A/N: This one isn't brilliant, my idea didn't quite work as I had hoped! It's Cal/Ethan. And is rather random. It should probably be called Santa but I had another idea for Santa that simply wouldn't fit Cal/Ethan quite like this. Thanks for the reviews!
~Mini Peacelet~
Wintry Advent
12. Elf
"Why did you think it was a good idea to try and climb up onto the roof, anyway?" Ethan was perplexed by his brother's stupidity in climbing out of the highest window in the building, then attempting to climb up the plastic drain pipe until it had snapped and he had been left suspended, clutching onto the concrete window ledge with the tips of his fingers.
Dr Knight shrugged, "I don't know, it's what the kids wanted. It's your fault, anyway." He muttered, grimacing as his brother removed another piece of gravel skilfully from the wound on the side of his head.
"My fault? You are the one who decided to climb on the roof, or try to." The male doctor retorted as he disinfected the wound again with a soaked pad.
"Ethan, I'm fine. There is really no need for this." He swatted his brother's hands away from the laceration, "And it was you who wanted me to step in as Santa. If I hadn't, then non of this would have happened!"
Dr Hardy rolled his eyes, "But I didn't tell you to climb on the roof! Despite what you may like to think, you are not spiderman. Didn't you think of the risks? What if you had fallen? It's just as well the building was surrounded by scaffolding so I was able to climb up and rescue him. Your injuries could have been much more severe. And what if I hadn't of made it up the scaffolding in time?" He asked bluntly, "It needs cleaning and the foreign objects removing and then stitches."
"Well at the time, no. But now I obviously can see my stupidity. But it's all alight, because you saved the day Elf-y." Caleb wasn't in the mood for a lecture about his absurdity. Nobody was significantly injured, that was the main thing. "I can sort the wound out myself."
"No." Ethan's tone was assertive, "Let me. If it's not done properly then you will most likely get an infection. You treated me when I was involved in the crash, now let me treat you." He stated sincerely and continued to cleanse the cut.
'"Come on, Cal. Remember all those favours I've done for you in the past? The least you could do is help me out for once with my request. I mean, it isn't like you have anything better to do." Ethan exhaled an exasperated sigh, frustrated by his brother's lack of cooperation.
Caleb shrugged futilely, thoroughly enjoying aggravating the intelligent doctor, "But your request is completely different to any of mine. You are asking me to dress up as Santa for a bunch of hyperactive kids."
Ethan peered at his watch knowing he was briskly running out of time. Caleb really was his last chance if he wasn't to disappoint. "I wouldn't be asking you if I wasn't desperate. It's not my fault the other Santa has fallen ill and dropped out. We need a replacement Santa, right now."
"Why can't you dress up as Santa?" Dr Knight suggested with a cunning smirk, thinking that he was actually tactful enough to escape the stupid and humiliating favour.
"Because I'm an elf." He stated bluntly, eyes fixated on his brother.
"So? Them kids aren't going to care if there is one less elf providing they get to see Santa."
"You'd make a much better Santa than me, though." Ethan comprehended that his brother was simply attempting to agitate him by refusing to comply - and it was working. He was falling for Cal's irritating behaviour, again.
"How?" Caleb tilted his head to one side, suddenly curious into the reasons why he would make a better Santa.
"Well, I can't exactly be Santa can I? The reason I'm an elf is because I'm small...it isn't going to be very realistic if Santa's the same size as his elves is it?!" Dr Hardy responded matter-of-factly; he had always been the smarter and wiser one of the siblings.
He had a point; a very good point. "Fine, but you so owe me. Big time." Cal reluctantly agreed and trailed after his brother out of the ED and to the location where his costume awaited him and an accumulating crowd of excited children with their parents.
Caleb was encircled by energetic children who had all had their photos taken with Santa and received their individual gifts. The replacement Santa thought that his good deed was over, but the kids were reluctant to leave the grotto. They were bubbling with inquisitive questions.
"How do you get on the roof so you can go down the chimney with our presents?" One little boy asked, gazing up at the man dressed in red in amazement.
"With my magical reindeers, they pull my sleigh through the sky and land on each roof. Then I hop off, pop down the chimney with your presents, enjoy the mince pies you leave and then return to my sleigh with the carrots for Rudolph." Dr Knight enlightened the children, hoping to cure their curiosity.
"Show us." They chorused simultaneously, all in sync.
Cal shot a quick glance at his brother, quite clearly desiring for some intelligent help to answer their prying inquiries. Ethan - dressed as an elf - stepped forward, descending to the child's level, "The reindeers are only magical on the night of Christmas Eve. It takes them a whole year to gather that magic from a special potion they get fed so they have enough magic to deliver everyones presents."
"Can't Santa drink some of the potion?" The boy replied, full of hope to see Father Christmas on the roof.
"Please Santa." They all pleaded and cheered as Caleb reluctantly nodded, disappearing out of the grotto, promptly followed by one of his elves; Ethan.
"What are you planning to do?" Dr Hardy demanded to be enlightened into his brother's plan following him agreeing to go on the roof.
"Relax, bro. I've got this one." He smiled smugly as he entered the nearby building and began racing up the several flights of stairs.'