It's all wrapped up (Shawn)

[Deleted]

As anyone who knew her well could imagine, Callisto was not really into Christmas. Sure, she liked their family time and she liked the good food, but she wasn't a big fan of the lights or the flashy gifts. That was why she always volunteered to work on Christmas.

Last year on Christmas she was working at the Yule Ball, back when she had another job part-time at the ministry in the international affairs office. This time of year kind of made her sad, thinking of the things she had let go of after that ball.

But, now she was only working at the hospital, which was where she was now on the overnight shift on Christmas Eve to Christmas day. She hadn't expected him to be available, but she did invite Shawn to come and visit her sometime during the night so she could give him a Christmas gift. She was hard at work, and hadn't taken a break yet because she was hoping he would show up...

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Christmas had a special meaning to Shawn, both good and bad. As a child his family was very poor, just barely scraping by on basic needs let alone have money left over for Christmas. His Mother still tried to make it fun for him. His father on the other hand... didn’t at all. That all changed when they learned of the magical world. His father promised better Christmas’ as soon as Shawn was out of school. Only his idea of these was having his son just conjure money out of thin air. All Shawn was to him was a golden ticket to free money. As an adult he now he embraced Christmas more than he probably should have. Keeping the good memories of times with his mother alive while ignoring the bad. Shawn was the first to decorate for the holidays, the first to dress up and normally the first to attempt to pass out any gifts he had gotten for people early.

Callisto though was quite the opposite, she wasn’t one for Christmas and as she explained, normally worked the holidays. Someone had to anyway, a hospital can't just close for the holidays. This didn’t surprise him as Callisto and Shawn were very much the opposite in most ways. Still Callisto agreed to him coming to see her during her Christmas Eve night shift. Granted he didn’t give her much alternative as his other suggestions involved him getting hurt in some way just to see her. While joking there was no telling if he might have faked some quick spell related injury just to see her.

Walking into St. Mungos Shawn looked around for where Callisto’s ward may be. Shawn wasn’t one that was suited for hospitals normally. It's serious place that typically required quiet and calm which just wasn't part of who he was. Still he knew there was time and place for things and wouldn’t do anything to cause any trouble. On top of that this was Callisto’s work which made it even more reason he should stay in line. While he would be more than happy to take up most of her time, Callisto was working so he would also have to let her get back to it at some point. A second or two of asking questions and some more walking and Shawn had found Callisto, she hadn’t notice him yet. He walked up while she wasn’t paying attention with a smirk on his face. “Excuse me miss, I was looking for the Spell damage ward but I seen to have found myself in the beautiful healer ward instead, quite the mix up.”

@callisto

[Deleted]

Callisto was half leaning against a wall in the Spell Damage ward, looking over a patients chart. She yawned, hiding it behind her hand before wiping her eyes with that same hand. Normally she didn't allow herself to get tired at work. But, alas, she hadn't taken a break yet. Then, someone started to speak and they were close enough that she knew they were addressing her. Plus, she knew that voice. She looked up from her chart and her eyes lit up, too tired to stop them and too tired to stop the smile that appeared on her lips. He said he had found himself in the 'beautiful healer' ward instead of spell damage and she shook her head, "I'm just glad you didn't come in on a stretcher," she said, semi pushing his joke aside for a moment to recall that he threatened to do just that.

"But... is that beautiful healer 'singular' or are you eyeing all the other ladies around here?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow in an attempt to look suspicious, but she was still smiling. She could play fun an games for a while with him, usually, but she was too tired and happy to see him to let it keep up for too long this time. "Merry Christmas," she said, her voice entirely serious and soft. "Let me just clock out for my break," she touched his arm with her free hand and quickly moved to the nearest nursing station, still in eyesight, and turned in her chart. After a short conversation she was walking back toward him. "You can come to the break room with me," she invited.

