So, this grew into a much bigger story then when I started it. It was inspired by a TLC photo challenge hosted by ofpagesandink over on Tumblr. The prompt for day 2: Tools of the Trade. I was doing an image search, and I found this tie. And I started laughing – I could see Winter trying to make Jacin wear it once he became a doctor. I used the picture for the challenge, and this story was born. I thought it would be a drabble, but it just sort of kept growing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Reviews are always most welcome!
I don't own anything. Not even the tie. The characters belong to Marissa Meyer. I just get to put them in impossible situations from time to time.
The Tie – Jacinter
Graduation day was over. Now, a two year residency at the New Beijing clinic, and Jacin would be a fully qualified MD. It was nearly intoxicating to think he was so close to the dream that had been ripped away from him so long ago.
But Jacin refused to dwell on that fact as he buttoned up his shirt, checking himself in the mirror. Today was his first day at the clinic, and Levana was not going to ruin it for him.
He smiled to himself as he glanced over at the lab coats hanging in the closet. Winter had embroidered his initials to the front pocket of each and every one of them as his graduation present. She'd been so happy that day, Jacin was quite sure she was going to burst.
Her enthusiasm hadn't waned in the two week reprieve between graduation day and today.
Finishing the knot on his tie and grabbing a lab coat, Jacin went downstairs for breakfast.
Jacin laughed. He couldn't help it. Winter was nowhere to be seen, but there was a bowl of oatmeal, with strawberries placed in a smiley face on top. Two blueberries made up the eyes.
"Oh, Jacin, you're down!" Winter bounced into the room, a huge smile on her face. "I hope you like your breakfast – it's to remind you that you look so much nicer when you smile."
Jacin attempted to school his expression to neutral, but Winter's enthusiasm was too catching. He dug his spoon into the oatmeal, careful not to disturb the pattern. "At least my smile doesn't look like this – this looks a bit like I ate my last patient."
Winter wrinkled her nose, and Jacin thought it made her look cute. "Jacin, I know you better than that. You have the rising sun in your smile – every patient will benefit from your care."
Jacin rolled his eyes. "If all I had to do was smile at people, why did I just spend the last 8 years in med school?" he teased.
Winter humphed at him, then leaned over to bump his shoulder. He immediately returned the gesture. "I meant your smile will increase the benefits of your prescriptions." She leaned in and planted a kiss on his lips. She popped away before Jacin could return the kiss. "I almost forgot!" Winter disappeared into the next room, skipping back with a box in her hands. "I have a happy first day of work present!"
"Winter, you didn't …" Jacin tried to press the box back towards her.
"Of course I do. I saw it yesterday, and I just had to get it for you. I would have given it to you immediately, but I thought it might be nice to start your day with a surprise. Open it." She commanded.
Slightly suspicious, Jacin eased the top off the box. He recognized the shape. It was a tie box. He already had enough ties to match all his shirts …
He folded back the tissue paper to reveal a pale yellow tie, broken into squares by back grid lines. It was not the color that had Jacin smiling, or then groaning when we realized Winter expected him to wear this tie. Inside each square created by the intersecting grid was a picture, depicting different items one might find in a doctor's office.
One square held a labeled model of a human heart
Another a bandaid or reflex hammer
Others showed a doctor scrubbed up for surgery or reviewing a chart
Jacin stared down at it. He had to admit the concept was cute – showing all different aspects and tools of his job. But to wear an object so decorated … It was out of the question. Jacin was glad he was already dressed – and wearing a tie.
"It's really fun, Winter, thanks." He smiled at her, even leaned in to plant a kiss on her cheek. Apparently, that wasn't enough.
"Put it on, Jacin." Winter's voice was filled with pride at her gift.
Jacin started to protest that it wouldn't match his shirt, but then glanced down to find it matched perfectly. He cursed under his breath as he remembered Winter laying the shirt out for him last night.
"You planned this." He tried to sound stern, but the laughter creeped into his voice anyway. Winer was an absolute criminal mastermind.
"Of course I did." Winter voiced her admission of guilt with all the innocence and sweetness of a child. She pulled the tie out of the box, holding it ready as Jacin pulled the original from around his neck. "I wanted you to look perfect for your first day."
Jacin batted her hands away as she attempted to help him with the knot, but allowed her to pull it straight when he was done.
She smiled at him, and Jacin felt his heart melt from the warmth of it. "It's perfectly appropriate, don't you think?"
Jacin didn't, but he was too fond of Winter to argue. He briefly considered hiding the original tie in his pocket, so he could return to a sense of decency, but he would never deceive Winter in that way.
So, instead, he collected his lunch and belongings, and left to start the first day of his residency.
"Hey! Jacin!" Haun, one of Jacin's classmates, waved him down as soon as he entered the clinic. Jacin nodded his greetings as Haun caught up to him. "First day jitters?" Haun asked, still attempting to straighten his own tie.
"No." Jacin finally took pity on Haun and adjusted the knot before he accidentally strangled himself. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time." Haun's tie fixed, Jacin moved to remove his coat and hang it on the rack. He heard Haun's snickering before he even turned around. Jacin willed his ears not to betray the warmth rising in his cheeks. He had one moment to feel a spike of jealousy of Cinder's inability to blush before Haun finally got over his amusement.
"So, Winter got you one of those, too, huh?" He slung his arm over Jacin's shoulder as they headed to the conference room where they would start their shift.
