A rarity: a Miami Medical fic and an even bigger rarity: one from me! Thanks to Lindsay and Shay for the beta and Shay, this one's for you! Hope you enjoy this little foray into the life and times of Miami's best trauma duo...
Days in MT1 are long, gruelling and well… different. One head trauma is never the same as another, one tracheotomy has different risks and each of the attending staff are permanently on their toes. They're all sure that Trauma is nothing like any other of the specialties they could have chosen. Which means, when they can be sure they won't just face plant their respective drinks out of sheer fatigue, they all take the chance to while their evenings away at their regular haunt.
It's Chris's idea this time around, the first round on him and it's enough to tempt Eva, who shouts a resolute yes! to his offer with a fist in the air, but with both Tuck and Proctor on late shifts and Serena on a date with Hunky Reunion Guy, it leaves the two surgeons in each other's company (no doubt stirring up rumours) and after the horrible day she's had, with sudden patient death and all manner of complications stemming from that, she needs that drink.
"You offered to buy the first round," Eva starts, causing Chris to arch a brow as they slide into their preferred seats at the bar. "With the others indisposed, does that mean I get a couple more drinks on you..?" she tries with a sly grin, one he matches.
"Normally I'd say one's the only offer I'm willing to put forward, but as it's you, Zambrano…" he trails off, holding up his drink in a toast, one she matches, clinking their glasses together before both take a sip of the respective crisp, cool beverages. "To the day being done."
"Mmm, to the day being done" she hums, placing the glass back on the bar before turning her attentions fully to him. "I needed that."
Chris nods in agreement, mirroring her actions. "So, shitty day, huh?"
"You could say that," she sighs, pushing the more stubborn tendrils of her dark hair back behind her ears. "I know that it happens, days like these, but y'know, it doesn't make them any easier when they do come around."
"True. No-one and nothing prepares you for the feeling of utter helplessness you get when you're watching your patient slip away." It's something she can relate to and she takes another swig of her beer to counteract the dread coursing through her at the mere thought of earlier that day. "But, the day is over, right? Tomorrow's a new one and the night is young, as they say…"
That causes the brunette to smile. "I didn't know you were poetic," she laughs, making a good-natured jab at him as he nudges her with his elbow.
"You've gotta admit, that rhyme was a little… tenuous."
"I'll drink to that," she agrees, holding her glass back in the air and taking another generous sip.
They sit in companionable silence for several moments before Chris clears his throat. "So, I heard from Tuck that a certain doctor I work with is… bilingual," Chris starts with a wiggle of his brows.
"Bilingual? Chris, you know I speak Spanish. I tell you your terrible jokes are muy huevos often enough," Eva replies, a bemused look on her face.
"Oh yes, Spanish, Dr. Zambrano, but sign language?" Eva breathes out an ohhh as the blonde reaffirms with a nod. "Said you helped out a patient you thought was having tremors."
"He's damn right," she says, grinning, still pleased with herself at how that particular case turned out. "Been awhile since I'd used it, so I was probably a little rusty."
"Seemed to work well enough, Miss Modest," and she scoffs, but agrees. "So, how did you learn that?"
"Classes, of course…" Chris rolls his eyes - she knows that's not what he meant and she nudges him right back. "I took a class in college so I could communicate with my second cousin. I wanted to be able to communicate with her in a way she was comfortable with, not just have her rely on lip reading." Another sip of her beer. "Can you believe she used to make fun of me for the way I'd move my hands?" The surgeon laughs at the memory. "She said I wasn't being clear enough, but she soon taught me, the little firecracker. I swear, one mis-signed word and she's never let me forget it!"
He chuckles at that. "You did all that for your cousin?" Chris asks, no judgement to his tone.
"Yeah. We were close, right, before she lost her hearing and the bond we had was just strengthened by me being able to talk to her through signing." She smiles, pulling her phone from her pocket, placing it in front of Chris. "See, this is me and this is Maria." Chris observes the picture, Eva's background, her arms around her teenage cousin, both with massive grins on their faces.
"Great picture, can see the resemblance," Chris says as Eva slips the device back into her pocket and she nods.
"Thanks. So yeah, that's the story of how Dr Eva Zambrano learned how to sign." She bites her lip, bobbing her head, taking another sip and finishing off the remnants of her beer.
Chris orders them both another round, keeping good on his promise. "So, how do you say 'Chris' in sign?"
Eva shows him, her motions confident, following up with another set of signs. "That's how you say Chris and Eva."
"Chris and Eva. I like the sound of that," and his audacity causes Eva to laugh out loud, signing a little more. "What did you say then?"
"That you're insufferable."
Then it's Chris's turn to laugh. "I swear, you fascinate me the more I talk to you."
He's flirting a little more boldly and she's had a drink. Most rumours have a kernel of truth, right, so what harm will it do if she flirts a little back? "That's just as well, Dr Deleo. Who wants all their secrets to be discovered in one night?"
He leans in then, interested. Very interested.
"Well, what else are you willing to share?"