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Callisto finally turned toward him with a smile and he returned one. She explained that she was glad he hadn’t come in on a stretcher. “Well it’s reassuring to me that you actually believed that was an option, because it was.” He teased for a moment as it was something he had both threatened to do and would have done. Sadly besides Rory and Callisto he didn’t know any other healers so he might have actually had to come up with some fairly non-painful spell to hurt himself with. Callisto gave him a slightly suspicious facial expression as she asked if he was talking about just her or the other healers in the ward. “That depends on if they did the smart thing and listened the number of letters I sent with the suggestion to just copy you, their best healer. If they had I think I’d need to be permanently admitted.”

“Merry Christmas.” Shawn repeated after Callisto, he had expected he would be the first one to say that but Callisto beat him too it. Callisto explained she just had to clock out for her her break and walked off for a moment. Shawn was never good with waiting even if it was just a minute or two. "I'll be right here." Shawn replied as he started to wait. He had started to look around the ward as he hadn’t spend much time in an actual hospital. The hospital wing of Hogwarts was the closest he had come. The table next Shawn had a number of things on it, all of which he could only make vague guesses at what they were. He picked up one even if he probably shouldn’t have and attempted to look through it. Still confused at what it could be his focus was broken when Callisto surprised him slightly by speaking about going to the break room. He quickly put the item down and turned to face Callisto. “O-okay, I was just looking.. that’s all.” He explained with a laugh as he knew he should have just stood still.

@callisto

[Deleted]

He said that the stretcher was an option and she glared at him. She didn't think jokes about him coming in all injured were very funny. Unless he meant he was just going to show up on a stretcher for no reason at all. In response to her question about the 'beautiful healers' he said that he sent a request for her to be... cloned? Or something. She raised both eyebrows, "that.. is a very weird thing to say," she said slowly. "And slightly creepy," she added with a small smile, amused.

Shawn set down what he was holding and said he was just looking, glaring at him again. "You don't want to touch that. Well, it's sterile now but after it's used... well it's not the most glamorous piece of equipment, let's leave it at that," she turned on her heal and led the way toward the break room.

Once there, she led him to one of the couches in the corner, back by a small table. "Do you want something to eat? We can order here and they'll send it up from the cafeteria downstairs," she offered.

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Shawn laughed as Callisto questioned him on his comment about there being a ward full of her. While she seemed to be taking him serious for a moment he still couldn’t help but notice the small cute smile on her face. “I’m just saying, if they want to have the best healers they already have her. All they can do now is just get more of her somehow.” Shawn explained as he had been mostly joking. Yet more than one Callisto would be an interesting situation. One he wasn’t sure he would be able to handle or survive.

Shawn knew that look on Callisto’s face and avoided laughing at what was going on in this moment. She explained partly why he shouldn’t be touching what he had been holding. After a moment of feeling grossed out by the imagery in his own mind of what it was used for Shawn attempt to wipe his hands on his pants even if Callisto said the item was sterile. “I know I shouldn’t have to say this but do remind me to never touch anything in here again.” Shawn said jokingly as Callisto turned and proceeded toward what he assumed was the break room she had been talking about earlier. As they walked he wondered what the chances were they would run into Rory. He doubted it as he probably took today off still it was just a passing thought as he was really just here to see Callisto.

As they entered the break room Shawn looked around for a moment while Callisto led him further in. It was funny to him to compare the break room of St.Mungos to the staff room back at Hogwarts. “Sure that’ll be fine. I get to see what the big deal with people disliking hospital food is. Even if this is a magical hospital.” Shawn said part joking and part wondering just what food this place might actually have. He hadn’t ever spend an extended stay in a hospital. For all the bad luck he had at times he had never been seriously hurt before. Now that he thought that he could only imagine he had jinxed himself.

@callisto
(And he did Jinx himself, hahaha)

[Deleted]

Cal shook her head, "the best way to get more of the best healers is to train them," she countered with a slight narrowing of her eyes. "I'm not sure the world could handle more than one of me. Especially not Mina," she added. Mina would probably lose her mind completely if there was more than one Callisto trying to tell her how to run her life. Callisto was sure she was enough.

