Character A and Character B, sworn enemies, are chosen to prepare the company Christmas Party.

Kirstie slammed the gun stapler against the wall, millimeters from obvious hand, sending a staple into the wall.
     "I'm not gonna tell you again to watch it," Avi says with finality.
     "Good, because I'm not gonna listen, again." Kirstie doesn't even look at him, but she does exactly the same thing when he holds up another streamer for her.
     "For fucks sake!"
     "Language Avriel, your mother would be ashamed."
     "Don't mention my mother," his jaw is clenched.
     "Touchy, touchy," she teases. But this time she doesn't almost staple his fingers.
     "See, not so hard to do your job right," Avi mumbles.
     "What was that?"
     "Nothing."
     They continued on for a while in blissful quiet. Kirstie and Avi were the lucky two selected to decorate for tomorrow's office Christmas party. No one had volunteered, so the boss picked two people at random, at least they get paid over-time.
     Kirstie sighs, "It's too quiet, we should put on some Christmas music."
     "No thank you."
     "You don't like Christmas music?" Kirstie turns to him in shock.
     "No I don't," he unravels more red and green streamers.
     "You really are the Grinch," she gets off the table she was standing on with Avi.
he rolls his eyes, that's not the first time he's heard that one. "How can I be the Grinch, I'm not taking away Christmas, I'm literally helping you put it up."
     "Scrooge then. Regardless, I'm putting on some Christmas tunes." Kirstie takes her time setting the music up on her phone before 'Rocking Around the Christmas Tree' comes out as loud as a phone speaker will allow.
     Avi slumps, leaning his head against the wall.
     "Come on," Kirstie complaints, "You are such a buzzkill." she starts singing along as she gets back on the table.
     "Ben said the extra Christmas tree is in the basement. I'm gonna go get it." He jumps off the table.
     "No way, I do not trust you with the tree, it's the most important part," she follows him.
     "It is not, it's tree number two, it's not that important," he walks faster.
     She keeps up, following him into the elevator. "Fine then, I don't trust you to come back."
     "For God's sake, why wouldn't I come back." He jabs the basement floor button.
     "I don't know."
     "Then why say it."
     "Because-"
     She is cut off by the elevator making a loud noise then shuddering to a halt. The lights went out
     Kirstie screams.
     Avi presses a finger to his ear, he gets it, it's scary, but not that scary.
     At least it was a one off scream, now it is just dark, and quiet.
     "What did you do?" Kirstie squeals.
     "Why do you assume it was me?" He looks around the dark elevator, "What could I have possibly done Kirstie? How did I break the elevator?"
     She is sheepish, "I don't know."
     "Exactly."
     "Sorry."
     He was taken off guard, "Um... thanks."
     Kirstie is very quiet when she talks, "Avi I don't like small spaces."
     Avi doesn't like Kirstie and Kirstie doesn't like him, and he doesn't know why, but in this moment he can't help but feel bad.
     "It's okay, we'll call for help. We don't need to panic," he places a comforting hand on her shoulder. He pulls his phone out, "And I have no signal."
     Her eyes widen, "I don't have my phone."
     "If mine didn't have a signal then yours probably wouldn't either."
     "Mine is newer than yours," she can't help herself.
     He just looks at her, "It's cell service, it has nothing to do with how new it is."
     Kirstie nods, "Yeah, you're right."
     "Hold on, I need to let that sink in."
     "Avi."
     "Elevators normally have an emergency phone, um," he steps closer to the panel of buttons because they were still lit up. "Here."
     "Why couldn't we have done this during the day- oh I can hold your phone so you can see what you're doing," she takes it and holds the torch at a better angle for him.
     "Thank you."
     "All good. But seriously, if they let us do this during the day it would be so much easier, people would have noticed we were missing," she panics.
     "Kirstie it hasn't even been two minutes."
     "It feels like ten," she goes quiet when he holds up a finger because he is about to speak on the phone.
     "Yeah - it's just stopped, and the lights are out. – An hour? Seriously... fine thank-you." He hangs it back up.
     "A whole hour?"
     "Yep, but they said the lights-" he is interrupted by the lights coming back on. "-Could be turned back on remotely."
     "Thank god," she slumps to the floor of the elevator.
     Avi sits with her.
     "I'm still stuck in here with you though." What Kirstie says is mean but she says it with a laugh, so Avi smiles too.
     "We both must have shit luck to end up stuck in here with our least favourite co-worker."
     "Right," she chuckles, "It's karma for you not liking Christmas music."
     "Or it's your karma for making a Jewish man listen to Christmas music."
     Kirstie's smile drops," I didn't know."
     "No I know, I never told you."
     "But you're helping decorate for Christmas."
     Avi shrugs, "It's just easier to do it than to argue."
     "That's not fair though," she frowns, "If anyone should get to get out of Christmas party duty it should be the Jewish man."
     "I don't mind that much, I mean I'm going to attend the party, and I'm participating in Secret Santa. Besides we get a little extra pay for staying behind and decorating, easy money."
     "Do you actually want to partake though or do you feel obliged to?"
     Avi doesn't say anything right away and that gives Kirstie her answer.
     "We could have decorated in blue and silver and laid out candles," and she hesitates because she actually doesn't know all that much about Hanukkah. So she changes the subject, What are you gonna spend your extra money on?"
     "It'll actually probably just go towards the babysitter, I've got to pay for a couple of extra hours," he chuckles weakly.
     "You have kids?" The Jewish thing had surprised her, but this even more so, "I didn't know you were married."
     He holds his left hand up to show her that there isn't a ring. "Not married, not my kids, they're my niece and nephew, six and four. My sister and her husband dies in a car accident last year, although you could say it was this year."
     "Oh."
     "Yeah," he lets out a dark chuckle, "I was babysitting on New Year's Eve, because I'm actually a very nice person, and they didn't come on New Year's Day. It was a drunk driver. My brother lives in Israel and my parents are too old now, so Esther and Darian had me in their will to take them."
     "I can't believe I had you so wrong Avi. I'm sorry for being a bitch to you all year."
     "You've been a bitch the whole time we've worked together, not just this year, but I've been a total jerk back so, I'm sorry too."
     "Well I forgive you. Now tell me all about your niece and nephew, and if you have pictures don't hold back."

A/N: I hop you enjoyed, please vote and comment, it truly makes my day and it'd be a pretty nice Christmas present ;) 

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Hannah :)