Ineffable Family

Chapter 29

TW: anxiety.

***see end of chapter for notes on the holiday***

playlist:

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland

Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

O Holy Night by Josh Groban

Two days later, Crowley,  Aziraphale, and Hope returned to find the bookshop completely decked out for Christmas. There were pine garlands hanging from the rafters, velvet bows stuck to the desk and cash register, cling-ons adhered to the windows, and curtains of lights spilling from the ceiling. The front door was covered in paper and ribbon like a wrapped package.And at the bottom of the stairs, there was a beautiful, live tree decorated from top to bottom in ornaments, tartan bows, tinsel, and white lights.

Next to it stood Muriel, dressed in red with a radiant grin on their face, and next to them were two familiar figures: Madame Tracy and Witchfinder Sergeant Shadwell. Their arms were full of gifts.

"Surprise!" all three yelled.

"Oh, it's so beautiful!" Aziraphale exclaimed, clapping his hands in joy. "You didn't have to do this!"

"What...the...fuck..." Crowley muttered.

Her voice cut through Aziraphale's haze of joy. They'd just discussed keeping Christmas small, and now this. But when he turned to her, she gave him a small, sarcastic smile. Be happy, angel, she seemed to be saying. It's okay. Aziraphale returned her smile, and focused on their guests.

"What on Earth possessed you all to do this?" he asked the gleeful trio.

"We heard you were having a hard time," Tracy said without telling them how she heard. "So we decided to make Christmas for you!"

"They called yesterday to check on you," Muriel told the angel and demon, "and you weren't here, so we set this up!"

"Their idea," Shadwell added, just in case anyone thought he'd had a hand in something so joyful and soft. No, sir, not him.

"You don't have to open these tonight," Tracy said as she arranged the packages around the tree. "You can wait until Christmas if you--"

"Let's do it," Crowley said out of nowhere. "Let's have Christmas tonight."

Aziraphale gave her a startled look. Was she trying to make him happy despite her own feelings, as she had for so many years? "Are you sure, dear?" he asked carefully.

"Absolutely," the demon replied, and Aziraphale knew that there would be no changing her mind.

In short order, assorted chairs and sofas were gathered around the tree. Muriel and Tracy teamed up to furnish the group with tea and biscuits, while Crowley lit the fireplace with a flick of her wrist. Aziraphale started the gramophone playing vintage Christmas carols.He snapped his fingers, and a pile of neatly wrapped presents appeared under the tree.

"I may have started shopping a bit early," Aziraphale admitted, blushing.

Crowley laughed, the kind of unfettered sound that she hadn't made in a very long time. She snapped her fingers as well, and several unwrapped boxes joined the pile, with the shipping labels still attached. "I've been ordering things online for weeks. Had 'em delivered to Nina's cafe."

Shadwell toasted her with his teacup. "Very sneaky."

"One more thing!" Aziraphale sprang up, and ran to the backroom. He was gone perhaps five minutes, then returned with two more packages. "Nearly forgot about these!"