Bernard x Oc

The Problem Begins

After a few days gone by, Bernard and Curtis finally decided to let toy Santa out of the office eventually, so the elves don't get wary and suspicious. "Santa, look forward and put on a smiley face. Say hello to your elves." Bernard finally recommended to the toy Santa while they strolled around in the workshop. Alfina felt her gut knot, eyeing the toy while she assisted next to the naughty-and-nice-centre.

"Ho, ho, ho! You're doing a wonderful job!" The toy Santa chattered, carrying the Santa Handbook, staring at the elves that walked by. Bernard gulped tightly and side-glanced at Alfina. An elf steps up to the doll, "Santa, when you said the bigger wheels, is this what you meant?" He consulted, holding a toy automobile. The toy Santa viewed at Bernard, then the elf, "Ho, ho, ho! You're doing a wonderful job!" The elf grimaced, then walked away, glimpsing over his shoulder at the doll. Alfina wanted to hide from the toy as it made its way around the shop.

"You're doing great. Dial it down on the ho-ho-ho's, but otherwise, you're gold." Bernard notes, refusing to look at the plastic toy. Toy Santa didn't pay attention, "Ho, ho ho! Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!" Curtis turns to Bernard, looking at him smugly, "Why don't you just say it? 'You were right, Curtis. I was wrong.'" Alfina scampers away from the naughty-and-nice-centre and makes her way to the elves as the knickknack walks away, flipping through the Santa Handbook.

"Okay, okay, I admit it. They're happy. They're working hard." Bernard eventually admitted to the shorter elf, putting on a 'you win, I lose' smile. Alfina wraps her arm over the head elf's shoulder, "Everything's going to be fine." She told Bernard, giving him a soft smile. Curtis's eyes flicker back and forth between the two with a suspicious frown, "What's going on between you, guys?" Alfina and Bernard stared at Curtis, their eyes wide, and sweat trailed down their necks, "Nothing." They nervously conversed at once. Finally, the toy Santa steps up to the three of them. "This book is a very interesting reading. Unfourtonately there's a lot of rules they're not following." He peeks at Curtis and Bernard, ignoring Alfina at the moment.

"That's what I've been saying all along. Unfortunately, things have gotten a little too sloppy around here." Curtis sauntered. Alfina peeked at the shorter elf from the corner of her vision and pondered, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Curtis?!" Tempted, Alfina felt like whacking the back of Curtis's head for his foolishness.

"Yes! Sloppiness means mistakes. Mistakes aren't a good thing! I might have to make some changes here." Toy Santa exclaimed across the workshop before bending to Curtis's level. "What do you have in mind?" Curtis beamed at the toy, "Let me show you. There are many things. Look here..." Toy Santa and Curtis strutted away, leaving Bernard and Alfina standing there terrified. "Changes?" Bernard mumbles quietly.

"Bernard," Alfina crosses her arms, her eyes trained on the toy Santa and Curtis, "I feel this is going to end badly." The head elf encircles his arm around her waist and pulls her closer to his side, "I know, Snowflake."

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Later that night, Scott walked into the kitchen, unsure about his date, "Neil, are you sure you don't have any other clothes I can borrow? I mean, the idea tonight is to attract a woman." Neil glances up at Scott in his borrowed sweater, "What are you talking about?"

"I look like a limesicle." Scott gestures to the green-striped sweater on him. Neil smiles, "I think it makes you look hot." Scott shakes his head and turns to Laura, who sits next to Neal, working on a crossword puzzle, "What do you think, Laura? Honestly, what do you think?" Scott asks. Laura glances between the two men before her.

"Doesn't he look hot, Laura?" Neal asks, nudging her arm slightly. Laura shrugs her shoulders and gives a tight smile to Scott, "I think it's what's inside that really counts." Neal's smile lowers slightly, "Thought you liked the sweater." He frowns at his wife, "We'll talk later." She mutters quickly. Scott claps his hands together, "I'm off. I may need to borrow a car."