Winter Dream (Bernard the Elf x Reader)

Chapter 9- Elf Ears

It was Thanksgiving night, but instead of sitting at the dining room table eating turkey like every other family in America, Dad and I were going to Mom and Neal's house to see Charlie. 

The snow was blowing around us as we walked up to the house, shivering from the cold. I slowly walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. A few moments later, Neal came to the door and poked his head out. "(Yn)? This is a surprise."

I nervously smiled. "Hi, Neal. My dad's here, too."

Dad waved. "Hey, Neal."

"Scott? You're not supposed to be here." Neal said bitterly.

I quickly stepped in between the two of them. "Please, Neal. I just want to see Charlie. I haven't seen him since...well..." I fought to hold back tears. "I miss him."

Dad crossed his arms when he noticed the tears come into my eyes. "Don't make me beat you up, Neal."

"Oh, would Santa really beat someone up?" Neal mocked.

"I'm this close..."

"So you still believe you're Santa?" Neal asked, blocking the doorway so we couldn't enter the house.

"I don't know." Dad shrugged.

I suddenly heard a voice that made me beam.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Charlie asked. "Of course, you are, Dad. How can you say that? Think of all those kids."

I shoved past Neal and bolted to the dining room, where mom was holding Charlie. Dad followed behind me, and Charlie smiled when he saw the two of us.

"The only kid I'm thinking about is you," Dad spoke.

Mom set Charlie down as he began talking again. "Dad, I'm fine. You can't let them down. They all believe in you."

Neal stepped over to Charlie. "Charlie, listen..."

"You listen! You think you know who he is?" Charlie furiously said. "You don't!"

"Charlie. Honey listen." Mom began. "You're confused-"

I felt anger and sadness welling up inside of me. I was so fed up with the way everyone had been treating Charlie; like his own thoughts and feelings were invalid. I finally put my foot down. "No, he isn't! None of you ever listen to Charlie! You just assume that everything he says is wrong just because he's a kid. Well, you listen to me! Charlie isn't wrong and he isn't confused, he's right. Dad is Santa Claus!"

Mom sighed. "(Yn), not you too..."

"See?!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Charlie! He's not Santa!" Neal firmly said.

"He is too, Santa! We went to the North Pole together." Charlie choked out, on the verge of tears. "I saw it! The elves are really old even though they look like me. Bernard called me sport, 'cause he knew everything. Right, Dad?" Charlie stared at Dad with pleading eyes. "Remember!" He tossed the snow globe Bernard gave him to dad.

Dad gazed at it for a moment, and then his eyes lit up. He looked at me and Charlie and smiled. The two of us ran over to him and he pulled us into a tight embrace. "Thank you, (Yn). Thank you, Charlie." We hugged him back, so tight that it was as if we were worried he would slip right through our fingertips. Dad looked at mom and Neal. "Could you guys leave us alone for a minute? I mean...so (Yn) and I can say goodbye to him properly?"

Mom and Neal exchanged a couple of glances before mom finally agreed. Neal frantically shook his head but mom didn't budge. He stormed off, and mom followed behind him.