She shook her head in disbelief as he said that he needed to be reminded not to touch anything in there. "Would think that was obvious," she challenged, raising a disapproving eyebrow at him. It was honestly kind of like dating a kid sometimes. Not that his youthful behavior was a bad thing in it's entirety - it was actually quite charming on him.

He said that the food coming up would be fine, that he'd get to see what the deal was with people disliking hospital food. "I think it's just made in a hurry because there are so many people who need to eat?" she suggested. She slid a menu over to him, "just tap on what you want twice and it'll come," she said, maybe talking a little too fast. She was starting to get nervous, because his present was in here.

She moved to the cubby her bag and things were in, and opened it up after punching in the code. She took out her bag, reaching in to pull out a present box about the size a bludger could fit into. She turned back to face him, taking a deep breath, "I have this for you." She meant to sound more emotional, but it came out a little tight in her throat.

shawn lesley ashcroft
(TJ I AM SO SORRY I DON'T KNOW HOW I LOST THIS)

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

“That might be true but they still wouldn’t be half as pretty.” Shawn said laughing a little but it wasn’t necessarily a joke. Callisto explained that the world might not be able to take more of her, especially not her sister. “You make a good point, it’s possible she might go a little crazy. Or just drink even more if that’s possible.” Hard to say, he didn’t know much about how they were behind closed doors but he had caught glimpse of what it might be like between the two when he wasn’t around. Still that didn’t mean he knew how either of them really were around each other alone.

Callisto explained how it should have been obvious to not touch random things in a hospital. The look on her face said just about the same thing. To a normal person sure it was probably obvious but Shawn was more curious about random things especially when he was just standing around waiting than the average person. “If they didn’t want me to touch it they shouldn’t have made it so interesting looking.” Shawn joked obviously not being serious.

While handing over the menu to Shawn she explained why most people possibly thought the food in hospitals wasn't that good. It made sense as there were plenty of people eating at once at a hospital and it wasn’t like it was a restaurant. The first order of business was getting people healed. All he seemed to have to do was tap the menu twice as Callisto explained. The idea of tapping everything and claiming it was a mistake did cross Shawn’s mind but he held back. “I guess I won’t have one everything.” He explained. First it would have been rude to the people who worked in the kitchen and this was Callisto work after all. Shawn just tapped on some chicken finger meal before putting the menu down. He wasn’t exactly here for food anyway and wasn’t that hungry.

Callisto got up and went off to what looked like could have been small lockers, she hadn’t said anything before getting up so he figured she just forgot to grab something. Instead she came back with a small to medium box. She explained it was for him. “You really didn’t have you, just seeing you is always enough.” Shawn explained as he looked toward the box. “Especially if what’s inside is charmed to hit me whenever I do something stupid, you’d be seeing me in here pretty often if that’s the case.” He joked as the size of the box was reminiscent to the size of a bludger. “I have your gift too actually, so do you want to go first or me?” He explained, her gift in his pocket, a little nervous about this. Not enough for show but still felt it.

@callisto

[Deleted]

Callisto shook her head when he said the trained healers wouldn't be half as pretty. She had always tried to look as presentable as possible, even at work as a healer, so she didn't mind the compliment. He said that Mina could go a little crazy, or drink more, and she frowned a little. "I know I would," she mentioned. "And thanks for saying I'm pretty," she added quickly, not wanting him to think she didn't appreciate it. Sometimes she didn't say things out loud, which he'd know by now. But still.

He said that if they didn't want him to touch something it shouldn't have been made to look so interesting and she shook her head, "if you go around touching anything that looks 'interesting' you're going to cheat on me any day now," her attempt at a joke, but she didn't mean to sound so severe. She just believed in keeping your hands to yourself, even though she knew he was joking.

