell of Jolly's ear as his lips brushed against it, “you’re still crying?”

“I’m sorry, I know I’m being so weird right now. I’m not usually this emotional, I swear.” Jolly’s body shook and his voice was thick. 

Bernard rubbed a soothing hand up and down the human's back, his own breathing shaky. “Me either, but we can blame that on the bond. Have you been feeling sick at all lately?”

Jolly nodded into Bernard's hair. Bernard's answering sympathetic hum made his whole body buzz even more. “So that’s from the heart bond?” Jolly asked. 

“Yeah,” he said, “we’re not supposed to be apart this long when it’s still so new. Judy’s taking care of things for me today, but you’re right, we’ll need to figure out a better way to see each other from here on out.”

Jolly leaned back in his lap, meeting his eyes with a small sniff. “You said that you couldn’t teleport before because you were afraid the other elves would know, but won’t they know now?”

“We can thank Judy for that too,” he said, “She’s going to say that she needs your expertise on polar bears for an upcoming party. That should give us an excuse to keep in contact a few more times at least.”

“Is the partnership with Morozko really dissolved?” he asked, worry pinching his brows. 

Bernard tilted his head back and forth a bit, before answering. “No… well, not officially. But most of the elves think it is. I’m really not sure what I’m going to do about that, yet.”

“Please don’t actually dissolve it!” Jolly pleaded. “Hale needs that funding, and if Morozko suddenly breaks away, they’re gonna blame me.” 

“I know, I know,” he sighed. “I’ll figure something out, okay? Don’t worry. For now, let’s just focus on how we can see each other more often so this won’t happen again.”

“Could I, um,” hesitation stalled his words, a blush blooming on Jolly's cheeks as he shyly avoided Bernard's stare. “Could I maybe just come to your house? I mean,” he rushed his words out, hands playing restlessly with the ends of Bernard's curls, “I don’t want to impose and it’s totally fine if you’re not comfortable with that, I just figured if you can’t come to me then—“

“Then you can come to me instead?” His smile was sweet and open, making the little lines at the corner of his mouth that Jolly was so fond of more pronounced. “Yeah, I think that’s a great idea! It’s nice and private and no one would give it a second thought if I spent time there. We’ve officially addressed the elves’ concerns about humans today, so hopefully things will ease up enough that we can introduce you to everyone soon. In the meantime, we’ll just meet at my place.” 

Jolly's heart thumped hard in his chest at the casual declaration of his partner's intent to eventually bring him in fully to his community. Bernard was adamant before that he had plans to do so, but still, the reminder was more than welcome for Jolly's still somewhat worried mind. 

In an effort to match his casual energy, Jolly asked the question he’d had on his mind for weeks now. “And I’ll get to use that shower of yours again, right?” He was half joking but not so secretly hoping the invitation was still open. 

Luckily, Bernard chuckled easily at his obvious eagerness. “Of course. I’ll draw you up a map and directions so you can come by whenever you want, okay?” His fingers fluttered over the edge of Jolly's hood, pushing it back to reveal the hair underneath. He began playing with the edge of it, twirling a lock with a serene expression on his face. 

“Okay,” Jolly breathed, obvious relief in his voice. After a second, he leaned forward to give Bernard a tiny peck on the cheek, relaxing into his embrace. His nose found its way up under Bernard's chin and the elf laid out fully on the couch, letting Jolly’s weight settle warm on top of him. 

Being in his arms again was bliss. Jolly's heart practically sang, every muscle in his body melting to the sweet touch. For a moment, it was enough to make him forget just how badly Bernard had hurt him the past few weeks. 

His fingers twitched with a sudden urge. 

He slowly inched his hand up into Bernard's hair, taking the opportunity to pull on his bouncy curls a few times. At his soft amused snort, Jolly let his hand creep further through the jungle of his locks to his pointed ear, fingers rubbing the edge mindlessly as he reveled in his embrace. 

Almost immediately, he felt Bernard's own hand move into Jolly's hair, palm passing over the curve of his skull to his muffs, slipping underneath the protective wear to remove it like he had Jolly's hood. After setting them aside, his hands returned to him, fingers exploring Jolly's ear with just as much curiosity as Jolly had with his. Shivers raced up the human's spine at the gentle touch. Bernard's hand was large and warm, thumb easily able to make a full loop around the curve of the outer shell several times before pulling playfully on Jolly's lobe. 

Jolly grinned into his neck and let himself pull Bernard's lobe in response. The answering chuckles were a welcome sound, the musical tones underneath bringing Jolly such comfort at the familiarity of it all. He couldn’t resist letting his palm slide up and over to the elongated part of Bernard's ear to rub the sensitive tip, a smirk playing on his lips as he anticipated the reaction to come. 

Bernard's chuckles cut off with a soft inhale, the consequential exhale huffed into Jolly's hair as he turned his head towards him, pointed ear bumping further into his touch. He kind of reminded Jolly of a cat at that moment and he fought giggles at the thought of it. Bernard's ear began twitching at the onslaught, his legs shifting restlessly beneath Jolly as his hand let go of the human's ear to grip at hair instead. His fist tightened its hold at the fine hair at Jolly's nape, not enough to hurt, but enough to evoke flutters low in Jolly's belly. 

The playful flirting was welcoming and familiar, but something about it felt off. As much as Jolly was curious about where things might go, this wasn’t the time or place. They’d only just made up, after all, and while he had forgiven him, he still felt sore about the whole affair. The reminder was a bucket of cold water dumped on his heart, but he tried not to dwell on the chill it left him with. 

He released Bernard's ear, hand slowly slipping down until it was on his cheek instead, the stubble on Bernard's jaw pleasantly rough beneath his palm. Bernard's arms squeezed him round his middle and they settled into a comfortable stillness. 

