Chapter Text
A beaming smile spread over Aziraphale’s face as soon as he stepped into the Christmas market. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of warm dough and cinnamon - he would certainly need to visit whichever stall that was emanating from - and cast his eyes around the community hall, surveying the bustling, tinsel-adorned scene before him. The hall was abuzz with the exuberant chatter of stall owners and Christmas shoppers, and Aziraphale stepped amongst the crowd, beginning his own exploration of the stalls, admiring the various handmade gifts, decorations and baked goods on offer.
He paused at a stall selling candles and crystals, his eye drawn to a beautiful handmade advent calendar on display. It featured a rustic cottage on the front, the roof and garden covered with snow and a robin singing merrily in a holly bush beside the front door. Aziraphale had never been one to consider advent calendars as something just for children, and always enjoyed the little ritual of opening one of the little doors every day in the run up to Christmas. He hadn’t yet got around to purchasing one this year, and the first of December was only a few days away. Aziraphale smiled at the stall owner, a young woman with round, thick-framed spectacles, and gestured towards the advent calendar.
“I’d like one of these please,” he said politely, and the young woman carefully selected one for him, although they all appeared the same from where Aziraphale was standing.
She took the money and held the advent calendar out to him, keeping her hand on it as she said, “Be sure to make a wish,” before finally relinquishing it.
“I’m sorry?”
“Make a wish. Something you want to come true by Christmas.”
“Oh. All right,” Aziraphale agreed. That was quite a sweet thing for the young woman to suggest. Her stall was filled with all sorts of occult paraphernalia. She probably believed that thinking positively and focusing on the things one wanted to come true could help manifest those things in reality. Aziraphale wasn’t so sure, but smiled politely and thanked her regardless. What he really wanted was to meet a lovely man who was kind and sweet and made him laugh. Somebody special who wanted to be with him, somebody to share all of the forthcoming festivities with… But even if he’d bought every bit of occult paraphernalia on the young woman’s stall, Aziraphale was quite sure it wouldn’t be enough to make something so incredibly unlikely happen.
Aziraphale completed his tour of the market, heading home with bags filled with gifts for others and little treats for himself, and, of course, his beautiful advent calendar, which he propped up by the kettle in his kitchen.
Day 1 - Hot chocolate with sprinkles
Aziraphale did a little wiggle of excitement as he headed into the kitchen on the first of December, deciding to open the first door of his advent calendar even before he’d put the kettle on. The artwork inside wasn’t as detailed and intricate as the main image, of course, but it was still quite beautiful despite its simplicity. It featured a red and white mug filled with hot cocoa, topped with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and little broken up pieces of a candy cane. Aziraphale licked his lips. It was too early in the day for such a thing, but he determined that when he briefly closed the shop for his mid-morning break, he would pop over the road to Nina’s coffee shop to treat himself to a peppermint hot chocolate from her new seasonal range of hot drinks.
When the time arrived, Aziraphale enthusiastically tugged open the door to the coffee shop and ended up nearly colliding with a man who was on his way out. Aziraphale’s heart leapt into his throat and he quickly surveyed himself and the man in front of him for signs that he’d been responsible for spilling a hot cup of coffee all down his front, but thankfully, they both appeared to be unscathed. The man must have finished his drink inside, which was an enormous relief.
“Fuck, sorry,” he mumbled.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!” Aziraphale said at the same time.
They both glanced up from their brief appraisal of any potential damage caused by their collision, their eyes meeting and giving Aziraphale’s heart another reason to start racing. He was stunning.
“No er… no harm done?” Aziraphale ventured a little shyly, berating himself for feeling flustered by a simple interaction with a handsome stranger. Then again, he had been chest to chest with said handsome stranger a moment ago.
“Yeah, no, I’m fine. Thank God I didn’t have my coffee to take away.”
“Yes, I… I was just thinking that.”
The man smiled, making Aziraphale feel even more tremulous. He clutched his hands together at his waist.
“I recommend the cinnamon espresso,” he said politely, a kind expression on his face. Aziraphale experienced the pleasant flutter of attraction deep in his torso.