He said he wouldn't have one of everything and she nodded, tapping her own menu for a salad and fruit bowl. Then, when she retrieved the gift, he said she didn't have to. At his words about seeing her being enough she shook her head, moving the box closer to him. His joke about the contents attacking him made her chuckle. He said he had her gift too and she felt her cheeks warm. "I guess since yours is here... you go first," she suggested.

Inside, he would find a large snowglobe. The scene inside was a park with a girl who looked like her walking a German Shepard in a circle around the globe. But, when she went through a small tunnel, the German Shepard would come out on the other side as Shawn, making a funny face as the tiny toy Callisto shook her head. Then it would reset. 

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Callisto explained that she would probably drink more if there were more of her around. That or she was implying she would go crazy. Either seemed likely if there was suddenly more of oneself going around. She followed it by thanking him for calling her pretty and he just smiled for a moment. ”Just pointing out facts is all.” Shawn replied as it was a fact after all, both while she was at work and away from it. Besides just looking pretty either Callisto didn’t own any clothes that didn’t look nice in some way or she hadn’t allowed him to see any of her everyday clothes. While Shawn had to search plenty of draws and closets for passable clothes to wear. ”I don’t think I say it enough is all.”

Shawn laughed for a moment as Callisto explained what would happen if he touched everything that looked interesting. ”There’s only a few problems with that, first I don’t go around touching random people. I’m not that crazy. Second, even if I did I’d have to find someone more interesting than you and that’s not an easy thing to do. If it’s even possible.” Shawn explained with a pause for a momentary laugh. ”And third, I’ve been keeping my hands to myself for the most part when it comes to you already.” Shawn got out before realizing just what he was saying and how it might come a crossed. ”Which.... I now realize came out sounding worse than I thought. Ignore that last one.”

She explained that since she already had his gift out Shawn could have his first. He was fine with going second and proceeded to open the box. Inside he found a large snow globe, which was cool enough already. She was aware he liked Christmas after all so a Christmas decoration wasn’t a bad gift he supposed. That was till he looked at what was inside the globe. Inside was a mini German Shepard and a mini girl walking it. With magic they actually moved through a tunnel and when they came out it was what looked like Shawn and the girl being Callisto shaking her head before it repeated. ” This is amazing, thank you.” He said watching it a couple more time. “Also if you’re implying you want to take me for a walk you’re more than welcome.” Shawn joked for a second before hugging Callisto. It really was an amazing gift and he really didn’t think when he hugged her but it wasn’t like he could take it back now.

Now it was his turn and he wasn’t exactly sure how she would like his gift. Shawn liked just about anything so he always figured he was easy to shop for when people wanted to. With Callisto he wanted to make sure she really liked whatever he gave her. Especially as she explained she wasn’t much of a Christmas person. ” Okay, let me just start this by saying you’re free to say no. Okay?” Shawn explained as he reached into his pocket and pulled out something small.

Shawn got down on my knee and revealed it was a ring box. Holding it up toward Callisto first before speaking, “Callisto, would you do me the honor of..” He stopped to open the ring box. “Wearing this really cool magical mood ring I picked out for you? I hope you like it.” Shawn was well aware of what he was making it seem like at first and fully expected Callisto to yell or possibly a slap him. He still thought it was worth it at the moment. The ring was far better than any of the muggle toys he had seen as a kid, it was made of sliver around the color changing parts and suppose to actually be correct with its color changes for emotions.

@callisto

[Deleted]

He said he was just pointing out facts about her being pretty and that he didn't say it enough. She just nodded once, "so are you," she paused, "nice looking, I mean." She KNEW she didn't say it enough. She liked words of affirmation the most when it came to a romantic connection, but she still had a hard time saying them. She wasn't sure what sort of love language Shawn preferred, but he was a good talker so maybe he preferred that.

He said he wouldn't go around touching random people and that he'd need to find someone more interesting than her, which didn't seem possible. She shook her head, amused, as he laughed. Then he said the thing that she was worried about. That he had been 'keeping his hands to himself' with her anyway. But then he tried to save it, saying that it sounded worse than he meant it to. "No, no it's okay. It's true anyway," she said softly. She wanted to say more on the topic, but she wasn't sure yet.