“So are you letting this grow out?” Jolly asked after a long moment, fingers rubbing pointedly against Bernard's cheek. “It’s almost an actual beard at this point.”

“Ah, well, no, not exactly,” he said, hand moving across his chin to scratch at the new growth there. “I just haven’t really had the time to learn to shave properly, so it takes me a long while to do it. That’s time I just don’t have to spare these days, so I haven’t bothered for a while now.”

Jolly tsk’d, raising up to face him, shaking his head. “You gotta practice your technique if you wanna learn!”

“Can’t practice technique when I’m still in the trial and error phase,” Bernard shrugged. 

“Trial and error?” he blinked, “What do you mean?”

“Nobody really knows how to shave in the North Pole. There’s hairdressers of course, but elves like longer hair in general so even they had no clue how to use a razor. I’m kinda learning as I go here.” One side of his mouth lifted in a half smile that froze warily as Jolly eyed him with an unreadable twinkle in his gaze. 

Uh oh. What was this human planning? 

“Bernard.”

He gulped. “Yeah?”

Jolly smirked, the twinkle in his eye now decidedly mischievous. “You want me to teach you how to shave?”

Bernard blinked. “Um…”

Chapter Text

“So in one of your letters, you asked about George,” Jolly said, fiddling with his electric stovetop. “Do you guys have any idea where he’s gone? Because I lost track of him a while ago and I’m really starting to worry.”

Bernard watched through the mirror as Jolly poured the hot water from his kettle into a bowl and brought it over. Jolly had set them up a little makeshift boutique in his tent with his hand mirror and shaving supplies. The mirror was hanging by a crude rig on the tent wall near where they’d usually put the deployable cushion. It was too much trouble to drag the cushion back inside, so they ended up just setting a few layers of blankets on the ground tarp. 

“We don’t,” Bernard replied. “I was hoping you had some idea of where he is, actually.”

“No clue,” said Jolly, Bernard watching him shake his head in the reflection of the mirror. “I’ve been combing through the camera footage but it’s slow going on my own.”

“Want some help?” Bernard offered. 

“Please,” Jolly looked up at him, making eye contact through the mirror while he set the razor and extra towels beside the bowl, “that’d be great.”

When Jolly had whipped out a brand new razor and cream, Bernard had been intrigued. He really didn’t mind body hair on humans, sometimes it was quite attractive in fact. But when it came to his own body, Bernard felt incredibly self conscious about the new addition. 

He wondered if Jolly liked chest hair or not. 

A clean rag was dipped into the warm water before being wrung out. “Ready?” Jolly asked, handing him the rag. 

“I guess so.” Bernard tentatively dabbed at his cheeks, chin and neck while Jolly went to crouch behind him. He pulled his hat off and set it aside before gathering his hair in his hand, taking care that all the stray pieces were pulled back before using a clip to pin it in place. 

“Huh, you should wear your hair up more often. It looks nice like that!”

It really did. 

Bernard’s sharp jaw and pointed ears were on full display; the cut of his features in the lantern light was stark in a way that reminded Jolly of a Baroque oil painting. Quite lovely. Jolly gently traced the edge of his ear with a feather light touch and they twitched. He chuckled at the sight, leaning over to give the ear a kiss, unable to resist the urge to wrap his arms around Bernard’s shoulders for a half hug. 

Jolly’s eyes cut up to peer at him through the mirror and he was pleased to note the spark of warmth in that tired gaze. The longer they were in each other’s company, the better they felt, both physically and emotionally. Jolly’s body had felt immediate relief when Bernard had first appeared, nausea and headache disappearing altogether. The exhaustion still remained however, not as easily fixed as his other maladies, although he felt like he could actually relax now that he was with him again. 

Talking through everything together had helped immensely with his tumultuous emotions, but his heart still felt a bit sore after everything was said and done. Bernard assured him that was a normal reaction to a strained new heart bond and it would heal up no problem if they spent the next few hours together. 

Already, Jolly felt like the previous few weeks had been an overreaction on his part, even though Bernard was adamant that wasn’t the case at all. Heart bonds, maybe somewhat obviously, were not always ruled by logic. 

Either way, Jolly found he had no real desire to try to control his feelings, going with whatever impulse struck him at any given moment and hoping things would stabilize soon. He nuzzled into the hair behind Bernard’s ear, breathing him in deep. Another compelling feeling swept through him, and he couldn’t resist dragging his lips across the ear down to the lobe to give it a quick nip. Dark eyes glazed over as Bernard’s breath stuttered. 

Success. 

Jolly would never stop being grateful for Bernard’s sensitive ears. 

But then like a chaser, here came the sadness to quell Jolly’s flickering desire and remind him that Bernard had all but abandoned him for weeks on end. Sure they had talked; feelings were known and apologies accepted, but Jolly still was pretty upset with him. The bond may want them to cozy up, but he needed more time before he could just move past it. Bernard had a lot of making up to do, honestly. 

Jolly swiftly leaned back once the growing ache in his chest became too much, and saw Bernard stiffen in response. Hot then cold—he knew it must be hurting him for Jolly to be so easily affectionate with him one moment, then distant the next. Part of him felt bad, but another deeper part felt satisfied every time Bernard looked hurt or guilty. 

Jolly scooted up by his side, grabbing the can of shaving cream as he went. There wasn’t much more to say between them. Bernard knew how he felt. Best just to try and move on and hope that the hurt would heal in time. 

“Okay, so here’s what you do,” Jolly began, enthusiasm a bit forced in his voice. “Take this cream and rub it over wherever you want to shave.” A hefty glob spewed out onto his hand and he rubbed it between his palms before starting to cover Bernard’s cheeks with it. 

A flinch wracked through the elf’s body almost immediately. “It smells terrible,” he said, nose crinkled in distaste. 

“What, really?” Jolly blinked, “I think it smells pretty good.”

