Word count: 3,430
DO NOT read or interact if you're under 14
The North Pole was covered in snow, the usual weather for Santa's Headquarters. Large, fluffy snowflakes came down in a flurry, adding to the inches of white snow that blanketed the ground.
You were hard at work in the workshop, painting and assembling toys. Christmas was only a month away and it was crunch-time at Santa's workshop. Every elf was hard at work preparing for the upcoming holiday. The sound of hammers tapping and the low hum of the assembly line machines were the only thing that could be heard in the building as every elf stayed laser focused on their job.
Mingi, a new elf in training, walked across the workshop with a box of completed toys in his hands. He was heading to the room next door where the toys were being collected. As he proceeded towards his destination, his head collidided with the top of the doorframe, a thud sound following after. You instinctively winced at the sight. Mingi was always bumping his head on the doorway. Unlike other elves, he was rather tall and towered over everyone. The average height of elves was around five feet, Mingi was six feet tall.
You hated seeing him always hurting himself on the doorframe and wondered why no one had done anything about it. At this rate he would give himself a concussion if nothing was done about the low doorframe.
A chorus of chuckles from nearby elves could be heard after Mingi's little incident. You abruptly abandoned your work station and hurried after Mingi, calling for him. He turned around, looking down at you with bright eyes and an expectant expression.
"Are you okay?" You asked.
A soft smile spread across his face.
"I'm fine. Thanks, Y/n."
"You don't need an ice pack or something?"
He shook his head. "I'm kinda used to it."
You gave him a sympathetic look.
"You should get back to work. Christmas is coming soon." He told you.
"What about you?"
"I'll be just fine."
As much as you didn't want to, you turned around and hesitantly made your way back to your station, picking up where you left off.
It was difficult to focus. All you could think about was Mingi and the way everyone always laughed at him. It made you angry. There was no reason for it. He's an elf just like the rest of you.
Lunch was called and you were able to step away from your work and take a break. You congregated in the cafeteria with the other elves where you got a slice of extra sweet cake and a mug of hot chocolate. As you made your way to your seat, you overheard a few comments from some of your fellow workers.
"Did you see Mingi?" Chuckled one elf. "He bumped his head on the doorframe again. That klutz."
"He's such a giant, no wonder he's always hitting his head."
"He's a weirdo."
"He's a misfit."
"He doesn't belong here."
"He's not an elf, he's a giant."
The comments angered you immensely. Everything in you screamed to speak up and say something, but you fought it, pushing that urge down deep. You didn't want to start something and cause a scene. However, your temper got the best of you and pushed aside all reason. Your grip tightened on your mug of hot chocolate as you harshly spun around to face the chattering elves.
"That's not very jolly of you to be saying such hateful things about a fellow elf." You punctuated the last word. "Surely, you know Santa is fully aware of what you're saying now."
None of them said a word.
"That's what I thought." You huffed, turning away.
Santa knows everything and they still had the nerve to say such rude things about Mingi. It was shameful, really.
You then spotted Mingi sitting alone at the end of a table, rubbing his forehead. You immediately set your sights on him, making your way over without hesitation.
"Hi." You greeted, taking a seat across from him.
"Hi."
"How's your head?"
"It's okay." He reached up to lightly rub it again. "Hurts a little."
"I'm sure it does. Are you sure you don't want an ice pack?"
"I'm sure. Thank you, though. I appreciate you always checking up on me."
You smiled. "I just want to make sure you're alright."
"Thank you for that. It's nice to know someone cares."
"So, it's been a few weeks since you joined the team. How are things?"
"Good." He nodded with a smile. "Work is easier and more enjoyable than I though. Turns out I'm pretty good at assembling toys. I'm the fastest elf in my group." He beamed proudly.
"That's great to hear. It seems you're fitting in just fine."
"Well, almost."
"Almost?"
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a whole foot taller than everyone here." He stated.
"I have noticed, but it doesn't bother me."
"It seems to bother everyone else. They all stare at me and whisper things."
"You just need to ignore them. They're not worth your time. Santa should give them more work since they seem to have time to make hateful comments about you for no reason." You huffed, feeling your temper rising again.
