A/N: Three things! 1) So I realized as I began to write the pairings up for this chapter that I had an odd number of characters (woooopppssss). SO I've had one of the characters address it here and hopefully it all is sorted properly! 2) I know this is a teeny tiny chapter, but I wanted to update this story quickly, and figure out the direction I'm going to take it in. Possibly just go from here to the gift exchanges and make it just three chapters? Or I may include some of the characters shopping for the gifts for each other. I'm already planning on doing a one-shot based off of one of the gifts, but that'll be after this is finished. 3) All of the pairings for the exchange are at the bottom! I hope you guys enjoy this, despite it's length. If you have any suggestions as to what certain gifts should be, or any other feedback, it always makes my day to read them and I'd love to hear from y'all! Thank you! :D
"Awesome! In that case we can start drawing names!" Eliza grinned excitedly as Hercules whooped in response.
"Okay, who want to draw first?"
"I can go!" Peggy beamed, jumping out of her seat and meeting Angelica half way to grab the top hat.
"Okay- and as a general rule you guys, don't tell anyone who you get! That way it's all a real surprise!" Smiled Angelica, as she handed Peggy the hat. "Yes, I mean you too, John and Alex. You're not exempt either." Angelica noticed the look the two had given each other, which prompted a stuck-out tongue from Alex at the comment
"Ooh! This is a good one!" Laughed Peggy, quickly stuffing the name into her pocket, and passing the hat off to Eliza who sat next to her.
Eliza took the hat with an inquisitive look on her face, staring at it and mouthing quietly.
"'Liza?" Alexander looked at her questioning; he always was paying keen attention to Eliza, as she was one the the most important people in his life.
"Eleven!" Eliza responded, looking somewhat triumphant, moving her gaze to match Alex's.
"Eleven what, Eliza?" George was also taken aback by the strange behaviour from the middle Schuyler sister.
"We have eleven people participating in Secret Santa! That's an odd number, that won't work. We need an extra person so everyone gets someone without a person being left out!"
"Oh! I can't believe we didn't notice that sooner!" John said, shocked.
"I should've noticed when I was writing everyone's names down, I'm sorry everyone!" apologized Angelica, equally surprised she hadn't caught the mistake.
"Well, we don't want anyone to be left out, that's for sure. Who do we add in?" questioned Hercules, scanning the room as if a new friend would pop out of nowhere.
"Eliza? You and Ms. Reynolds have become close, non? " Lafayette turned an appraising eye towards Eliza who began to blush slightly at the mention of Maria.
"No! I mean, yes. Yes, we're really good friends. I just- she's going home for the break I think? Yeah, I think she's maybe going home." Eliza rushed out, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation.
"Well, why don't you check, Betsey? I've seen her around campus a few times and she seems pretty nice. Haven't really talked to her before, but if you and her are becoming good friends we're bound to meet her anyways?" Alex plowed through, characteristically oblivious to the discomfort facing Eliza.
"Oh! I know her- I think he boyfriend James is in on of my classes? She's come in a few times, you should give her a call Eliza." Jefferson spoke up, facing towards the still-flushed Schuyler.
"First off that's her ex- boyfriend. Rightfully so too, that's the biggest jackass I've ever met. Secondly, yeah I can text her really quick and see." As Eliza whipped out her phone, situating the hat on her lap, the others in the room shared a series of quick glances. It was unusual for Eliza to curse, and even stranger for the curse word to be used to describe a person. Equally as strange was the ferocity she used to emphasize the "ex" part of Maria's relationship with James Reynolds.
"What was that?" mouthed Alex silently to Angelica.
Angelica gave an exaggerated shrug back, turning to the others in turn, who all shook their heads in confirmation they had no idea either.
A sigh from Eliza got their attention from the silent conversation that had erupted. "She said she'll be back on the 23rd, but she's in class right now and can't really draw a name. Also she's worried since she doesn't know you guys yet."
"That's ok!" Peggy smiled, already having thought of a solution. "Tell her firstly we'd love to have her join. Secondly the date she's coming back is fine, and thirdly after you draw a name just draw one for her and don't look at it and just give it to her when you see her tomorrow!"
