A Christmas Wish
Dylan scratched his head. It was Christmas Eve and he still hadn't got round to getting anything for his Secret Santa gift. He didn't even know why he let Zoe persuade him into this. At first, he was reluctant. Then, when he picked out Lofty's name, he was happy (getting him a Christmas present out of Secret Santa would seem a little odd, so it was perfect)… but then was the challenge of getting him something practical and something he would like. He didn't know the nurse as well as he would have liked to know. Apart from spending time in his house (which he, unfortunately, shared with Robyn and Max, so there wasn't a chance of alone time between himself and Lofty), he only saw him at work. Yes, he did try and get the nurse to team up with him whenever he could, but it wasn't enough to know his interests.
Then he had a lightbulb moment, and couldn't believe it took him 24 days to figure it out. Something which Lofty could use on a daily basis and something he desperately needed.
Hair gel.
Lofty smiled to himself as he finished wrapping up Dylan's present. Being his Secret Santa came with the benefit of giving him a present without arousing suspicion, and it meant he could remain anonymous. Dylan would never have known it was him.
If he was perfectly honest, he was very pleased with his present idea. Getting Dylan a stress-ball was something he had been meaning to do for a long time but had only gotten around to it after he picked Dylan's name. He knew it might help the doctor, and could only hope it was received well.
Dylan glanced around, watching a few people scatter from the Secret Santa box. He needed this to be anonymous - that was the whole point of Secret Santa. As soon as everyone dispersed, he crept up to the box and let go of the present, before going back to work as if nothing had happened.
But something stopped him. Out of the corner of his eye, Dylan saw Lofty… holding a present. He turned around and hid behind the corner, watching the nurse put it in the box. Dylan hoped Lofty picked out him as a Secret Santa. As selfish as it was, he wanted a present from Lofty.
Dylan sighed and wandered off, knowing it would never happen.
Lofty waited on the other side of the present box, watching a number of people put presents in. He kept looking at the wrapping paper, learning who it belonged to. Yes, it was all anonymous, but he wanted to know who his Secret Santa was, and the next person was Dylan.
Not that he would ever tell anyone, but in the back of his mind, he was hoping with everything he had that the present Dylan was holding in his hand was for him. As unlikely as it was that Dylan would pick out Lofty's name, just as he picked out the doctors name, there was always hope.
Lofty watched sadly as Dylan left. He hoped to say Merry Christmas to him first (he could see Dylan had just come in), but he was holding Dylan's present in his hand. Instead, he waited until Dylan was out of sight, then let go of his own gift.
"Merry Christmas," Lofty chimed as he appeared at Dylan's side. As he turned around, Lofty saw the faintest of smiles.
"I doubt it's a very Merry Christmas when you're on the Christmas shift, but all the same… Merry Christmas to you too."
Lofty grinned to himself, just as he heard Big Mac starting to deposit the presents.
Dylan watched as the Secret Santa presents were handed out. Some big, some small - and then the present Lofty had put in the box. He wanted to know who's it was, wanted to know who Lofty had put time and thought into.
And the present was thrust into his own hands.
He looked down at the name, and lo and behold, it read 'To Dylan'. Had Lofty really picked out his name for Secret Santa?
Lofty saw his present to Dylan be deposited and crossed his fingers in the hope that his luck would turn good and Dylan would like it. He had no more time to look, however, as someone was given to him. It was the same wrapping paper as the present Dylan put in the box… and the same size. Had they really picked out each other?
He couldn't wait to see what Dylan had got him, but he was equally excited to see what Dylan's reaction to his gift was.
Lofty watched as Dylan fiddled with the present, before walking off. Lofty – obviously – followed.
He found himself following Dylan to a secluded corridor and made himself known so Dylan wouldn't be startled.
"Thank you for… for my present. I saw you put it in the box, so – thank you," Dylan said, still fiddling with the present.
"In that case," Lofty responded, "thank you for mine." Dylan looked up and Lofty could see the moment he finally clicked on and realised what has happened. "So, open it."
Dylan looked down, and then looked back up again, "same time?"
The nurse hesitated for a second, before nodding – and the two men both opened their presents.
Dylan carefully opened his, feeling a strange texture. He stuffed the wrapping paper into his pocket (it was special after all), and found a stress-ball underneath. It even had a smiley face on it. Dylan couldn't help but laugh a little as he gripped the ball and watched the smiley face contort. He heard a little laughter from in front of him and looked up to see Lofty smiling quite stupidly.
Lofty licked his lips, before laughing quite loudly as he held the hair gel in his hand. Trust Dylan to get something like that for him! In one motion, he squeezed some on his hand and ran his fingers through his hair. He felt some of his curls stick to his head but he knew for this product to work with his hair, it would have to take more than one coating.
Not that he would ever use hair gel – he quite liked his hair – but it was good as a joke.
"Thanks, Dylan."
"You're welcome. And thank you." He returned, still squeezing the stress ball.
Lofty watched him for a few moments before wrapping his arms around Dylan, engulfing him into a hug. He waited for a second or two before Dylan returned this hug.
Written in December 2015 for queenclarisserenaldi on Tumblr.