"What if I'm not a real elf?" Mingi asked unexpectedly, his tone weaker than before.
"What? That's nonsense. Of course you're a real elf."
"But what if I'm not? I clearly don't fit in."
You abruptly reached over and grabbed hold of his ear, giving it a good tug.
"Ow!" He yelped.
"Is that proof enough?" You inquired, quirking a brow.
"I guess so." He muttered, rubbing his ear with a pout.
"Mingi, you need to stop doubting yourself. You're an elf just like the rest of us."
"But I'm different."
"Unique." You corrected. "I think your height is your charming point."
"My charming point?" He asked, looking at you with round, glittering eyes.
"Yes. It's what makes you, you."
His face seemed to soften a bit after you told him that. He appreciated your words greatly, more than you would know. You and Santa seemed to be the only ones who treated him as an equal and not as some freak.
You stayed and kept Mingi company throughout lunch, sharing funny stories about past mishaps at the workshop. His heart fluttered in his chest whenever you laughed at your own story. The giggles spilling from your lips made Mingi feel light as air, and the way your eyes crinkled up when you smiled made him grin himself. Your happiness was contagious.
He was a bit of a slow eater and yet you stayed with him the whole time, which only made his growing attraction towards you bloom even more.
•
That night, you laid in bed staring at the ceiling. You really needed to get some rest, as you knew you'd need the energy for work the next day. Christmas was quickly approaching and everyone needed to be at peak performance, but you couldn't seem to stop thinking about Mingi. Yes, he could just duck to get through the doorway, but that's an inconvenience, plus he seems to forget how short the doorways are.
Unable to sleep, you threw the covers off and changed into your uniform, hurrying out of your room. With a mission on your mind, you trekked through the snow and to the workshop, making your way up the large staircase that led to Santa's office. You gave a soft knock on the oak wood doors and waited for an answer.
"Come in." A voice bellowed from the other side.
You slowly twisted the doorknob and stepped into the room.
"Y/n, what on earth are you doing here? It's nearly 1 AM."
"I could ask you same thing." You chuckled.
"Oh, you know, checking it once, checking it twice." He responded with a smile as he glanced down at the long list that stretched across his desk and spilled onto floor. "But seriously, what are you doing awake at this hour?"
"I couldn't sleep, sir." You answered honestly.
"Why is that?" He inquired, concern lacing his warm voice.
"It's Mingi. He's always bumping his head on the doorframe in the workshop that leads to the stock room." You informed him.
"Oh no." He frowned.
"It pains me to keep seeing him hit his head, so I was wondering if I could make some adjustments to the doorframe."
"I'm sure I could make time to do it. You don't have to take that on all by yourself."
"Sir, with all due respect, I want to do it on my own. Plus, you're already very busy."
"Are you sure?" Santa asked.
"Yes. I can handle this."
"Very well."
"Thank you, sir."
"Of course. This is very nice of you, Y/n."
You gave him a soft smile before exiting his office, bounding down the stairs, and hurrying over to your work station, grabbing an armful of tools. There was no time to waste.
•
Mingi got out of his bed that was thankfully the right size for him. Santa was kind enough to make some accommodations for him like getting a larger bed and furniture so he could. The elf stretched his stiff muscles before shuffling over to his closet to grab his uniform.
He made his short commute across the small North Pole village, trudging through the large amount of snow that was constantly covering the ground. He stepped into the workshop, ready to start his day. To his surprise, the shop was completely empty. Mingi simply brushed it off, going to his work station where he found a box of toys that he forgot to put into the stock room the day before. He lifted the box and carried it across the shop. As he passed the entryway to the stock room, he instinctively flinched, his head being thrust backwards by a phantom force.
The pain he had anticipated never arrived, causing him to stop for a moment and turn around to look at the doorway he just walked through. To his surprise, it appeared to be reconstructed and there was now a circular head shape at the top of the doorway.
Mingi was quick to set the box of toys down, hurrying back into the workshop where elves were starting to come in to begin their work day. His eyes searched desperately, wanting to find out who had done this. His first thought was Santa. He was about to head up to the big man's office when he spotted you asleep at your work station, tools strewn across the desk. As he moved closer, he noticed sawdust all over your work space, your clothes, and even stuck in your hair.
