Skz OneShots ✰

in the care of an elf - JiLix

"Ugh..."
He tossed on his bed, muscles aching and throat burning, his eyes itching as he cracked them open. Bottles of every kind of alcohol surrounded him—empty reminders of the night before. The air felt thick, too still, and it pressed on him like a weight.

With a groan, he sat up, stretching his arms with a wince. His hand burned, most likely from sleeping in some awkward, twisted position.

The floor was freezing beneath his feet, sending a shiver through his body. He cursed, stumbling toward the closet, where he pulled out a warm, clean blanket and wrapped it around himself. It offered little relief against the chill that seemed to have settled in his bones.

He shuffled across the room—his movements sluggish, disjointed—kicking clothes aside that had been carelessly tossed the night before. Each step felt like wading through molasses, the weight of his exhaustion pulling him further into his foggy mind.

When he reached the door and opened it, a gust of icy wind slammed into him. It wasn't just cold—it was wrong. A biting, unnatural chill, the kind that shouldn't exist inside a home. His breath caught in his throat, and his body went rigid.

His eyes stung as he quickly slammed the door shut, the sound of it echoing in the dead silence. The tears he hadn't realized were coming blurred his vision as the shivering worsened. He crumpled to the floor, pulling the blanket tighter around himself, desperately trying to hold onto some shred of warmth.

And yet, it wasn't just the physical chill. There was something in the air, an unnatural tension that made the room feel foreign. A strange, prickling sensation in the pit of his stomach, like he was no longer in his own room.

He dragged himself back to bed, curling under the covers. As he tried to ignore the unease crawling up his spine, a thought slipped into his mind:

The living room had never been that cold. Not even in winter.

But he simply couldnt bring himself to care. His eyes were already closing, the comfort of his warm bed a fleeting escape from the creeping dread in his chest. It was probably just a fever—nothing more than a stupid, violent fever.

With a deep, resigned sigh, he buried his face in his pillow, blocking out every and any thought in his mind.

s t a a

He woke up the sound of jingle bells echoing through his dreams. He could hear laughter—bright, joyful voices, and it suddenly all felt too real. he sat straight up, recoiling back as he bumped foreheads with.. someone? something? did he not lock his door the night before? oh my god, what if he's about to get murdered in christmas of all days. fuck no.

he grips the lamp at his bedside table, ready to launch it at whoever dared to enter his home, however, determination quickly turned into confusion, as just a few meters before him stood a particularly short figure—not that he could say much— looking nothing like what he expected. Not even close.

Its skin was pale, almost glowing, like porcelain kissed by moonlight, radiant in the frigid air. But what truly captured his attention was the hair—golden, so bright it seemed to capture every ray of light in the world. It cascaded in silken waves, effortlessly beautiful, catching the wind as if it were alive, lifting in gentle swirls that framed a face too perfect to belong to any mortal.

His brown eyes were rich and dark, the color of warm chestnut wood, filled with a light that seemed to shimmer with the quiet joy of someone who had never lost the wonder of the world. There was an intensity in them, something ageless and wise, but also soft—curiosity mixed with ancient knowledge. It was as if they had seen the rise and fall of countless winters, yet still held the quiet wonder of someone discovering something new.

Their ears, slightly pointed, peeked from beneath the strands of hair, giving them a distinctly otherworldly look. The clothes were a riot of color against the backdrop of snow—emerald green, ruby red, and silver that caught the light as it moved. They wore a cloak woven with patterns of gold, intricate and delicate, like the finest artwork. The vibrant colors blended perfectly with the forest and sky, as if they were an extension of the natural world.

Jisung couldn't help it. He stared, completely entranced, his cheeks turning bright red as he slowly lowered the lamp, trying to make sense of this, whatever it was. And then the figure groaned, cradling its forehead in one hand. Jisung blinked. Was it... hurt?

It looked up at him, eyes wide and full of dazed confusion.

"Oh, wow," it said, its voice light and bright like the sound of wind chimes in a summer breeze. "That was a little too much, don't you think?" It smiled, a grin that was more infectious than any smile Jisung had ever seen. The figure stood up, shaking its head, trying to rid itself of the lingering daze.

jisung blinked dumbly, confused and sporting a great headache.

"who... are you?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly, still clutching the lamp like it could save him from this impossible encounter.

"Oh!" The figure's face lit up. "I'm Felix! Sorry for the surprise entrance," he said, still grinning. "I was on my way to work when I saw... this," Felix gestured at the space around them with an exaggerated sweep of his hand. "I'm not sure what this is, but I figured I should pop in and say hello!" He gave a dramatic bow, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.

Jisung's mind struggled to keep up with the overwhelming weirdness of it all. "You... work?"

Felix nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! I'm an elf, actually," he said with an extra sparkle in his eye, like he had just dropped the best fun fact ever. "But I think I might have taken a wrong turn, you know? And now I'm here!" He looked around the room with a childlike wonder, completely unfazed by Jisung's continued shock. "This place is so cozy. Is this your home? It's adorable!"

Jisung's grip on the lamp loosened. "Wait. Hold on." He took a deep breath. "You're an elf?"

Felix beamed. "Yep! One of Santa's helpers!" His voice was so cheerful and light that Jisung almost couldn't help but laugh, despite the insanity of the situation.

Before Jisung could process anything further, Felix stood up straighter, brushed off his cloak, and took a few steps back toward the doorway. "Oh! I should probably get going soon! enjoy your stay!"

And just like that, the room seemed to shift, subtly at first. The warm, cozy bedroom began to fade, the walls dissolving into soft snowflakes and sparkling lights. Felix, still smiling, waved one last time. "I hope we can chat more later! Have a wonderful Christmas, Jisung!"

With that, Felix skipped away, and the room—Jisung's room—was gone.

___

A/N: this is just the first half of the actual thing, the continuation is in my page where i'll be posting the rest of the chapters (i already have the 2nd with 1000k+ words) so yeah! if you want to keep reading, just go check it out!