Disclaimer - I don't own the Santa Clause movies or 48 Christmas Wishes. This is utilizing my headcanon for blending the two fandom, but is also for the Monthly Froday Challenge for November where I did a black out of card B. This is the first of nine stories I wrote. This was for the second square - Bitter.

Coffee Crush

"Except that's not true, is it?"

Moments before, Mindy said she would most definitely be on the list of young elves accepted to the North Pole as toymaker elves. After all, every Elfbright before her was a toymaker elf, her family particularly her parents being renowned for their abilities at making toys as toymaker elves.

"But Mindy is a shoo-in for being selected," Sammy piped up, pushing her glasses up slightly as she defended her friend. "Everyone knows Mindy scored the highest in the toy-making exam."

"I'm talking about her constantly telling us that every Elfbright is a toymaker elf when they're not."

Mindy Elfbright stood there looking in horror at Pepper who stood there with her arms crossed, one foot slightly ahead of her other foot while Pepper's friends gathered around gawking. Pepper's blond curls cascaded around her shoulders, her eye eyes narrowed while her bottom lip pushed forward ever slightly.

"Don't," Mindy muttered.

"What? Mention that your older brother isn't? Rather convenient to leave that out?"

Mindy's hands clenched and she bit down on her lip. She wanted to hit the other young elf as tears welled in her eyes. Cam, one of Mindy's other friends, frowned. "What do you mean?"

"She has an older…"

"Are the two of you not getting along again?"

Mindy turned her head while still biting down slightly on her lip while Pepper's tone of voice changed. "Patty. We weren't fighting."

"That's not exactly the same as not getting along," Patty said. Her blond hair curled about her shoulders just like her younger sister's hair did. She pushed her lips together. "Given the fact the two of you aren't getting along, I'm glad I'd decided I would be returning to the North Pole this year."

"Really?" Mindy perked up. "What department?"

Patty winked. "I think I'll not say just yet, though I am planning on heading up before the newest Christmas Elves arrive—your group so that I might be of help to the head elf."

"He's old, isn't he?" Pepper frowned. "Like, one of the oldest elves there. There's only one other that is older than him."

"I wonder about that," Patty said. "Anyways, I'll see you later. Behave yourselves and get along."

She left. Pepper glared at her. "As if."

Mindy wanted to roll her eyes at Pepper's response, only to see everyone staring at her as if she'd grown a second head. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

"I think you should head up early," her aunt said, surprising Mindy. "And without your friends."

"What? Why?"

"So you can see Bernard."

"To see—I don't want to see Bernie!" Mindy muttered, remembering how embarrassed she felt when the other young elves found out that her brother wasn't a toymaker elf.

"I think you should. He's not…"

"Please don't insist he isn't an embarrassment. I mean, I've heard everyone in the family talking about how much of a disappointment he is."

"Bernard isn't a disappointment," her aunt smiled.

"Really? Do you know what he does up at the North Pole?"

"No. I don't, though I suspect Patty knows. Which, I asked if she would go with you to the North Pole."

"Patty? As in Pepper's older sister?"

"Is that the name of Patty's younger sister?"

"There's also Mint whose not graduated yet. She wants to be a Christmas Elf as well."

"Well, yes. It's Patty, and she said she would go with you so that I don't have to worry."

"Why? I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can," her aunt said, though she said it in a way that said she didn't think that to be true, or at least not completely true.

"It might have to do with Bernie and the fact I don't want to deal with him while she thinks I should. I mean, how hard can it be to avoid another elf at the North Pole?"

She couldn't avoid Pepper, who joined them on the transport to the North Pole, but there was something about the way Pepper sat there on the teleportation car that would take them to the North Pole in a short period of time. " I mean, why would I need a chaperon when I can just end up there. " She turned to Patty, smiling. "What department are you going to be in?"

"Administration."

"So, underneath the head elf."

"Yup." Patty sat there, holding a bag.

"What is that?"

"Coffee," Patty said while Pepper looked away, her face turning red.

"But Christmas Elves don't drink coffee."

"He does."

"Who?"

"The head elf," Pepper muttered.

"He's a part of the administration, right?" Mindy asked.

"Yup. Directly under Santa to be exact."

"She's trying to get on his good side," Pepper muttered, still looking away while the car teleportation car waited for the jump, which would be Mindy's first time ever experiencing teleportation.

"Are you aiming at replacing him?" Mindy asked. "You know, becoming head elf one day?"

"Nope. I'm planning on becoming Mrs. Head Elf," Patty said, catching Mindy off guard. "Which I've planned for some time."

"Really?" Mindy swallowed. "Isn't he, like old."

"Exactly! That's exactly what I told her, but all she did was laugh."

"He's not that old," Patty said, still smiling, her eyes twinkling as if she knew something they didn't.

Mindy frowned, looking at the bag of coffee. "Isn't coffee bitter though, so Christmas Elves shouldn't like it?"

"You mean like the bitter feud between you two," Patty said, changing the subject. "It would be nice if you two would get along. There's no telling if you'll ever have to work together."

"Yeah right."

"Help me change Patty's mind," Pepper muttered once they disembarked from the teleportation train. Patty waited for them, both having to get used to the teleportation's sudden lurching feeling.

"Help you?" Mindy frowned, wishing Cam and Sammy were there with her rather than Pepper. "You're the one who told everybody my brother isn't a toymaker elf, remember?"