“It reminds me of flowers but fake,” he said, the twist of his lip becoming more pronounced as he spoke. “And chemicals.”

“Huh,” Jolly said, “well I can’t really disagree with you there. Actually, I noticed a lot of your shower stuff didn’t really have a scent to it. Do elves prefer more natural smells or is that just you?”

“Elves have better noses in general.” As if to demonstrate, he leaned away from Jolly’s hands as they tried to apply cream to his upper lip, nose scrunching dramatically. “We don’t cover ourselves in perfume like humans do cause it would just mask what we really smell like.”

“And that’s… bad?” said Jolly, confusion evident in his voice. 

Jolly used one hand to cup Bernard’s cheek and keep him in place, while the other smeared white across his chin. He squirmed some but ultimately let the human apply cream where he needed to. “Smells are unique to each person,” said Bernard, “so yes. It’s bad. It would be like walking around with a bag over your head. How’s anyone supposed to know who you are?”

“Okay…” Jolly said, using a finger to even out the layer of cream and make sure it covered all the stubble, “we’re probably gonna have to just chalk this one up to a species difference cause I don’t get that at all.” He paused, a strange look coming over him before he spoke. “Wait, what do I smell like? Is it bad and fake?”

Bernard shook his head, a glob of shaving cream dripping off onto the towel around his shoulders, making Jolly tsk in light reproach. “No,” he answered, “you kinda smell like your soap which isn’t as strong as most humans, fortunately.”

“Ah, yep,” he nodded. “That makes sense. It’s a special soap provided by the station. The last thing you want as a researcher is to wake up to a bear sniffing around.”

Bernard hummed lightly before continuing. “That’s not what you actually smell like, though.”

Jolly sprayed a little more cream in his palm and started going over the stray spots here and there that weren’t as thickly distributed. “So what do I actually smell like then?”

“Like fire and salt,” he said. 

Disgust twisted Jolly’s features and he reeled back to look at him properly, offense clear in his expression. “Ew, what? That doesn’t sound good at all!”

Bernard blinked. “Why not?” 

“Cause,” he scoffed, “nice smells are like sandalwood or patchouli, y’know?”

“But you aren’t a plant, you’re a person. You smell like a person.”

Jolly dunked his hands in the bowl of warm water to wash off the excess cream before grabbing a spare towel. “Well, you smell like pines and nutmeg and those are great smells!” he said, cheeks tinged pink and irritation starting to creep into his tone. “Fire just means I smell smokey and salt doesn’t even smell like anything.”

“You only think I smell like that because it’s what your brain is translating my smell into, though,” Bernard said, patiently. “So it’s the same with how you smell. Your scent just makes me think of fire and salt.” His eyes caught Jolly’s in the mirror again, dark gaze smoldering. “Delicious.” 

The effect was significantly lessened by his now fluffy white cream-beard. 

Jolly snorted and gave a light hearted nudge to his shoulder, unmoved by his amorous attempt. Tension effectively broken, Bernard chuckled, eyes catching on his reflection in the mirror. He froze for a long moment, features falling gradually into a somber disquiet. 

“So what now?” he asked, eyes wide and unsure. 

“Now, you shave!” Jolly replied, hand waving toward the mirror with some gusto. “You go down with the direction your hair grows so you don’t get ingrown hairs—but some people do go against the grain. It just depends on how sensitive your skin is and how close of a shave you want. Oh! And make sure you rinse the razor after every swipe.”

Bernard seemed frustrated as he took all this in, eyebrows pinching as he examined the razor in his hand. 

“Can you show me first?” he asked, voice small. 

“Sure!” Jolly chirped, “Give it here.”

After handing over the razor, Bernard sat up straighter, blinking a couple times to steady himself as he watched through the mirror. Jolly gently turned his face so he could have a better angle to reach his cheek. “I’m gonna recommend we just go with the grain cause your hair is really curly and that could mean you’re more prone to ingrown hairs.”

“Whatever you think is best, I guess,” Bernard said, throat bobbing as he swallowed nervously. 

“Okie dokie!” Jolly briefly grabbed his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze before returning his attention to the stubble. “We’ll see how you like it when it’s done.”

Carefully and methodically Jolly swiped the razor across Bernard’s face, being extra cautious around the sharp edges of his jaw and chin. It was strangely intimate and somewhat flattering—the trust he placed in him to do something so personal for him was touching in a way. Sure, it was just a demonstration because he'd never done it before, but still. Jolly didn’t know how willing he’d be to have someone so close to his own face with such a sharp instrument. 

After making a clean stripe down his cheek and neck, Jolly dunked the razor into the warm water, giving it a shake to wash off the excess cream. With a flourish, he presented the razor to Bernard once again. He still looked nervous, but took the razor in hand anyways and tried his best to copy what Jolly had done with the rest of his face. 

He was shaky around the edges of his jaw and on his neck, needing Jolly’s help with a couple spots that he felt were too difficult to tackle himself. For the most part, Jolly was able to talk him through the process, although the whole thing took more time than either one had expected.

A whole hour passed before his face was all shorn, cleaned, and lotioned. He tilted his freshly smoothed face this way and that, looking at it from all angles in the mirror with a critical eye. 

“Will it always have that gray shadow?” he asked, dissatisfaction hard in his gaze. 

“Yeah, most likely,” Jolly nodded, lightly rubbing Bernard’s cheek before pushing a stray lock of coily hair that had escaped its tie back behind his ear. “Even if we got a closer shave, your hair is so dark that it’ll probably still look like that.”

Bernard sighed, eyes drooping. “I guess I’ll just have to get used to it.” 

A sympathetic half smile twitched up on Jolly’s face as he watched the elf stare dejectedly at himself. He rose up a little higher on his knees to be level with the now smoothed cheek, giving it a quick peck as he wrapped his arms around Bernard’s neck. Jolly nuzzled the side of his cheek before turning slightly to look with him in the mirror. “You look great no matter what, Bernard.”