She watched Shawn with his gift, nervous. She smiled a little when he said it was amazing and that she could take him on a walk if she wanted. "Actually," she paused, "I'm more of a cat person," she answered, her eyes widening. Had she admitted that to him before? Still, it was kind of funny.

Then he said that she was free to say no and all the color drained out of her face as he pulled out a small box. No, no Shawn wasn't that crazy. He was up to something. she swallowed, then he got on one knee and her jaw dropped even more. Come on, there was no way! He closed her mouth, pursed it tight together and shook her head as he started. He presented a 'mood ring' and she bit down on her lip, a smile trying to break through.

"I thought you'd never ask," she finally joked, shaking her head still. It was a thing she often did around Shawn. She held her right hand out for him to put it on her hand.

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Shawn just smiled with possibly a little blush as Callisto complimented him saying he looked nice also. “Thanks, even that is you’re fault though. I’d probably just be bumming it a bit if I wasn’t seeing you. That or I’d be at some Christmas party dressed as Santa.” He explained with a laugh. “With some beard and a pillow under my shirt.” Yeah, that did sound like something he would be wearing on Christmas Eve if he hadn’t come to see Callisto. He was just really into Christmas. All his Christmases growing up were terrible and he knew he was making up for it in a way.

“Well as we just saw it’s a good idea I learn to keep my hands to myself. I’ll end up touching gross things more often than the interesting ones when the time comes.” Shawn explained referring to the the medical tool he had just picked up but it worked just as well as trying to explain that he really didn’t mind how things were with them. He just enjoyed being around Callisto more than anything else. It was the wonderful opposites between them that just worked. That and the times when someone who had been so serious when he knew her laughing and joining him with jokes.

Callisto explained that she was actually more of a cat person which he could definitely see being the case but he still laughed for a moment or two. “Well you can’t be perfect, finally found a flaw in you but I feel I can over look that.” Shawn joked for a moment as it wasn’t really a flaw and she was allowed to be whatever type of animal person that she wanted to be. “Still if you ever want to test what type of animal person you really are I can teach you Animagi sometime.”

The reaction of Callisto as he presented her with his gift was priceless. It wasn’t totally one of believing he was actually proposing but there was a bit of shock and a small idea that it was happening. He could tell as she went a pale for a second and looked surprised which quickly went away as she saw it was just a mood ring. Though the idea had crossed his mind for a second he shot it down as crazy as well even for him. “I know right? I took my sweet time to ask you.” He joked as Callisto joked first about him finally asking her to wear the ring. She held out her hand and he put it on one of her fingers as it changed colors a couple times. Shawn finally stood back up, “Merry Christmas Callisto.”

@callisto

[Deleted]

He said him looking good was also her doing, otherwise he'd be bumming around or dressed as Santa. "I think you'd make a good Santa. You're so jolly and whatnot," she commented. She didn't comment further on his agreeing that he should keep his hands to himself. Especially in a hospital, there really wasn't a lot of things that a non healer should be messing with. But he was talking about her now, and she chewed the inside of her cheek a little bit in nervousness. She still wasn't ready to talk about that more, so she was glad when the subject changed to her having a flaw due to being a cat person. She narrowed her eyes at him, and he suggested that he could teach her to be an animagus. "I am quite sure we would end up as a dog and a cat. Either way, you'd still be chasing me around, so I guess there's no use in wasting the time to become one," she suggested, not realizing that it may have sounded rude of her to say that learning to become and animagi was a waste of time. She just had no use for it, and she didn't spend time on things she didn't have use for.

He put the ring on her hand and it changed colors before settling on violet. She tilted her head to the side as he stood back up, her eyes on her ring as she was trying to figure out what that meant. But then she looked up at his face and smiled. She reached both of her hands to either side of his face and lifted herself a little to kiss him lightly on the lips. "Merry Christmas."

shawn lesley ashcroft
(the end)