“Oh, um, thank you, but I’ve got my heart set on the peppermint hot chocolate.”
“That’s a good choice too.”
Somebody else approached the door, forcing the two of them to part, which Aziraphale couldn’t deny left him feeling a little disappointed.
“See ya,” the handsome man said casually with an adorable little salute before making his way onto the street and walking away. Aziraphale allowed himself a few seconds to watch and appreciate the view, but when he ended up impeding somebody else’s attempt to exit the coffee shop, he finally moved out of the way, letting himself in and joining the queue.
The peppermint hot chocolate was scrumptious.
Day 2 - Christmas tree
“Small world.”
“I’m sorry?” Aziraphale asked, glancing to the side. He recognised the man as soon as he laid eyes on him. He wasn’t about to forget somebody so incredibly handsome in a hurry! Most of his brilliant red hair was currently concealed beneath a black beanie hat, but there were a few little tufts of it poking out, which Aziraphale found rather endearing.
“Oh, er, nothing. Sorry.” The man dipped his chin and scrubbed his hand over the back of his neck, kicking the gravel at his feet.
“Oh, I see… because we bumped into each other at the coffee shop yesterday?” Aziraphale asked, suddenly realising what the man must have meant. In other words, he must have recognised him too! Aziraphale wanted to be flattered, although it was likely that the circumstances of their meeting had more to do with his recollection than anything else.
“Er… Oh… Yeah, right, yeah, that’s right, we did, didn’t we? Of course. I remember you now.”
Aziraphale’s face twitched. That was odd. “If it wasn’t because you recognised me from the coffee shop, why did you say, ‘small world’?”
“Oh… um… you know. Just… thought you didn’t recognise me and was trying to save face. It’s going spectacularly well,” he drawled sarcastically. Aziraphale breathed out a laugh.
“Of course I recognised you!” he said earnestly, earning him a toothy grin that was also rather endearing. It seemed like most things about the man were, in fact. “Are you buying a Christmas tree?”
“Nah, I’m a spy hanging around waiting to meet my contact.”
“Oh?”
The man chuckled, and it actually sounded rather fond. “Of course I’m buying a Christmas tree. It’s a Christmas tree farm.”
Aziraphale’s cheeks flushed with warmth. Perhaps that had been a silly thing to ask, but talking to such a lovely, handsome man had inevitably rendered him rather flustered. “Ah. Right. Yes. Of course. Me too.”
“You’re not the Azerbaijani sector chief then?”
“No, I’m afraid not. Just a man in need of the perfect tree to decorate his bookshop.”
“You run a bookshop?”
“No, I simply use it for my clandestine spy meetings.” Aziraphale was rather proud of being quick enough with that one.
“Touché. I was asking for that.”
“Indeed you were.” There was a brief pause, the man simply smiling at him, and Aziraphale couldn’t help but feel even more flustered. “Well, it was nice to meet you. Again.”
“Yeah. Nice to see you again.”
Aziraphale nodded in acknowledgement and turned his attention back towards the array of trees available, but when the man cleared his throat, Aziraphale reflexively turned back towards him.
“Hey, look at this,” he said, gesturing to a poster attached to a temporary metal fence with cable ties. “They’re gonna have reindeer here on Saturday. I should bring Warlock.”
“Oh, er, your son?” Aziraphale asked, feeling ridiculous for the ripple of disappointment he experienced as he conjured the image of this lovely man with his happy family.
“My godson.”
“Ah.”
“You got kids?”
“No, er… No.”
“You could come anyway. Reindeer are awesome.”
“Yes, they are. Perhaps I will.”
“Ok, great. Yeah. Maybe I’ll see you then.”
Aziraphale smiled warmly, nodding in acknowledgement before once again turning away.
“I’m Crowley, by the way.”
Aziraphale turned back. “Oh. Aziraphale.”
“Aziraphale? Like the angel?”
“That was my parents’ intention.”
“But not the result?” he drawled, and Aziraphale found his cheeks flushing.
“I suppose that depends on one’s beliefs about angels.”
“Point taken.”