Bernard’s eyes were still tinged with sadness, but a half smile was pulled from him at the sweet words. 

“Thanks, Jolly,” he murmured. 

They cleaned up the space together, Jolly gathering the materials he used into a little care packet for him to take with him for when he tried by himself at his house. Bernard’s general disposition was very down, a tenseness hanging on his shoulders Jolly knew was from him still coming to terms with the changes to his physical body. While Jolly didn’t think there was anything wrong with how he looked—quite the opposite, in fact—he understood that it must be disturbing to look in the mirror and see someone you don’t recognize. 

This was all obviously quite hard for Bernard. While the ache in Jolly’s chest urged him to comfort his partner further, the lingering bitterness from their conversation stubbornly held him back. His emotions were so back and forth right now, the whiplash was jarring. 

Hopefully Bernard’s cheer would return if they kept busy. 

“Okay,” Jolly said once everything had been tidied away, “should we get started on that footage? There’s no way we’ll finish it all now, but we could get a decent chunk done before you need to head back for the night.”

“Actually, I think we should put that on hold for now,” Bernard said, facing him with an excited grin. “I’ve got some news.”

“Oh, yeah?” he asked, head cocked. “What is it?”

“Catherine brought Crystal out into the open,” he revealed, grin stretched wide across his face. He squirreled away the shaving kit Jolly had made up for him in his leather satchel, looking back up abruptly when he felt a hand clamp onto his forearm. 

Jolly’s eyes were bright as bells, his grip insistent as he asked, “Really?”

“Really,” he said, letting his palm rest overtop Jolly’s. “And I know exactly where they are right now.” Releasing his hand, Bernard lifted the arm Jolly still held, his wrist gleaming when the lantern light hit his snow globe watch. He typed something in on it swiftly, nodding once to himself before looking back up at his companion. “Wanna go see?”

The hand on his arm gave a happy little shake, Jolly’s smile as bright as his eyes. “You have to ask? Let’s go!”

—

His hands burrowed deeper into the folds of Bernard’s cloak, arms locked tight around his middle. Rather than go to the trouble of Bernard directing him to the right location, they agreed he should just drive Jolly’s snowmobile himself. 

Usually Jolly was adamant that it was registered to him and him alone, so he was the only one who could drive it. Bernard would often tease him for the unnecessary strictness while they were working together, and eventually the elf started bringing his own snowmobile just so he could drive places himself instead of constantly side riding. 

But this time Jolly didn’t say a peep to argue the suggestion. 

It was obviously a bait. Bernard had been trying to get them to fall back into their normal banter and playful teasing, but Jolly just wasn’t having it. He was civil, of course, even good natured. But his temper was quicker than normal and there was a stern, unrelaxed manner about him that neither one of them quite knew how to shake off. 

For Jolly, the excuse to not think for a while and just let Bernard direct the vehicle while he snuggled up against his warm back was perfect. Just what Jolly needed—the comfort of having Bernard close without the risk of his face or words making him upset again. When they had gathered the supplies for this excursion and started loading up, Jolly had noticed every inch of space between them as they moved around the camp. It was like a rubber band was looped around them both and where one went, the other felt like they needed to follow. 

The bond wanted them close so it could heal. 

Pressing his face into Bernard’s back now, Jolly felt nothing but contentment and relief, the rubber band providing plenty of slack for him to feel comfortable. The stretched feeling he got whenever he moved away was borderline unbearable and he hoped it would ease up soon. 

They parked the snowmobile at the edge of a jagged ice tower, making sure the vehicle was carefully hidden from the majority of the flatlands beyond. Polar bears might have allied with the elves, but Catherine was still a new mother. The last thing they wanted to do is make her think they were threatening her baby. 

Bernard led, staying close to the wall of a snowy hill with Jolly just a few steps behind. 

A stiff hand was thrown up, making Jolly pause as Bernard seemed to spot something ahead of them just around the bend. After a minute of tense stillness, he looked over his shoulder at him, anticipation sparkling in his eyes. 

At his beckoning wave, Jolly came to stand beside him, camera at the ready. 

He poked the lense around the corner of the hill and there on the flatlands, was Catherine. A little white fluff ball was running circles around the bigger bear, snorting and stomping. 

Normally these would be prime hunting grounds. Seal came here because of the holes in the ice—they were perfect for little seal babies who still couldn’t stay underwater for quite as long as their parents. But Catherine didn’t seem to be hunting at the moment. She would sprint in one direction then look back at Crystal, watching as the little cub chased after her before turning to sprint in another direction once Crystal caught up. The pair did this a few times before Crystal took a running jump and leaped onto her mother, the larger bear falling over in pretend defeat. The sound of bear grunts and chuffs echoed all the way over to where the human and elf were hiding. 

“Oh wow, she’s so big already!” exclaimed Jolly, in a raspy whisper. “We were thinking she was probably born around mid December; looks like we were spot on.”

“December 18th, to be precise,” Bernard said, the low hum of his voice carrying over the wind. 

“She’s so cute!” Jolly said, a high lilt to his words. “Just look at that face—anyone would melt seeing those fuzzy ears.”

“I never get tired of seeing the new cubs,” Bernard mused. “I remember when Catherine was a baby—absolutely adorable. There was this one time that she jumped into a pile of snow face first,” his breathy laugh was just as musical while muted, “her little legs were kicking all over the place!”

Jolly snorted at the visual. He was unable to take his eyes off mother and cub, the sight of their playful wrestling a balm to his heart. Baby animals were endless entertainment, their big eyes and sweet faces a cure for any emotional ailment. He felt the rubberband of the bond slacken more as Bernard stepped closer up behind him, the elf’s heat radiating onto his back and sending a pleasant shiver up Jolly’s spine. Crystal rushed her mother again, but stopped short to sneeze, the force of it causing her to fall back onto her bum. Catherine stretched her great neck out to boop her nose against the baby’s, snuffling in reassurance. 

