Winter Dream (Bernard the Elf x Reader)

Chapter 34- Manipulation

I was walking to the bakery to check on how the humanifying renovations for the in-laws were going when I heard his sickening voice.

"Hey, Snowflake!" Jack Frost greeted as he dashed up to me. "I've hardly seen you around. It's almost like you've been trying to avoid me."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Obviously, I was trying to avoid him. I would rather drink sour milk than talk to Jack Frost. "Do not call me 'snowflake.'" I spat.

"Why so cold? I thought that was my thing." Jack acted hurt.

I scoffed. "You don't have the right to call me by anything but my real name: (Yn)."

"Oh, and why is that?" He scowled. "I suppose all of your nicknames are reserved by that know-it-all little boyfriend of yours, Barnaby."

I whipped my head around to face him, feeling my anger boiling inside me. "His name is Bernard, and he's my husband. You know that."

Jack sadly shook his head. "What a shame. I get it, I get it. You turned into an elf and were forced to move here, and you married the head elf because he was your only option. I just feel sorry for you...imagine the life you gave up when your dad put in the coat and became the big man."

"W-What do you mean? I didn't give anything up. I love it here!" I quickly spoke, a little too defensive.

"Well, I only mean that you gave up having a choice of who to marry, what career you could've had...I bet you can't even start a family anymore."

I felt my blood run cold. I crossed my arms over my chest and didn't look at Jack. I didn't care about having a choice to marry because I loved Bernard with my whole being. I didn't care about having a choice as to what job I got because I loved being a mage and helping to bring joy to so many children. The one thing I did care about, however, what the last thing Jack said: having a family.

Elves don't reproduce the same way that humans do. Unlike people, elves are born of the Christmas spirit. Therefore, two elves couldn't bear a child. No matter how hard we may or may not have wanted to start a family together, Bernard and I couldn't have children. It was one dream that simply couldn't come true. It wasn't even feasible for us to adopt a child, as it wouldn't be plausible for two teenage-looking elves to adopt a human kid. Even though neither of us was at the point where we would have wanted kids just yet, the thought of never being able to start a family even if I wanted to, terrified me.

"I knew it!" Jack cut into my thoughts like an icicle piercing into a fresh blanket of snow. "You can't have children, can you?"

My throat felt dry as I tried to bottle up any negative emotions that would've given Jack Frost a cause to think that he made me upset. I would not let him know that he finally got to me. "I can't." I approached him and smirked. "But I've always seen it as a pro...it just means that Bernard and I can do whatever we want, whenever we want, and not have to worry about getting pregnant because of it." I lied, telling him the most absurd thing I could think of. It obviously wasn't true, but I was willing to say anything if it meant he would get off my back.

Jack Frost's jaw dropped, and for once, he was too flustered and taken aback to make up a comeback. I chuckled at him as I began walking away and he scowled, quickly regaining his composure. "I didn't know you had such low standards...settling on a stuck-up, crabby, not to mention unattractive..."

I stopped dead in my tracks and I felt my eyes widen from pure rage. "You can do a lot of things, but I will not sit back while you insult the love of my life." I hissed. "Don't ever talk to me again Jack Frost, or so help me, I'll personally use my magic to banish you from the North Pole for the rest of your days."