A/N: mixture of characters in the ficlet, and a little bit of Connie/Jacob for those shippers! Thanks for reading!
Advent Calendar
9. Secret Santa
"Take a name for secret santa," The porter frequently jolted the cardboard box that had been coated with festive wrapping paper, shuffling the tabs of folded paper with the steady motion. He padded round the ED, repeatedly requesting for participating members to remove a name.
Max paused by the nurses station, impatience escalating as people buzzed past, completing their jobs, "Come on, Big Mac! Staring at them isn't going to tell you who's is who!"
Big Mac was taking forever to choose, studying each little note-let intently, unlike who's colleagues who had simply dipping their hand in and retrieved a name at random. "Uh..okay, this one."
Opening out the creased paper, his smile upturned to a dismayed frown as he read the name. Connie Beauchamp. But he promptly curled the paper back up and dropped it into the tub, grasping another which contained a much friendlier name scrawled in blue ink, "I got my own name." He clarified, hastily scarpering away before more questions could be asked.
Max's intentions had been to adopt the final remaining name in the container, anticipating that the name he really didn't want for secret santa would be gone. It was the name that nobody desired. But he was wrong. That was the very name left. He flopped onto the chair, burying his face into the palms of his hands with a mutter, "I knew I should have chosen first."
The contributing members of staff clustered around the nurses station, a central point in the emergency department. Doctors, nurses, and porters. All clutching their wrapped secret santa gifts. Excitement combined with apprehension to learn the contents of their gifts and who they were from.
"Who's going to start, then? Best waste as little time as possible, we've all got important roles to play." Iain scanned each individual, noting that some were more tense than others, some incredibly relaxed and chilled. Connie was edgily tapping her feet, persistently glancing at the designer watch that adorned her delicate wrist.
The diverse variety in shapes and sizes was intriguing, present wrapping skills also ranging. Some gifts were impeccably wrapped with precision and care while others were plainly scruffy and the effort and lack of practice and talent evident.
"I'll go first!" Zoe twitched her shoulders in the approximation of a shrug, stepping forward with her present - a small rectangular carton lined with red and silver paper, complete with a matching bow. "I got Dr Knight."
Cal accepted the box, thanking the consultant gratefully with a cordial smile. Though his grin soon faded as he tore away the paper to reveal the item, "A watch..."
"Since you appear to have an affliction with time keeping, I thought that this would be a perfect idea. Perhaps you may actually be on time for your shift now," Dr Hanna added with a slight smirk, prompting some giggles from the others and a snigger from the clinical lead.
It was then the doctor's turn to disclose who he was secret santa for next, "I got Max."
The porter also obtained a similar shaped box before, "Cigarettes!" His grin was infectious, "Cheers mate,"
"Dr Knight!" The sophisticated consultant exclaimed, scowling with pure abhorrence, "You most certainly should not be encouraging Mr Walker's bad habits, especially as a doctor, in emergency medicine. You know fully the implications that smoking causes and have treated the consequences first hand."
Max shoved the packet of cigarettes into his pocket swiftly, hoping that the absence of the health impacting component would improve his boss's irritancy. That and the distraction of the detail she he was her secret santa.
The box was larger this time, resembling the size and look of a shabbily wrapped shoe box. It was a shoe box. Connie removed the lid to expose a pair of red soled shoes, mimicking those of her trademark stilettos. But they definitely were not her favourite brand; Louboutins. Instead, they were a cheap, tacky and equally fake replica. Yet they accompanied a humorous smile to her glossy lips, highlighting her freckles and natural beauty. "Very original, Max. Thank you. Though I wouldn't expect to see me actually wearing them."
"I selected Nurse Masters." The brunette admitted sincerely, passing the package to the individual. It was spongey and flimsy. A contrast to the rigid structures of prior parcels.
Jacob admired the delicate and detailed skills of Mrs Beauchamp's gift wrapping, tentatively slicing away the crisp paper with his finger at one end. "A vest?" Puzzlement etched his features as he exhaled a laugh when he read the print on front stating 'Mr Muscles'.
"Well, you always appear to wear a long sleeved shirt beneath your nursing uniform. Even in the summer months of record breaking temperatures. So I figured you must be sensitive to the cold and a vest will keep you warm." Her arms were folded elegantly across her chest, posture straight and tidy. The words floated from her mouth breathlessly, laced with a smart honesty that was almost teasing.
"I wouldn't be cold if you were always present." The remark was instant, quick and fiery.
She was rapid to retort, smirking contently, "I'll just have to go with my other logical reasoning then. Your muscles aren't up to scratch for you to be confident enough to display them, therefore you already have another use for the garment, Muscles."
"I got our favourite clinical nurse manager." Jacob revealed and handed over his gift for the young blonde.
Rita unwrapped a tastefully arranged container of bath bombs. A mixture of fruity and floral, with loose dried petals dropped around. "Thank you Jacob, very thoughtful." She nodded happily, Iain commenting that it was only really him that was allowed to purchase such items for his girlfriend, though it was in good spirit.
"Dixie." She grinned, azure orbs glittering, "This one's for you, darling."
It was a set containing speciality coffees and hot chocolates with syrup flavourings - perfect for the chilly winter nights that had arrived with December. The paramedic thanked her fellow blonde with a hug, "It's your turn next, Robyn."
The ginger-haired nurse squealed with pleasure as she peeled away the paper, freeing the contents which were a pair of novelty slippers. Gigantic fuzzy slippers that were designed to look like piglets, in a shimmering pink. "I love them, thank you so much Dix!" Despite the health and safety hazard, she insisted on switching her practical trainers for the cute slippers.
"I got Lily!" Robyn beamed, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink as she shuffled across to the doctor and handed over a peculiar shaped present.
Dr Chao opened the gift, revealing a sleek black stethoscope with white writing that printed her name in a pretty cursive scrawl. "It's lovely, Robyn. Thank you." The new stethoscope was swapped with her older one, suspending it neatly around her neck.
"This is for Dr Hanna," Lily presented an oblong box that wasn't wrapped, just finished off with the addition of a gold bow. It was a pen. "Since you are always looking for a pen, I concluded that this would be perfect."
Ethan had purchased Iain a travel mug due to the fact nearly every time he made a brew and settled to enjoy the beverage he was called out on a shout and forced to neglect his drink in favour for his demanding job.
The paramedic was secret santa for Big Mac who's gift was handed over in an envelope. Lottery tickets and scratch cards. He was incredibly chuffed, after his tumbling gambling habits had pressured him to change his ways. This was definitely a treat, that hopefully would be equipped with a lucky reward.
Big Mac gave Lofty a novelty magic kit, who then passed Dylan a present that was aimed for his delightful pet rather than the consultant himself.
"Thank you, Lofty, that was extremely thoughtful and appreciated. Dervla will definitely enjoy these treats and I'm sure she will like the collar as well." Primarily, he was incredibly reluctant to participate in the festive nonsense. But now, he was happy that he had joined.
Finally, Dylan gave Ethan a book based upon emergency medicine. The young doctor was forever striving to improve his knowledge, yearning to be the very best doctor he could be.