“Well, good luck finding the perfect Christmas tree.”
“Oh, er, thanks. You too.”
This time, Aziraphale successfully managed to walk away and began his search in earnest, eventually settling on a 9ft Norway spruce and making the necessary arrangements for it to be delivered. It would be absolutely perfect for the middle of the bookshop.
Day 3 - Holly wreath
“Ok, it’s official. You and I are on the same ‘Christmas schedule’.”
“Crowley…” Aziraphale breathed, turning away from the display of beautiful wreaths at the flower vendor’s stall next to Nina’s coffee shop.
“Hi, angel,” he greeted him brightly. Aziraphale huffed out a laugh. “That’s twice I’ve seen you on Whickber Street in three days, and since you mentioned a bookshop, and I can see through the window that the bookshop across the road has gained a rather impressive Norway spruce, I’m gonna assume that’s the one you were talking about.”
“Well deduced,” Aziraphale responded with a smile. Crowley looked rather proud of himself. Aziraphale found it quite endearing.
“Just needs a wreath for the door, eh?”
“Exactly. There was a picture of one in my advent calendar this morning and it occurred to me that I should pick one up.”
“You have an advent calendar?”
“Of course! Don’t you?”
“No. Warlock has an advent calendar.”
“Yes, well, why should children have all the fun? You’re missing out, my dear.”
“Maybe I am, and if I get one now, should be cheap, right?”
“You might need to wait a little longer to receive any meaningful discount.”
“Fair enough. Maybe I’ll get one later. This is a nice one,” he said, lifting an elaborate wreath from where it was propped up on the ground, filled with spruce cuttings that would match his tree nicely, along with oranges, walnut shells, holly, pine cones and a beautifully-tied red ribbon.
“It’s perfect,” Aziraphale agreed, reaching out for it but then hesitating. “Oh, er… Will you be buying it for yourself?”
“Nah, I haven’t got room for one that big. I’m actually just after one of the little ones. Not allowed to hang stuff on the door of my flat but I can use a small one as a centrepiece. Shove a big candle in the middle. In a glass jar, obviously. Don’t fancy burning the whole place down.”
“No, um… That’s very wise.”
Crowley held the wreath out towards him and Aziraphale took it from him with a grateful smile. “Thank you, my dear. How about this one for your centrepiece?” he suggested, gesturing to one made only from holly, but the shiny green leaves were complemented beautifully by bunches of perfect red berries. He obviously didn’t know him very well at all, but Aziraphale somehow thought the elegant simplicity of it might suit Crowley.
“Yeah, that’d be perfect. Thanks.”
Crowley lifted the wreath off the hook displaying it, and they each took it in turns to pay for their acquisitions.
“Well… Nice to see you again. Again,” Crowley said with a smile.
“And you. Have a lovely Christmas,” Aziraphale ventured, since it would have been extraordinarily unlikely for the two of them to bump into each other again.
“Thanks. You too.”
Day 4 - Robin
“You’re stalking me.”
Aziraphale spun around, coming face to face with Crowley, who was standing with his hands shoved into his coat pockets, a sly grin on his face. So much for it being unlikely that he would see him again!
“I beg your pardon?”
“This isn’t ‘same Christmas schedule’. This is nefarious. You really are a spy, aren’t you? And you took me seriously when I said I was a spy, and now this is what I get? You showing up everywhere I go?” Strangely, Crowley sounded like he was actually rather pleased about it.
“Or, you foolishly let slip that you are a spy and tried to cover it with a joke, but realised you’d done a poor job of it and now you’re keeping an eye on me to make sure I haven’t told anybody. Really, you’re just drawing more attention to yourself.”
Crowley muttered something under his breath. It sounded like, “Hope so,” but Aziraphale wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. He inhaled deeply and watched the robin singing in the tree beside him, starting to feel a little flustered by Crowley’s attention.
“Such a beautiful song, isn't it?” Aziraphale said for want of something better to continue their conversation. Crowley scrunched his face up and tilted his head from side to side, clearly unconvinced.
“Yeah… Almost enough to make me forget about how I witnessed it violently attacking its rival last time I was here.”