"...Yeah, ok." Eliza looked as if she wanted to argue, to get the topic of Maria away from the group's focus, but just nodded and reached into the hat, grabbing to slips, pocketing one and reading the other with a blank expression, trying not to give anything away.
Turning to give Aaron the hat, she smiled at him, the tension having already faded from her features.
"Thank you." He smiled at her, taking the hat, quickly pulling a name, and passing it on.
"Um- what do I do if I picked my own name?" John questioned to the group, looking up from the name he had pulled.
Lafayette chuckled at the question. "Only you, Laurens, only you!"
"Hey! It could've happened to anyone, statistically speaking." John argued
"You, my dear, have been spending too much time with Alexander if you're speaking with statistics in mind. Just fold it back up and draw again." Angelica smiled at him, deciding to be the voice of reason, as some of the other participants who had already drawn their names were playing idly on their phones, or striking up conversations with those next to them.
Once the arduous process of going through and picking the names had come to a close, it was getting fairly late. As Lafayette let off a particularly large (and somehow still french-sounding yawn) George looked at his boyfriend, then to the group.
"Ok- let's set the spending limit and any other rules since it's getting late." Yawned George, rubbing Lafayette's shoulders as the Frenchmen leaned into George's body, tucking his head into George's shoulder.
"How much do you guys think? I'm broke as hell right now, because apparently design students aren't seen as good hires by the on-campus stores for some reason, so I'm working as bottom-rung as you can get." Piped up Hercules, hoping that the group didn't pick a high price point for them to aspire to.
"How's $35.00?" Asked Aaron.
"Sounds good to me!"
"Seems fair."
"Oui."
After the slew of either verbalized responses of affirmation, or the more subdued nodding, the group sat their tiredly and dreary eyed. That is until George gave a gentle hint that it was time for everyone to leave his apartment. "It's getting kind of late, guys. Listen, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!" He laughed, motioning good-naturedly to the door, earning a few tired chuckles in response.
Everyone said their "good night"s, beginning to drift off, either to their own apartments or, in the case of Jefferson, James, Aaron, and the interesting addition of Hercules, to the south-campus bar.
"Which is by far the closest alcohol-dealing establishment to here." Told Jefferson to the group as they departed, earning an enthusiastic "Hell yeah!" from Hercules.
"I'll start a group chat tonight!" Peggy said excitedly, as her and her sisters left the apartment, walking behind the bar going group.
George turned to John and Alex who were still on the couch as the door shut behind the majority of his guests. Speaking over Lafayette's now asleep form, he said quietly to Alex, "Son, do you need me to call you guys an uber? Or do you need to crash here in the spare room? I know it's a ways back to your apartments."
John smiled appreciatively at George, speaking for the pair as Alex had just rested his head on John and let his eyes slip shut. "It's ok George, but thank you anyways. We'll just go back to my place since it's closest. I think the campus shuttles are still going so we'll hopefully catch the one heading east and then just walk the rest of the way."
"Are you sure? It is pretty late, and the nightlife on the east side of campus can get a little...shall I say, rowdy?"
John looked down at Alex who had his head rested on John's shoulder, half-asleep. Alex would continue refusing profusely if he was fully awake, never one to take handouts. Especially not from George, who Alex saw as the older brother, and (he would never admit this part) but the male role model he had never had. Yes, he had had an older brother, but George was the kind of man he would have dreamed of being able to grow up under.
"Y'know what, yeah if you don't mind." Conceded John, caving in. It would be safer for them to just go straight home rather than trying to deal with the drunk idiots on east campus. "I can pay you for the Uber but I don't have the app on my phone, and it is pretty late-"
"It's fine John, really. Consider it on the way."
"Thanks, George."
In lieu of a topical response, George grinned and asked instead "So? Whose name did you draw?"
A/N:Here's who drew who! :D Peggy has Herc, Eliza has Aaron, Aaron has Peggy, Herc has Laf, Laf has Alex, Alex has Jefferson, Jeff has Maria, Maria has Eliza, Angie has John, John has George, George has Jmads, and Jmads has Angie! So there we go! Like I said before, if you guys have any gift-suggestions, or other feedback, I love being able to read them! Thank you so much for reading! :D