Jolly couldn’t keep the cheesy smile off his face. They were just too cute! He looked back at Bernard only to see him with an equally wide smile on his handsome face. But he wasn’t watching the bears, no. 

He was watching Jolly. 

Once he realized Jolly had looked back at him, his features schooled, gaze promptly directed back to the bears. The human’s heart thumped hard, something bittersweet welling up inside his chest that threatened to spill out of his eyes. 

Just when he was feeling better, a sweet look almost destroyed him all over again. Bernard really did lo—like him. Jolly could see it in that brief unguarded look. Something about his sincerity was a welcome relief, but the sentiment was burning hot. 

It was a hearth with a crackling fire, comfortable and warm. But the closer he got to it, the hotter his skin burned. 

As nice as it was, it hurt. 

Jolly swiveled his head around, abruptly cutting off that train of thought and returning focus to the bears. A discretely shaky breath was turned into the wind, but the cloud of air that came with it was certainly noticeable. His arms were starting to ache from keeping the heavy camera steady, but it seemed like the bears were settling down from their fun anyways, Catherine urging her cub to follow her as they headed out into the flatlands. They were most likely off to hunt. 

Jolly swallowed, lowering the camera and watching the bears as they gradually got smaller the farther into the distance they walked. Without the bears, he was left with nothing else to act as a buffer between him, Bernard, and the still sore feelings they held. 

—

They packed the camera equipment back onto the snowmobile and started the drive back to camp, Bernard riding shotgun this time at Jolly’s insistence. 

“So how’s Tiny Dancer?” Jolly asked, not able to take much more of the dense silence that had fallen over them. 

A subtle stiffening of the arms around his middle told Jolly that he probably wouldn’t like the answer. “Oh, well,” Bernard started, the warmth of his breath on Jolly’s ear a little ticklish. Jolly angled his head away making a small noise of annoyance and Bernard paused. 

He didn’t have to say a word. Jolly knew he’d been hurt by him moving away just then. Jolly’s hands tightened on the handles of the vehicle, but he didn’t otherwise react, unwilling to address it if Bernard didn’t. 

And he didn’t. He continued after a long tense moment, “Actually, I haven’t seen her. I’ve been too busy.” Impressively, he managed to keep his voice even and casual, but the fact that he sounded so unmoved actually lit Jolly’s anger once more. 

“So it wasn’t just me you abandoned then,” he bit out. 

Bernard didn’t answer. He might not have even breathed with how still he went. Guilt immediately churned in Jolly’s stomach. 

“Sorry, that was uncalled for,” he muttered. 

“What can I do, Jolly?” Bernard said back, voice a soft murmur. “Please, if there’s something, anything I can do to even just start to make it up to you—scream at me, call me names, anything— just let me know. I know it’ll take time, but if there’s something that would make you feel even a little better right now, then let’s do it.”

“I’m not going to scream at you, Bernard,” he said. “I don’t know, dude. I’m sorry, I know you apologized and I promise I do feel a lot better about everything. I guess I’m just-“ his mouth opened and closed a couple times while he thought about how to articulate his thoughts. “I guess I’m just being petty. That’s on me, you don’t have to do anything more.”

“You aren’t being petty, Sweetheart,” he said, the nickname making Jolly’s breath hitch and heart stutter. “I know things are still… kind of tender right now. So listen, I know I don’t have to do anything more, but I want to. If there’s anything you need to feel better, just let me know, okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered, not caring if Bernard actually heard him. 

Camp came up fast, and they pulled up into the outer area a few yards away from the main fire pit area where he normally kept the snowmobile parked. Bernard swung a leg over and quickly climbed up, starting to head towards the tent. Jolly stayed sitting however, watching his retreating back with a numb detachment. 

His shoulders were wide and strong, the curls at the back of his neck brushing them as they swayed with his gait. From this angle, Jolly couldn’t see any of the more obvious signs of his exhaustion. He looked as he always did, perfect and beautiful. Strange and magical. 

Poor Dancer, Jolly mused. Deprived of Bernard’s company for so long. He knew how the reindeer must be feeling. Dancer was such a sweetie, she didn’t deserve the cold shoulder—even less so than Jolly. Dancer had known Bernard way longer than he had. 

God, Bernard was such an asshole. He couldn’t even find time to walk down to the stables and see his four legged friend? Really? 

Cold hit Jolly’s finger tips and his first thought was that he’d forgotten his gloves again in their haste to go see Catherine and Crystal. His next thought was that the weird numb mood he’d been in the past couple hours had given way to a white hot fury on Dancer’s behalf.

And finally he realized the cold in his palm was a densely packed snowball that he’d unconsciously formed and had poised to launch at Bernard’s broad back. He watched dumbly as the ball burst into a shower of sparkling snow dust, unsure when he had actually launched it. 

Bernard froze, head raising slowly from where he had been watching the ground as he stepped carefully over the strewn research equipment and instruments. Jolly blinked and those dark eyes were suddenly facing him, burning with mischief and a smidge of anger. 

Another blink and a snowball was flying in the air towards him. Jolly collapsed against the seat of the snowmobile, only barely managing to avoid getting hit before scrambling off the vehicle to hide behind it. 

What was he doing? 

Jolly wasn’t so out of it that he didn’t realize that picking a snowball fight with a Christmas elf of all creatures wasn’t exactly wise. He hadn’t even seen Bernard make that snowball.

But that didn’t stop him. Jolly started making as many balls as he could, although in his haste, they were more like lumps. The sound of snowballs hitting his snowmobile was constant and he wondered how Bernard managed to make and throw them so quickly. 

