Merry Christmas

[sauntereddownward]

While Aziraphale had been in his room letting his cocoa go cold with his nose in a book, no doubt, Crowley had been quite busy down in the library. He'd found a tree. And he'd trimmed it especially for Sol Invictus. It was artificial, of course, since plastics were evil. And Crowley, given the choice, had selected a shimmery black tree. His decorations included blood red tinsel garland, and tiny little angels and demons scattered amongst shiny black and red ornaments.

It stood directly in the middle of the room, between the door and the desk. Annoyingly in the way.

He stood back, quite proud of it.

And then he settled in his favorite chair and pulled out his phone to make a little mischief on the tiktok thing.

Comments

[sauntereddownward]

"Obviously," Crowley snipped, then wrinkled his nose, cleared his throat, and tried again.

"I mean, yes. Please."

[theangelfell]

"I have a victrola in my rooms where I could put on some carols if you like," Aziraphale added.

[sauntereddownward]

"You do know how I love the Boston Pops," Crowley smiled.

"That sounds lovely, angel," he added affectionately.

[theangelfell]

"I'm afraid I... didn't get you a gift," Aziraphale said, a touch sheepishly, suddenly wondering if he should have. "But I am happy to share my home with you for the evening. And make whatever sort of cocoa you like. Oh! Should we put whiskey in it?"

[sauntereddownward]

"Delightful," he smiled, stepping close and laying his hand on the angel's back to guide him home.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale felt a little swell of warmth as they walked. "Do you think it might snow?" he asked.

[sauntereddownward]

"I think if you wish hard enough, it just might," Crowley replied as he kept his slender body remarkably close to Aziraphale and yet was never quite in his way. He was simply right

[theangelfell]

"I think a white christmas might be nice," Aziraphale said, and tilted his head towards Crowley. Not quite on his shoulder. "We could look out the window while we sip."

[sauntereddownward]

Cowley turned to look at him, the tip of his nose just ghosting against his face.

"You take care of the cocoa. I'll go threaten the sky," he promised, fond and warm.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale shivered. It must be cold enough to snow.

"Very well," he said, and went to the kitchen.

[sauntereddownward]

Crowley watched him peel away, then went to the window and threw open the curtains and pushed open the windows.

The stars were beautiful.

That would never do.

It was a bit more than mere magic could accomplish so Crowley put a little effort into it and by some minor miracle, when Aziraphale returned with mugs, there was already a sparkling inch accumulating all around the school.

[theangelfell]

"Oh!" gasped Aziraphale, delighted. He out a mug to Crowley, their fingers brushing when the demon took it. "It has a kiss of whiskey," he said absently.

[sauntereddownward]

"A kiss, hmm?" he smiled and tasted it. And sputtered. "Good grief, angel...how much, exactly, is a kiss?"

[theangelfell]

"Oh. I um - I can never seem to remember how strong it is," Aziraphale said. He took a sip. "Oh, my."

[sauntereddownward]

Crowley snorted, more amused than he let on, and took another sip.

It was quite good.

Snow fell slowly, big fat flakes drifting with almost no breeze. It was, strangely, not terribly cold, though.

"Is this what you had in mind, angel?"

[theangelfell]

"It's beautiful," said Aziraphale softly, and took a sip.

[sauntereddownward]

"I was the one who invented snow, you know. Right after the neula, I was commanded to create something new. And so I invented the snowflake. The good ones. Like this. Not shitty snow. I delegated that," he bragged.

There was a 99% chance it was all lies. He was a demon, afterall. The father of storytelling.

What a story he had told The Woman.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale did not believe him. But it was Christmas.

"How clever you are," he said indulgently. "An artist, really."

Then he moved to the window and opened it. A chill came in, but he flicked his hand and the fire roared to life in the fireplace at the same time. He stuck his head out of the window and opened his mouth. Then turned around and showed Crowley an absolutely perfect snowflake stuck to the tip of his tongue.

[sauntereddownward]

Crowley's brow arched above his dark glasses.

"Come here," he said, gesturing to Aziraphale to join him.

[theangelfell]

For some reason this made Aziraphale nervous, and also for some reason he wanted to preserve the snowflake. So his cheeks were slightly pink and his mouth was still open when he approached Crowley.

[sauntereddownward]

"Put your tongue back in your mouth, angel," Crowley said. He set his cocoa aside and moved in close, chest to chest.

"Oh. Would you look at that?" he said, looking into Aziraphale's eyes for a long moment...before tipping his head up to look above them.

There hung a sprig of mistletoe, berries white and ribbon red.

"Well. It is Christmas," he said and looked back down. He waited for the highly anticipated look of shock on Aziraphale's face before he kissed him softly.

[theangelfell]

There was indeed a look of shock. Shock, and then feeling the soft touch of Crowley's lips to his own. Then more shock.

"I - I - " Aziraphale stammered.

[sauntereddownward]

Crowley kissed him again, in part to shut him up. The other part was simply because he'd never felt the angel's Grace quite liked this...

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale gasped into the kiss.

A kiss.

A kiss?

When his lips parted it was entirely on instinct, and then, when he started to like it, he pulled away, horrified.

"You - you - " he stammered.

[sauntereddownward]

"I, I. You, you," he dismissed. Crowley cradled his face gently.

"Happy Christmas, Aziraphale."