“I’m sure that’s not true!”
“It is! Robins are vicious.”
“If that were true, we wouldn’t put them on Christmas cards,” Aziraphale said with a pout.
“Depends who you’re sending the Christmas card to. Can’t think of anybody you’d want to violently chase off? Don’t say me, I’ll be devastated,” Crowley joked.
“Of course not!” Aziraphale protested. Crowley hummed and shrugged. “And if I happen, following this interaction, to send my brother a Christmas card featuring a robin this year, it will be purely coincidental.”
Crowley barked out a laugh, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he grinned.
“At least you’re on good enough terms to send a Christmas card. Most of my family like to pretend I don’t exist.”
Aziraphale’s heart sank. “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be. It’s a blessing, I assure you.”
Aziraphale wasn’t really sure what to say in response to that and fidgeted with his hands at his waist, squeezing his fingers together through the thick material of his gloves.
“So… What’s next on your ‘Christmas schedule’?” Crowley asked.
“So that you can successfully evade my apparent attempts to stalk you?”
Crowley snorted a laugh. “I was going to say so I could make sure to bump into you again.”
“Oh,” Aziraphale breathed. Crowley winced.
“Yeah, it’s like… You’re like my Christmas angel or something. Not sure it’d feel right doing something Christmassy without you there anymore,” he said with a rather adorable lopsided smile. Aziraphale wasn’t really sure what to say in response to that either, as it was clearly meant lightheartedly - for one thing, they'd only been bumping into each other for a few days - but Aziraphale found himself wishing that it were true.
“I’m actually letting my advent calendar dictate my ‘Christmas schedule’. I thought it might be fun to go looking for whatever I found behind the window each day,” Aziraphale admitted. “It’s my little advent-ure,” he said with a smile. Crowley parted his lips and blinked at him, and Aziraphale suddenly felt a little self conscious. “I know, that’s rather silly, I just –”
“S’not. S’a nice idea. Was today the robin then?”
“That’s right.”
“What you gonna do if you open it up and there’s an angel there? Just look in the mirror and call it a day?”
“Oh, very funny.”
“I wasn’t joking.”
“Oh. Well… If that happens, I’ll probably try to find a Christmas tree decorated with an angel on top.”
“If you get a star, I’ve got a telescope you’re welcome to borrow. I mean… ngk, I know you could just look up and there’ll be stars everywhere, or the whole finding a Christmas tree with one on top thing works for that too, doesn’t it? I um… I just mean… If you want a closer look, I’ve got a telescope. If you want.”
“Oh, er, thank you. That’s very kind of you to offer.”
Crowley didn’t provide any way for Aziraphale to contact him in such an eventuality, so Aziraphale assumed he was just making polite conversation. Well, of course he was! He wasn’t actually suggesting that Aziraphale call him up and say he needed a close up view of a star for his silly ‘advent-ure’.
“Will I see you at the reindeer thing on Saturday or does that all depend on there being a reindeer behind the window?” Crowley asked lightly.
“Oh, that would be quite a coincidence, wouldn’t it? But no, it doesn’t depend on that. I’m planning to visit the reindeer regardless.”
“Great. Might see you there then. Or maybe I’ll bump into you again tomorrow.”
“Do you work around here too?”
“Yeah. All spies work out of St James's Park, you know.”
“Right. Yes. Of course.”
“But yeah, no, I work from home. In Mayfair. So yeah. Often in the area. I'm genuinely not stalking you, I promise.”
“Oh, I know. I'm sure you have much better things to do with your time.”
“Wouldn't say that. Not that I'd actually stalk you. Fuck, sorry. I just mean… S'been nice talking to you.”
“It's been nice talking to you too.”
“Right. Well then… um… Enjoy the rest of your day. See you on Saturday, I hope.”
Aziraphale smiled and nodded. He very much hoped he would see Crowley on Saturday too. “Yes, hopefully. Have a lovely day, Crowley.”
Crowley licked his lips and glanced down at the ground before turning on his heel and sauntering elegantly up towards Buckingham Palace.