There was a pause in the assault and Jolly cautiously peeked over the edge of the snowmobile, immediately getting smacked in the face with snow. Pushing through the shocking cold, he launched a lump at Bernard. It fell pathetically short and the elf paused to watch it, a beat passing before he erupted in snickers. 

He had a pile of perfectly round, beautifully formed snowballs stacked into a pyramid beside him. Somehow, he’d been able to make them while also steadily throwing them at Jolly’s hiding spot. 

Yeah, so Jolly was definitely nowhere near a match for him in this. Of course not. That still wasn’t going to stop him, though. 

He threw two more lumps which also missed. One actually wasn’t too far off however, hitting the ground next to Bernard’s boot with a splat. Bernard’s snickers grew into full blown laughter and Jolly’s face burned. The human whipped around to his sad mound of half made snowballs, gathering a few clumps into his arms and running out from behind the snowmobile, throwing them as he went. 

Bernard watched in amusement as he missed every shot despite being much closer to him now. Jolly flung out his arms wide, letting the remaining snow fling towards him. Bernard took a half step back, smugly shaking his head at the display, but Jolly never faltered, running wide around him and beelining to his pile of snowballs. 

By the time Bernard realized his intention, it was too late. He whirled around, crouched, and started rapid firing Bernard’s own ammo at him. His aim hadn’t improved, but the shape of the snowballs certainly made things easier. While several still missed him, two of the balls actually did manage to hit Bernard on the shoulder and the hip as he backed away, laughing still. 

His laugh was joyful now, caught up in their fun instead of mocking, and Jolly was surprised to find that he was giggling with him. Neither of them had any cover to hide behind now, but it didn’t matter. Jolly continued to miss, every once in a while making his shot, while Bernard continued to hit one after another, never anywhere more serious than the arm or leg though. He actually was missing some of his shots which Jolly felt immensely tickled by since it was every 5th shot exactly . He wasn’t sure if Bernard knew he had noticed or not, but his heart swelled nonetheless at the attempt at mercy. 

Whatever this had started as, it wasn’t about winning. They both knew Bernard could beat him. 

After a while of lobbing at each other, Jolly would grab his remaining snowballs and rush him. Bernard would feign terror and retreat to a new spot, leaving behind a huge pile of snowballs for Jolly to start up with all over again. 

They continued like this, getting further and further away from camp and each other as they went. Eventually Jolly’s throws slowed, huffs of white breath clouding the air thickly in front of him as he slouched further into the ground snow. His crouch slid until he was seated, heaving as he sporadically threw snowballs when he managed to catch his breath, but none of them landed anywhere close to Bernard anymore. 

Bernard’s shots had long stopped coming. Jolly eyed his remaining snowballs and considered the merits of one last rush before he called it quits himself. His legs were cold and numb, his lungs screaming at the frosty air forced inside them so raggedly. But as he sat and calmed his erratic breathing, he felt it. 

That rubberband pulled tight between them.

Bernard was the farthest away that he’d been since arriving, sitting quite a ways out into the snowy landscape. Jolly lazily glanced behind him and noted that camp was pretty far away from them. It was still visible, but he hadn’t realized just how far out their play had taken them. 

He looked back at Bernard, but he was too far away to gauge his expression properly. Jolly imagined that he must be feeling similarly to himself right now. 

And how did Jolly feel at that moment? The anger that had sparked this whole thing had long fizzled out, the sadness and fear muted but still there in the edge of his mind. 

But overall, he just felt an overwhelming fondness for him. For Bernard, his sweetheart. The elf who was so kind and patient with him and his feelings, who had listened to his fears and accusations and taken it all in stride. Who had told him multiple times that he knew he’d messed up and didn’t expect that Jolly would just get over it and forgive him like that. Who had told him he would do anything to start to make it up to him. Who had told him he was in it for the long haul, his dedication not just pretty words, but definitive action. 

Jolly had no more tears to cry, but if he could, he would. 

With a dry half sob, half gasp, he struggled to his feet and took off towards Bernard, the pressure of the rubberband hurrying his steps. As he got closer, the elf’s face became clearer. His eyes shined with hope, his lips parted around his own shallow pants as he watched Jolly with tented brows. 

Neither knew exactly what they were going to do when Jolly reached him, but breath bated, they both welcomed whatever happened. 

Just so long as they were together. 

Chapter Text

With only a few feet left between them, Jolly fell to his knees. The icy ground slid him right into Bernard’s arms, knocking the elf flat on his back. His chest fit snug against Jolly’s, and his arms automatically tightened around his waist. 

For a long moment, they just held each other and breathed, Jolly’s nose buried in dark curls. Then after what felt like hours of peaceful stillness, a hum broke the silence, its lovely buzz resonating in Bernard’s chest and out to Jolly’s.

After just a few notes, Jolly recognized the tune, a smile lighting up his face. Before he could say anything, the hum turned into more as Bernard exhaled the lyrics into the evening air. 

“But the prettiest sight to see~ is the Jolly that will be~ on your own~ front~ door,” the last syllable was whispered, his nose tracing the round shell of the human’s ear before he pressed his lips to the side of Jolly’s jaw. 

A trembling sigh escaped Jolly at the contact, his fingers tangling up into Bernard’s hair and under his hat. He felt it slip free, although with how the elf was situated, it didn’t go far. The scent of pine and nutmeg filled Jolly’s nostrils as he reciprocated the gentle nuzzling, nose dragging over Bernard’s smooth cheek until their lips were next to each other. 

Jolly’s head rocked from side to side ever so slightly, his moistened lips brushing Bernard’s with the barest hint of pressure—a caress more than a kiss. Bernard’s eyelashes fluttered but he kept his gaze locked on Jolly. The peppermint that wafted as he exhaled made the human’s head swim. 

“Jolly?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to watch the sunrise with me?”

