A/N: Hey, everyone! How y'all doing? It's been awhile, I know that, and I really should be updating my old stuff instead of writing this, but this story popped into my head and just would not get out, so here it is... All I can really say is that it's a very strange pairing, and my friend has taken to calling it 'Elf Porn' which amuses me and frightens teachers, so all's good. I may write a sequel to this, I'm still not sure. Well, I'm going to stop rambling and get on to the story. Here you go...

P.S. Hope you enjoy.

Love, Raven.

Always and Forever

In the dim of the workshop, where Bernard was hard at work, he would not have even seen Curtis were it not for the loud steps that the elf always seemed to make.

"What is it, Curtis?"

"Sir, you shouldn't be working this late all the other elves have already went to sleep and Christmas is still so far away," He trailed off.

"Curtis, I am the Head Elf, you know that, and as Head Elf my work is never done. There is always something to do, and there is no one else but me to do it."

"The others help, sir, you know that as well as I do, I don't mean to sound condescending with this, but do you ever sleep, or do you deny yourself even that one pleasure?"

"Of course I sleep, Curtis, everyone has to sleep, I am no different, but my responsibility is so great."

"It's no greater than anyone else's."

"Yes it is."

"Sure, to some degree it is, but people with greater responsibilities find time for themselves that you don't, or won't, and I see no reason why."

"Curtis," Bernard said, standing to finally meet Curtis' eyes. "I do this so that the others don't have to. I do this so that you and the others can enjoy yourselves."

Curtis reached a hand up to softly touch the side of Bernard's face, looking sadly into his eyes.

"But I can not enjoy myself when I know that you are not." Curtis looked down as he removed his hand from Bernard's face and started to walk away.

"Wait." Curtis turned around to face Bernard. "Why is it that you care so much for me, why do you when no other does?"

"Because you are what I care for Bernard, why do you not see that? You are the one for whom my heart aches. Without your happiness, my heart will never be happy, and so neither will I."

Curtis turned to continue on his trek out of the door and back into his sadness. But, this time Bernard walked in front of him to cut him off, hoping to get some answers out of him.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that I love you, Bernard, with everything that I am, and that my only wish is for you to be happy, whether that is with me or not, that is your decision. It means that I am yours forever, whether or not you will have me."

Bernard stood in front of the smaller elf, trying to sort out his thoughts and feelings, wondering why he had not known of this before, did the other elves know of Curtis' feelings, was he the only one oblivious. He wasn't sure what to do, he had had mindless fantasies involving males before so the fact that Curtis was a male did not alarm him in any way. The only thing that made him hesitate was the fact that it was Curtis here, Curtis was the one who had professed undying love.

Bernard's silence had started to worry Curtis, the Head Elf was hardly ever without an opinion, and when he was it was normally not for a good reason, but the hand resting on his shoulder had neither tightened, or loosened its grip, but had stayed just the way it was, silently resting, pensive, just like its owner.

Just when Curtis felt as if he may finally break away form the comforting touch of the hand on his shoulder in fear of rejection, Bernard finally spoke up.

"I…I'm not quite sure what to think about this, Curtis. I don't mean to say that I'm rejecting you, because I'm not, but I just don't know what to think right now."

"That's okay, Bernard, I understand that this is probably really confusing for you. When you're sure about what's going on, you can come and see me, okay?"

Bernard nodded limply and silently removed his hand from Curtis' shoulder, letting the younger elf go as he thought about what he was going to do.

On the one hand, he could refuse him all together and just say that he didn't think any relationship out side of their jobs could work out. Some part of him, though, knew that was a lie, and that, even if they never had any romantic relationship they would stay friends, and there would always be a part of him that would be missing. There would always be some feeling that hey were destined for more than just friendship.

The longer he sat there on the floor of his room, for that was were he had gone when Curtis had left, the less problems he saw with a relationship between the two of them, an the more he wanted to find Curtis and profess his own undying love.

But with that lay the other problem, he wasn't sure when he had fallen in love with the other elf. Had it been long ago and he had just blocked it out, or had it been just now, when Curtis had told him. Was he just fabricating this so that he would no longer be alone, or was he truly in love.

Bernard would be the first to point out that he was lonely, a lot of the elves at the pole were, for many of them were unattached, and those who weren't , they had been off the market for quite awhile. It was typically hard for an elf to find a mate as they considered most of their fellows to be like brothers or sisters and they worked for an awful long time during the year. But the attached elves were just as devoted to their mates as they were to their jobs.

Bernard was afraid, too. Not of Curtis, but more of himself, afraid that he would hurt the other elf. And to do that would surely rip his own heart out. But at this realization, Bernard was now sure of what he had to do. He had to find Curtis and tell him.

He stood shakily and walked quickly form his quarters, shutting the door behind him. He walked in the direction of Curtis' room, knowing that was most likely where he was, thinking to himself about what it was he was going to do or say. Acting quickly before he lost his nerve he knocked on the wooden door before him.

Curtis opened the door with a sadness that Bernard had not seen before, but when his eyes fell on Bernard they flashed with a sudden hope. He stood aside, waiting for the other elf to enter before closing the door behind him.

"Bernard…"

"No, wait Curtis, let me say what I need to say to you first. I'm sorry for my reaction earlier, I didn't mean to sound upset or angry with you in any way."

"But, I…"

"No you didn't do anything wrong, and so you shouldn't ever think that expressing yourself is ever wrong in any way, and if I made you think that, then I'm sorry for that also. But I did not just come here to apologize."

"Good." Curtis said looking up into Bernard's eyes "I had hoped that that was not all you had wanted. But I would like to say that no matter what happens between us, I will always be your friend."

"And I yours." Bernard looked down on Curtis, love shining in his eyes then he reached for the others face. He leaned down and brought their lips together for a timid kiss. Curtis' hands reached up and wound around Bernard's neck, and he closed his eyes. When they broke off, both were panting from lack of air.

"I love you." Bernard said, as Curtis looked up at him with a hopeful gaze. "Always and forever, even if I was oblivious before, now I will be yours."

"Thank you, thank you so very much."

"For what, I should be the one thanking you, you are the one who made all my dreams come true."

"And that is why I am thanking you, Bernard. Because you have made everything that I had ever hoped come true, and I will be eternally grateful to you for that."

"I'll hold you to that."

"I should only hope."

-End