We'll Cherish All These Simple Things, Wherever We May Be

This year feels so brand new (tie a ribbon around me and you)

This was written for the request "Cozy Christmas feels" with just little bit of history thrown in there just for kicks by my dear friend (and occasional grammar corrector) Deamonia214. Merry Christmas darling, I hope this lived up to your request XD.

-----

Devil's Dyke, England, 2019

Amazingly, time continued on and the world kept spinning. There was no end of the world left to fear, Heaven and Hell respectively decided that Crowley and Aziraphale were to be left alone. They were free. So, they did what any reasonable beings might do after hiding their feelings for six thousand years and confessed. To Aziraphale's surprise, it had been Crowley who spoke first, stuttering the whole way through. He had looked so blessedly nervous, as if he had expected Aziraphale to rebuke him. Aziraphale had simply smiled and kissed him, a rush of fondness and affection and most of all love surging through him as Crowley kissed him as if Aziraphale were the only thing keeping him on Earth.

Things hadn't become clearer after that, but they had become so much better.

Aziraphale didn't know when their former employers would come for them, but he and Crowley decided to put that aside, choosing to appreciate the stolen time they had rather than live in fear of what might happen in the future- they had spent far too long doing that already. Which was why, when Crowley mentioned over dinner one evening the idea of possibly leaving London, Aziraphale practically jumped at the chance. They found themselves a lovely cottage in the South Downs, and moved in quickly, eager to get out of the business of the city and to embrace the calmness of the countryside. They had stayed together before, for brief periods of time. They had spent a few days together back in the beginning, working together to fill out paperwork for Dagon and Gabriel in a small hut back in Mesopotamia. They had spent months together in Venice in the fifteenth century while Aziraphale pretended to be an ambassador and Crowley was his "travelling companion." And of course there was the various years they spent together while minding Warlock. Aziraphale knew Crowley's habits, and Crowley knew Aziraphale's. It took a little while, but they slowly began to fall into the rhythm of living together.

London, England, 1843

It was the beginning of what was sure to be a great time to be in London. Aziraphale had noticed the ever-so-subtle shift that had happened in culture over the past few years and was quite delighted. Along with the publication of Mr. Dicken's new book, the coming holiday seemed as if it were going to be truly joyous. But Aziraphale was not blind, he could see that change was coming, but not quickly enough. There was still extreme poverty and the people were still sick, and while it seemed that the Queen was truly interested in making things better for the people, they still had a long way to go. Which was why Aziraphale had been following the spirit that had grown to accompany the holiday season and was giving away small gifts to some of the children and families who needed it most. Not much, nothing that Heaven could reprimand him for, but enough that he could make sure that some of the families had warm food to get them through the cold night food, or so that the kids might have a small toy to amuse themselves. He had however, lost track of time, which was why he found himself walking back into his shop in the dark on Christmas eve. He had no sooner sat down on his chair in the back room with a book in his hands when there was a loud knocking on his door and an even louder crash.

"Sorry 'bout that Aziraphale!" a voice called out to him. Aziraphale rolled his eyes and stood up; there was only one person, or rather- only one demon, who would barge in like this.

Crowley was leaning languidly on one of the bookshelves, trying very hard to look casual. Aziraphale scanned the floor, looking for evidence of what had caused such a loud commotion when Crowley had first entered.