Oh, right. It was March, wasn’t it? The only sunrise of the year in the North Pole would be happening in just a few hours. 

The long night was officially coming to an end, putting winter in the arctic to rest. Spring was here and the sun would make its debut very soon. Once the sun had actually risen, it wouldn’t set again until September. Jolly had gotten used to the constant night, but he had missed the sun dearly. The stars were beautiful company, but nothing beat the mood boost from a clear sunny day. 

He’d really been looking forward to it. 

Actually, he meant to ask Bernard at some point to watch the sunrise with him anyways, maybe even make a date of it. But well, things hadn’t worked out that way. 

Or maybe they had? 

Really, the important thing was that Bernard was here now and so was he, and soon enough the sun would make three. Might as well enjoy the dawning day as it was instead of lamenting what it could have been. They wouldn’t have the chance again until next year after all. 

He began shifting his hands up underneath himself, palms flat on Bernard’s chest. Once he had lifted himself up enough to put some space between their faces, he replied. 

“I’d love to.”

—

They knew the exact location the sun would be rising, Jolly from his education and Bernard from experience, and together they rearranged the campsite to better watch it. The deployable cushion was pushed up against the left side of the tent, the entrance partially covered by their couch setup. Bernard dragged out extra sheepskin and throws to make it more comfortable, even adding some bedding from Jolly’s cot. The fire was a little farther away now but the couch was fully supported and, with the extra layers, perfectly warm. 

Sunrise wouldn’t actually take place for another few hours, but they would be ready when it did eventually happen. 

Not long after they’d gotten everything situated, Jolly received a message from Dr. Branson that shook him to his core. He’d been putting his superior off for awhile now while he dealt with Bernard’s, and George’s, disappearance. It seemed as though Dr. Branson had reached his limit of patience with the silence, however, sending Jolly a very pointed message.

Jolly was officially at risk of losing not only his arctic assignment, but also his position at the station. Reading between the lines, Jolly guessed that if Hale found out Morozko was cutting ties then he’d be dropped from the company completely. 

All his years of hard work and sacrifice flashed before his eyes, the thought that it all would be gone so easily making him sick to his stomach again. 

Bernard was silent as he read the message over his shoulder. His presence was bittersweet, the company appreciated after missing him for so long. But the message was a sharp reminder of why Jolly had been so upset with him to begin with. His actions didn’t just affect their relationship. His career was on the line. 

He liked Bernard a lot, but nothing was more important to him than his mission. If Bernard got him fired, he’d never be able to forgive him. 

“I can fix this,” Bernard muttered, turning away from him and fiddling with his snow globe watch. 

Jolly watched him, curious. “What about Curtis?” he asked in a small voice. 

“He can get jingled for all I care,” the elf growled, keeping his focus on whatever message he’d typed up. “It’s not like he keeps up with our human partnerships anyways.”

“You have other human partnerships?”

“Sure, why not? Human organizations can be great allies sometimes.” He finished typing his message, sending it off with a final flourished push of a button. “There. Hale should be happy with that. I’ll just make sure Judy and I are on the same page when I get back.” Seeing Jolly’s look of doubt, he continued. “Really, Jolly, don’t worry. Judy and I will make sure everything works out. That’s our job, remember?”

“Yeah, I guess,” he relented. After a beat, his gaze softened. “Thanks, Saint Bernard.” 

A gentle smile met his whispered words, those dark eyes simmering with such fondness that Jolly felt momentarily breathless. 

“Any time, Jolly Boy.”

The foldout table that acted as Jolly’s desk sometimes was too tall to use while sitting on the couch, so they got some seats from inside the tent and gathered the camera and tapes that he’d been looking through, setting it all up outside. When the sky lightened more, they would move to the couch and wait for the sun to make its appearance, but for the moment, they wanted to try and see if they could find George in any of their recent footage. 

Bernard was quick and dexterous, much more so than Jolly was, speeding through the footage until he found a clip of George from last month. Jolly noted the bear’s location and the date while Bernard started going through the tapes chronologically from there. His fingers were a blur, expertly pushing buttons and twisting knobs as his elvin eyes took in the sped up footage, combing for any sign of George. 

When they had first started working together, Jolly had to show Bernard how to use all of his equipment. Which made sense now, of course. Bernard’s tech was often blended with magic, so relying on something completely man-made would be foreign to him. 

But damn, he was a quick learner. After just a few times of showing him how things worked, he was practically an expert, working the equipment even faster and more competently than Jolly did with his years of training. 

He was thankful for Bernard’s help. They would be going through everything at a much faster rate now. Bernard would tell him the time stamp, date, and location whenever he saw George, and Jolly would write it down in a list. He kept everything organized in order so they had no trouble going from one tape to another seamlessly. 

“Next sighting at 3:17 pm, March 2nd. Camera 4, the underpass,” said Bernard, already ejecting the tape and replacing it with another from the stack. 

“Gotcha,” Jolly nodded, scribbling it down. 

After several minutes had passed with no further word, Jolly looked up from his notes. Bernard was still concentrated on the small screen on the recorder, brow furrowed and a frown pulling at his lips. The pop of the tape ejecting startled the human, but Bernard didn’t pause in switching it out for another and speeding through that one as well. 

Jolly’s eyes slid to the elf’s hands, so steady and as lovely as ever. His nails were clean and trimmed as always, but shorter than he remembered. Huh. Of course they would be; it had been a while after all. They had been getting a little long when Jolly had last seen him. 

He really had a thing for his hands in particular. Every part of Bernard was beautiful to him, but those hands always seemed to make his heart stutter when he really got caught up looking at them. Long fingered and lovely, the way he so confidently moved them always made Jolly’s mind wander to certain possibilities . 

“Damn, your hands are pretty,” he said, face completely straight. “You know that, right? Like, you seriously have some banging hands.” 