"You're the one who constantly bragged that you'll be a toymaker elf because of who your family is, but you're rather stuck up!"

"And you aren't?" Mindy muttered.

"Are you two coming?"

"I think I should find my brother," Mindy responded to Patty. "Though I'd rather not. I don't know what else to do."

"Do you even know where to begin?"

"Well, no."

"Well, I do. That's why your aunt asked if you could come with me, but from the fact he didn't meet us here, I can assume…"

"I didn't write him letting him know I was here," Mindy glanced away.

"Well, let me show you the way to the administration offices. I'm looking forward to seeing the look on his face when he sees us."

"The head elf you mean," Pepper muttered.

"Yup."

Mindy let out a sigh, before following after Patty. Pepper spoke in a whisper. "You'd better help me."

"Why would I?" Mindy said though she didn't want Patty marrying an elderly elf given the fact she was a lot nicer than Pepper ever was.

"I'll tell your brother you're ashamed of him."

"That…" Mindy felt her throat tighten while she looked right at Pepper. "What?"

"See. You don't want him to know."

Mindy sat in the head elf's office, unsure of how she should help Pepper out. Patty walked into the office without hesitation while Pepper looked on in horror, her eyes darting around to see if anyone at the administration desks would protest, yet there was surprisingly nobody there.

"Where is everybody?"

"They're likely out on the floor. It's actually always quite busy here." Patty said, sitting in a rather comfy-looking chair. "Make yourself at home."

"Yeah, but…" Mindy glanced over at Pepper, who glared. She sat down. "You're planning on marrying the head elf."

Patty lifted a finger to her lips. "Shush. He doesn't know. He's actually quite oblivious to that kind of thing."

"Because he's old," Pepper muttered.

"No. Because he's—well, he's quite unique. Always has been. And not that old."

Mindy sighed. "Yeah but…"

"You can't tell him Mindy, but I'm telling you because you should know that I am intending to marry him."

Which didn't make sense.

And then, an elf teleported into the office. Mindy's eyes went wide in recognition while Pepper's jaw dropped as the elf shuffled through the papers. " Bernie. "

She recognized her brother, his nickname freezing in her mouth. His actual name didn't freeze on Patty's tongue. "Hi, Bernard."

The elf startled, then looked up. "Patty?"

"Long time no see," Pepper got up and held out the bag of coffee to Bernard making Mindy nearly choke. "I've something for you."

Bernard looked at the coffee while Mindy wondered if he'd noticed her yet. "Coffee." He then said. "Thank you." Pepper stepped around the desk and pulled him into a hug, her arms wrapping around his neck. Bernard at first didn't respond, but then he awkwardly hugged her back. "Good to see you, though—"

"Though what?"

"Didn't I do something wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Patty pulled away.

"You left, so—"

She laughed. "I wanted to be a bigger help, so I trained some more by working at the academy's administration. Plus—" She glanced over her shoulder. "You might have your hands full with this year's graduates."

"They can't be worse than—" Bernard paused, looking right at Mindy.

"By the way. This is my sister Pepper." Patty's attention turned towards her sister.

Bernard didn't look at Pepper, or at least Mindy didn't think she did as she looked at Pepper watching her face turn red. Mindy couldn't blame her, though she now understood why Patty wanted her and Pepper to get along, yet by what she said Bernard was oblivious.

And he was the head elf.

"The newest Santa—"

"I need to meet him and the newest Mrs. Claus, right?"

"That. Um—" He looked at Mindy, a look of confusion on his face. "Why exactly did you say the graduates this year were trouble."

"Because."

"Surely they're not as bad as Curtis."

"Mindy and Pepper don't get along. And—well, you know."

"I don't quite follow."

"Mindy hates a certain someone," Patty said.

Mindy thought Pepper might say, " Her older brother ," yet she said nothing.

Patty smiled. "Can you two stay out of trouble while I go and talk to the newest Santa?"

"Newest Santa?" Pepper muttered, making Mindy wonder why Bernard said that as well.

"Behave while I take Patty to speak with Mr. And Mrs. Claus? Please?"

"Fine," Mindy muttered, looking away. She heard the sound of him teleporting away.

"Well, that wasn't so bad."

Mindy stared at Pepper. "What do you mean?"

"He's kind of cute."

"Bernie isn't cute!"

"Oh, come on! You're as red in the face as I am, but you shouldn't call the head elf by such silly nicknames.

"Bernie. As in…" Mindy watched Pepper roll her eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me!"

"You're being silly." Pepper laughed. "I suggest not calling him that if you want to be a toymaker elf."

"Elfbright."

"Seriously. Stop with the Elfbright family being such amazing—"

"Bernard Elfbright," Mindy said, looking at Pepper, watching Pepper's facial features pale.

"Wait. Your brother. My sister?" Pepper swallowed. "Wait! How could you not know your brother's head elf! How does nobody know?"

"How should I know?"

The door opened, a rather chubby elf looking in. "You shouldn't be in here without Bernard knowing. Actually, what did you do to be sent to the head elf's office."

Mindy looked at Pepper, feeling as if her entire world had fallen apart, but she felt quite bitter about it. Not because her brother wasn't a toymaker elf anymore, but because she didn't know—she didn't know he was the head elf.