A fond smile painted Mingi's features as he gazed down at you, a warm and fuzzy feeling blossoming in his chest.
You did that for him?
You began to stir, which caused Mingi to scurry off, not wanting you to see him. Once he got to his work station, he watched you lift your head, your eyes going wide at the mess in front of you. He tried to hold back a chuckle as you scrambled to clean the sawdust off the tabletop, clearing your workspace of any tools and powdery wood particles.
He found it amusing how you went about your business after you tidied up, pretending that you weren't just snoozing at your work table amongst tools and sawdust.
His gaze drifted to the doorway that seemed to be attracting attention from some of the elves. Mingi could feel his cheeks warm as he looked at the newly-shaped doorway that was exactly the same size as him.
He would make sure to thank you later.
You yawned as you tinkered away on a toy. Running on little to no sleep had you working a little slower than usual, but knowing Mingi would no longer hurt himself put you at ease and, in a way, kept you going.
You worked until you felt someone's presence near you. Glancing up, you saw Mingi who stood by your station.
"Oh. Hi Mingi." You greeted with a smile.
"Do you have a minute?" He asked.
"Sure. Is something wrong?"
"I just wanna talk to you for a moment. Is that okay?"
"Of course."
Mingi led you outside to a nearby bench where the two of you could talk alone.
"I saw what you did for me." He said.
"Hm?" You furrowed your brows. "What do you mean?"
"The doorway. I know it was you."
"Me? No. I didn't do that."
"Y/n." Chuckled Mingi. "I saw you asleep at your workstation with sawdust all over you and tools everywhere."
You started to make up another excuse, but snapped your mouth shut after processing what Mingi said. You meant to clean up your workstation, but you were so tired you accidentally fell asleep.
"You don't have to pretend it wasn't you." He spoke softly.
"I wanted to stay anonymous."
"I would have figured out it was you, anyway. No one else would do that for me except you and Santa."
"Did you like it?" You asked.
He nodded with a smile. "It was really nice to be able to walk through a doorway normally."
"I'm glad. I hated seeing you hit your head all the time and it seemed like no one was going to do anything about it."
"I hated hitting my head too, and I always seem to forget to crouch down."
"Crouching down seems like an inconvenience."
"It is. I don't feel like I'm getting work done fast enough."
You nodded in understanding.
As the two of you sat, snow began to fall from the overcast sky above. You looked up, watching as the flakes got bigger.
"I still can't believe you worked all night to alter one doorframe for me." Mingi spoke up suddenly.
"You deserve it, Mingi." You told him.
"You have such a kind soul."
You couldn't stop the warmth that ticked your cheeks at his words. "I would change all the other doorframes for you in a heartbeat."
The elf beside you seemed to get flustered as he avoided eye contact with you for a moment. When he looked back at you, a heartwarming grin spread across his face.
"You're getting covered in snow." Mingi giggled.
"You are too."
"Why don't we go somewhere else? How about that gazebo over there?" He pointed to a nearby wooden pavilion with lights wrapped around the roof and railing.
"Good idea."
The two of you hurried through the flurries and under the gazebo, but as you stepped underneath the shelter, you heard a loud thud. Turning around, you saw Mingi wincing with his hand pressed to his forehead.
"Oh no." You frowned, watching as he ducked to get underneath the gazebo.
Thankfully, the roof was a hollow cone shape, so he was able to stand up properly when he got inside.
"I forgot." He muttered.
"Come here." You held your palms up towards Mingi's face, gesturing for him to move closer.
He bent down a little, allowing you to get on your tiptoes and grab his cheeks, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
His eyes widened, as his cheeks tinted pink, even the tips of his pointed ears held a blush-colored hue.
"Ah." You turned your head away. "Sorry. I don't know why—"
"It's okay." Mingi cut you off. "I... liked it."
"You did?"
He nodded, shyly.
You couldn't deny the fact that Mingi was a good-looking guy. In fact, he's the only elf that ever caught your eye, and it wasn't because of his height. He was stunning. You loved his eyes. They could be sharp at times, almost intimidating, but also innocent, big, and bright. You loved his lips too. They were full, pink, and when he concentrated really hard, very pouty. You'd be lying if you said you didn't think about how it would feel to kiss them.