Maybe it was working side by side again that had finally switched a flip in his mind and made him want to return to their old teasing way of talking to each other—candid, no judgment, saying whatever silly thing they wanted. He missed it honestly. It was strange to have spent the past several hours together, to have done and said so much, but have this key part of their relationship be so noticeably missing. 

Bernard snorted at his words, a smirk flickering on his lips. “Thanks, Jolly Boy,” he said, not pausing in his footage search. “Your hands are pretty okay.”

“‘Okay’!” cried Jolly, grinning. “Just ‘okay’, huh?”

“They’re cute, but I can’t say they’re my favorite part of you,” he shrugged. “Jolly-hands are all well and good, but they’re no Jolly-ears, y’know?” 

Said ears tingled with heat. “What’s with you and my ears?” 

Bernard peered up at him briefly, grin quirking even wider. “What’s with you and my ears?”

“Bernard,” Jolly huffed. 

“What! You have cute ears, don’t even try and deny it.”

“You’ve seen human ears before, dude!” He couldn’t quite look at Bernard anymore, face flushed and pink but still smiling in spite of his shyness. “I’ve never seen elf ears before so of course I-“ he stopped abruptly, stuttering, “-I, uh, you know, I-I’m—“

“You…” Bernard continued for him, drawing out the word with a teasing tone coloring his voice, “are a little obsessed?”

“Not obsessed!” protested Jolly. “Just, uh, interested.”

“Oh, sure, right. Interested.”

“Yeah,” he said, squinting. “I’m a scientist after all. It’s kind of what we do.”

“So all those times you rubbed all on my ears, that was —what, for science?” Bernard laughed. 

Jolly joined in with his own embarrassed chuckles, red cheeked and bright eyed. “Yeah, totally!” he replied, “Purely academic, you understand.”

“Oh sure,” Bernard said, “same for me, really. In fact,” his mouth twisted in cheeky amusement, “I think more research on the subject may be required.” His eyes darted back up at Jolly from under thick lashes, a subtle wink punctuating his playful suggestion.

Jolly’s throat suddenly ran dry and he swallowed nervously, trying to think of how to reply to that . 

At his silence, Bernard snorted good-naturedly and went back to work without another word, not even trying to hide his smug smirk. 

They hadn’t had a chance to really settle into their new status as a couple yet. They’d danced around each other a lot in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s, which in hindsight could certainly be considered flirting, but at its core was just two friends hanging out and having fun. Now there were all sorts of implications to their teasing and Jolly wasn’t sure how to take it. 

Was he serious? Would he be leading him on if he matched his energy? 

Would it actually be leading him on if Jolly kind of meant it? 

Certainly he had missed his company, but Bernard's absence had really put the brakes on any plans to get more physical with him. Jolly still needed to talk about some things with him before they got more serious, but was this the time to bring it up? 

Whenever he tried to think about broaching the topic of protection with Bernard, his thoughts spiraled a bit.

He didn’t even know if STDs could cross species like that, but he’d rather have the talk and be embarrassed than take the chance and be sorry. STDs were no joke. They were inconvenient at best and deadly at the worst. Which brought up a whole other issue that Jolly had been worrying about lately: death.

Bernard would have to watch Jolly die someday, and wasn’t that a heartbreaking thought? His life was just a drop in the bucket for a long lived creature like an elf. And that was what Jolly couldn’t manage to bring up whenever he voiced his doubts about Bernard wanting to be with a human. 

Because Jolly could believe that maybe Bernard really did find him handsome and interesting, although it was still difficult. But how could he possibly be okay allowing himself to love a human knowing Jolly would die in less than a century and he would live on for thousands of years to come? He would most certainly forget the human and move on to love another eventually anyways, right? So why bother with him at all if it was going to end in pain? 

There was a lot to consider. 

It was ridiculous that his mind went to such a dark place when he was simply trying to think how to talk to his new partner about safe sex, but anxiety was and continued to be the bitch on his back. 

And it wasn’t like none of those things were real problems—they were! To him at least. He’d need to talk with Bernard about them all eventually, but just… not now. Not yet. It was admittedly a lot to spring on a guy out of nowhere in a new relationship. 

One step at a time.

Really, he was just flirting, though. No need to bring all that up now, right? It was just some harmless fun that wouldn’t necessarily lead to anything physical anytime soon. 

God, why was he worrying about this so much? He’d had sex before, he shouldn’t be this weird about it. 

“You’re panicking, Jolly. Breathe.” Bernard’s voice snapped him out of his frenzied thoughts. “Did I break you with that wink or something?” he asked wryly, concern showing in the crinkle between his brows. 

“No, sorry,” said Jolly, “I’m just thinking too much, I guess. Sorry.”

“That’s okay, Sweetheart. Wanna talk about it?”

“I don’t want to bug you. We’ve probably talked enough about serious stuff for one night, don’t you think?” he said, forcing humor in his tone that he didn’t truly feel. 

Bernard swapped the tape he’d been looking through for the next one, dark eyes watching him warily for a moment before returning to his task. “If you’re still worried about something then no, I don’t think we’ve talked enough. I can’t find George in these more recent tapes, but I’m checking anyways just in case,” he lifted the camera slightly in emphasis, never slowing his search, “It’ll probably be a little bit before I finish so I’ve got time to talk if you do.”

Jolly gnawed on his lip for a long moment, watching Bernard’s profile as he thought it over. Finally he seemed to gather his courage. 

“Do elves get STDs?” Jolly blurted out. 

Bernard blinked once, voice casual and curious as he asked, “What’s that?”

“Oh! Uh,” Jolly started, not expecting his ignorance on the matter, “um, well, they’re like diseases or infections that people get from having, um, y’know, having sex with someone.”

Bernard was silent as he absorbed this, blinking rapidly with a confused expression. “Huh, I didn’t know humans had those.”