Jacin raised an eyebrow at Haun, who only laughed harder.
"My little sister, you met her, Azumi. She gave me a tie like that for graduation. Well, not quite like that," he amended. "Mine just had a collection of stethoscopes on it. She made me wear it this morning and everything."
"What happened to it?" Jacin eyed the more traditional navy blue tie Haun was currently wearing.
"I accidentally spilled my coffee on it." Haun shrugged nonchalantly before clapping Jacin on the back as they separated to find their seats.
Jacin forced himself to sit up straight through the entire orientation. He could feel every presenter's eyes drawn to this sign around his neck that practically screamed immaturity. Perhaps an experienced doctor could pull off this stunt, but not one fresh out of medical school, with not even 24 hours on the job.
As the orientation concluded, each new resident was introduced to the senior doctor who would be overseeing their individual work. Jacin was assigned an elderly doctor, who reminded him a bit of Dr. Erland, with a kindly but slightly distracted look about him. He was also wearing a red tie with conservative blue diagonal stripes. Jacin felt doomed as he followed his mentor, Dr. Prescott, to his office. The remainder of the day would be spent shadowing Dr. Prescott in his work.
Their first patient was a boy, seven or eight, who had an ear infection. The pain caused him to be rather difficult during the examination, and Jacin could feel the mother's eyes on him the entire time, her lips pursed, as if she was annoyed that they were somehow practicing on her son, because Dr. Prescott was instructing Jacin on procedures through parts of the exam.
Dr. Prescott told Jacin to give the child a lollipop as he finished entering the information on his portscreen and answering the mother's final questions.
Jacin crossed the room to the jar, expecting the child to wait on his perch on the table. He looked down when he felt a tug on his pants.
"What is it, Kichiro?" he asked, crouching down with the lollipop extended between them like a truce.
"Nice tie, mister." Jimmy snatched the treat, and went running back to his mother, who left a moment later with him.
Dr. Prescott chuckled. "It seems you have a fan." He clapped Jacin on the shoulder. "Good start. Keep it up."
"How was your day?" Winter was waiting impatiently by the door when Jacin got home. She eagerly helped him out of his coat, as if that would get him talking faster. Jacin paused, placing his hands on her shoulders, and turning her to face him. He leaned in, pressing a kiss onto her lips, savoring the freedom to do it. Relishing how supportive Winter was of his dream.
Winter pushed him away too soon for his taste. "That's not an answer, Jacin." She pouted at him, her eyes filled with reproach.
Jacin smirked at her. "I know. It's a greeting, Trouble." He put his arm around her, drawing her towards the coziness of dinner waiting on the table. "And now to answer your question," he added quickly, "it was great." He grinned, he couldn't help it. "I'm really looking forward to helping people, and healing them."
He told Winter more about his day, about the people he would be working with, some of the patients he'd met.
"Oh, will you get your own office?" Winter interrupted him when he paused to take a breath. "Please tell me you get to decorate it – I have lots of ideas."
Jacin smiled, reaching over and squeezing her hand. "Not yet, because I'm not permanent. Soon though. But nothing too crazy," he added warningly. "Remember, it's still a very conservative field."
Winter made a face. "That's precisely why they need to be shaken up. I think hospitals should be filled with color. It's the drabness that keeps people from getting better." Winter emphasized her point with a definitive head bob.
Jacin grinned. "No wonder your nickname is 'Trouble'. You'd go in and turn that board of directors on their heads. But, I'll make you a promise – as soon as I'm done with my residency, I'll start a research project based on that theory. And you," he added, bopping her lightly on the nose, "will be my assistant."
Winter laughed merrily as she collected the dishes. "People will question your choice of associates, Dr. Clay. Perhaps you should find a distinguished doctor to give you credibility."
Jacin shrugged. Maybe. But all the decorating is going to be up to you."
"I'll start planning it." Winter hummed to herself, already deep in thought on her new project.
"Oh!" Winter came back in. "Did everybody like your tie?"
Jacin rolled his eyes. "Yeah" he said dryly. "Everyone in charge thought I looked like a goof off." He shrugged, "but the kids seemed to like it."
"Good." Winter clapped her hands happily, and Jacin couldn't stop his own smile at her enthusiasm.
He blinked in surprise from the flash of her portscreen as she took his picture.
"Winter." He rolled his eyes.
"Calm down, Jacin. It's just for me to record this moment of you being so happy. It's not like I'm going to post it on the net for the whole world to see."
Winter must have shown that picture to quite of few of their closest friends, for when Jacin's birthday arrived a few months later, chief among his presents were several novelty ties from members of the Rampion crew, all with cards wishing him the best of luck.
Outwardly, Jacin feigned annoyance at the frivolity of the ties, but very quickly, they became a major part of his daily wardrobe, his favorite, received from Scarlet and Wolf, was one with the image of a spine up the length of the tie. Over the years, ties would be the favorite gift to send him, often arriving for no occasion, with a note that it reminded the giver of him. Jacin did have to put his foot down a time or two when Thorne tried to send ties that were outrageously over the top (like the one with flashing Christmas lights that also played "Jingle Bells" in the annoying off-key tone of a mechanical instrument).
At the clinic where he continued to work, he gained a reputation for his ability to work with more difficult patients. And for his ties. And the respect that the hilarity of his ties were a bright spot in the monotony of his co-workers days, and a way to make the patients smile. Which was often the best medicine of all.
The End.