worthallthis | IC Inbox: In the Night

It's Christmas.

[As if that explains why they got Aziraphale a gift. They take the bottle and sprig of evergreen back upstairs, and come back down a moment later with a double-handful of fabric: small pieces, half in a black-and-white paisley and half in Aziraphale's favorite tartan.]

I didn't wrap it like you did. Hope that's okay.

[He offers the collection to Aziraphale, and up close it's obvious that it's a bunch of neckwear. Cravats, ascots, standard neckties, even strips that would be wrapped and pinned into a continental tie. One in each fabric color. Everything is stitched neatly and carefully, but obviously by hand.]

Oh.

--They're beautiful.

[ He undoes his bowtie and picks out a cravat, which he ties around his neck with ease, having worn the style for several decades before. ]

Thank you so much.

Could I-- could I give you a hug?

[There's a slight, almost imperceptible sense of something in the Soldier relaxing at the sight of something other than a goddamned bowtie on Aziraphale's neck. There's still the faint resemblance to that fucking doctor, still some association, and Aziraphale will always be considered a technician for his work on their memories... but without that glaring, hideous, and unique connection, it's so much easier to ignore.

Not quite enough to make a hug sound fun, but it's Christmas, and Aziraphale wants it, and they can... manage. So after a hesitation, the Soldier nods once. Just make it quick, angel.]

[ Too bad, because now there's an angel wrapping his marshmallow arms around Bucky and getting his cotton candy hair all up against his nose because he's just short enough to manage that. He does let go after a bit of a squeeze, looking so happy and satisfied. ]

They're wonderful. Really, wonderful. Thank you, my dear boy.

[The Soldier doesn't actually hug back, though the top of Aziraphale's head gets a slightly awkward pat, and the metal hand hovers around his shoulder as if unsure what to do with it. There's obvious relief when Aziraphale finally lets go, and they step back.

The angel's smile is good to see, even if now the Soldier wants to shiver all over, scrub at their sides to rid themselves of the feeling of being held. Restrained. Trapped. They keep it together enough to say,]

You're welcome. I'm. Really glad you like them. Looks good on you.

[So much better than the bowtie.]

I'll have to come up with reason to wear them more.

[ Like instead of the bowtie, that he loves. He really does love that thing. Definitely not a classic necktie kind of guy, maybe a stuffy lace kinda guy. ]

Shall we have breakfast, then?

[That's why the Soldier made so many options, in order to find things Aziraphale might wear more than once, just to prove that he could. The ascot might work nicely, too, even if the classic and continental ones might not be quite the right style.]

Any reason. Just because they're nice, is a good reason. Some of them one might be warmer, too. For winter.

[They run their hands over their own torso briefly, a motion like flicking water (or in this case, the sensation of touch) away. They can smell the burned hash and solid mass of egg from here. Oh, Aziraphale...]

But breakfast is always good. Let me.

[They know how to make a couple egg things now. They can fix this. Maybe. Or start over.]

Oh! You needn't. I can-- I can cook, please, let me.

[ He's trying so hard to be dad in this family. It's okay, as unofficial dad of this family, somehow the meat has come out okay and he has a talent for making pancakes. Sure, they're more like crepes than the fluffy American kind, but they're still quite delicious.

And trust Aziraphale to be able to make crepes and nothing else. ]

[The Soldier can work with that. If Aziraphale has strengths, they'll play to them.]

We'll both do something. You can make the pancakes and bacon. I'll take over the eggs and potatoes. Then it will be done faster for when Crowley gets up.

[And they're going to start the eggs and potatoes over, because those are ruined.]

Oh, excellent. He's not a big eater, so I don't think he'll want to eat much.

[ Honestly, Aziraphale doesn't even know what kind of foods Crowley likes, because he always just eats whatever Aziraphale wants and then pushes the rest of it over. ]

IC Inbox: In the Night

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