Did he feel the same as you?
"So..." You trailed off, unsure of what to say next.
"I like you." Mingi blurted.
Your brows raised, not expecting him to come out with it so quickly.
"You're the only elf that's shown me kindness. Ever since I first showed up here, you made sure I was getting the hang of things and constantly asked if I needed help. Despite me being different, you still spoke to me and treated me like everyone else."
"That's because you are like everyone else. To me, you're not different. You're you."
Mingi's glossy eyes twinkled a bit when you said that. His large hands found yours, clasping onto them; you could feel them shaking—or maybe it was your own. You glanced down, seeing the way his hands swallowed yours whole. It made your heart leap in your chest.
"Can I kiss you?" Mingi asked tentatively.
"I thought you'd never ask." You chuckled.
Mingi bent down to get closer to your height as you stood straighter to get closer to his. Your hands rested on the sides of his face as the two of you leaned in, closing the space between you.
Mingi's lips felt exactly the way you thought they would, only 10 times better. They were pliant, soft, and oh-so gentle. He was kissing you so delicately, it made your heart swell. You could tell he was a little nervous about what he was doing, but so were you.
One of Mingi's large hands moved to cup the back of your neck, holding you in place as he began to deepen the kiss.
You could feel your whole body heat up like fresh hot cocoa. The warmth sent a rush through you from head to toe as your hands moved to clutch onto the collar of Mingi's uniform, pulling him even closer. You couldn't get enough, you were desperate for more.
Mingi seemed to get the hint as he straightened his posture, not once disconnecting the kiss. You stood up on your tiptoes to keep the contact as his free hand slid around your waist, his arm wrapping around your torso, holding you flush against him. He paused for a moment, relocating the hand that cupped the back of your neck to your waist. He held onto you tightly as he stood up fully. You gasped against his lips as the tips of your shoes lost contact with the wooden flooring of the gazebo.
He only pulled away long enough to mutter,
"I got you."
You trusted him, closing your eyes once again as you allowed his full lips to fully encase yours, sending another rush of heat throughout your body.
Unfortunately, breathing was something you needed to do to survive, so you had to pull away, ultimately ending the blissful moment. Mingi slowly lowered you to where your feet touched the ground again. The two of you huffed, your breaths coming out in puffs thanks to the wintry weather.
"As much as I'd like to stay out here and kiss you, we've got work to do." You reminded him.
"I know." His shoulders drooped a bit.
"We can always hang out later."
He smiled after hearing that.
The two of you stepped back out into the open and headed back towards the workshop hand-in-hand.
"I have a question." Mingi spoke up.
"Yes?"
"What now?"
"What now?" You parroted.
"Yeah. What are we?"
You didn't wanna get ahead of yourself, so you turned the question on him. "What do you want us to be?"
"Honestly... I'd love to be able to call you my girlfriend."
You smiled at his answer. "Good. Because I'd like to call you my boyfriend."
"Really?"
The fact that he was still surprised after the two of you had just kissed was adorable.
"You won't be ashamed to be seen with me?"
"When have I ever been ashamed to be seen with you?" You questioned.
"Touché." He chuckled.
You came to a stop at the large workshop doors, turning to Mingi.
"I'll see you after work." You told him, pressing a soft kiss to the back of his hand.
He grinned bashfully in response as he opened the doors. You both kept your hands clasped together, parting ways to go to your respective stations. As you separated, you gave Mingi a small smile and a wave.
Your entrance attracted quite a bit of attention, but you didn't care. The only thing you cared about was getting toys finished so you could spend more time with Mingi... and kiss him some more, of course.
_____________________________________
Last imagine for 2021!
This year went by so fast, maybe because it was exactly like last year 🥴
Can't say 2021 has been great, seeing as I spent most of it at home, however, I did get vaccinated this year and I'm super blessed and thankful that me and my family have stayed safe and haven't gotten covid. I'm hoping it stays that way. I'm also hoping next year is better for everyone.
DO NOT steal, copy, repost, translate, or alter any of my imagines. I work very hard on these. If you want to write something inspired by my work, please ask me first