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Christmas dinner. Tasty food. Fancy sweaters. Wine bottles. Fluffy snow. Old stories. New people.
“I still can't believe you made me pick you guys up!” Chas laughed.
“Why? You got somewhere else to be?” John tapped his fingers along his lighter, the metallic noise getting lost in the windshield wipers swiping across the car's glass. Chas made eye contact with John through the review mirror.
“How much did she drink?”
“Enough that I'm glad you're driving.” The girl in question was passed out in his lap. Chas mumbled something about John driving instead before John could interrupt him. “I had to meet the parents. I'm not any better behind that wheel than her right now.” She shifted slightly causing John to lean back further. Chas huffed, trying to make his moping clear. The truth was, the fact John had spent Christmas with someone this year was better than any present he could have gotten. Chas cracked a mischievous smile and turned on the radio to its second lowest setting. John Constantine was met with the sound of the one thing he hated most. Christmas music. He shook his head at Chas before turning his attention to the girl in his lap.
I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree.
“I don't get it John, you have battled literal demons - but you can't stand Mariah Carey?”
“Its the whole concept that bugs me. So much joy around something the average person doesn't understand. God knocked up some poor woman - oh look, I wonder if this set of lights comes in green and red.” He rested his other hand on her side, lightly pulling her towards the back of the seat so she didn't roll off. Chas smiled.
I just want you for my own - more than you could ever know.
“And the music?”
“A horrible reminder that god wants another day of worship, but you don't have to go to church for it, it's playing while you buy your milk.” He grunted at the idea.
“Of course.” All I want for Christmas is yooooOOOooou baby! Chas glanced behind him to note the way John was watching the fast asleep girl. “And I'm sure that's the reason that you let her drag you all the way to her parents for Christmas Eve dinner, where you did nothing but open presents, drink spiked eggnog, and listen to her father talk about Christmas when she was seven.” John didn't quite have a reply for that. He just glared at Chas, who lightly reached back to punch him in the shoulder. “I can smell the eggnog on you.” John stared out the window for a few minutes, fighting a smile off with all he had left. “Will you just admit you liked it a little?”
“She had one request, what was I supposed to do, Chas?”
“Well, John a year ago would have said ‘no I'm fine, I'd rather smoke a whole pack, have some sex, watch shitty TV, and sleep through the whole Christmas morning.’ Yet you still went.” John smirked.
“I still wouldn’t turn down that offer.” They sat in silence for a few minutes. Windshield wipers constantly clearing slushy rain from the windows. The streets were mostly quiet except for a few late workers and families returning home from festivities.
“Did you get her a present?”
John didn’t respond, pretending to be very interested in his lighter again.
“What?” Chas laughed a little. “Aw, you got her an actually sweet gift didn’t you?”
“I got her a book, Chas.”
“Oh, a book, very respectable. Not sleazy in the least.” He gave John a long look in the rearview mirror.
“I got her two books.” John shook his head a little embarrassed.
“And what are they about?”
“One she's wanted for a while and the other is….” He mumbled the last bit just quiet enough that Chas couldn’t hear.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” John mumbled the same words again.
“Speak up or I honk the horn and wake her up.” Chas chuckled, holding his hand over the center of the Taxis wheel. John rolled his eyes.
“I made her an annotated copy of the bible. So she understands what I do for work - she’s been getting curious recently.” Chas smiled softly, but tried to hide it. He liked this version of John. This John was healthier - happier, even.
“You’ve never gotten me an annotated copy of the bible.” John didn't respond, probably because he was neatly brushing her hair out of her face. He seemed a bit lost in her - Chas guessed it was the drinking.
All the lights are shining so brightly in the air - and the sound of children's laughter fills the air! He returned his attention to the road, turning the corner down the block of John's place. He heard the faint murmuring of the girl waking up, as he pulled to a stop at the curb. She lazily leaned forward into the front of the cab as John got out.
“Merry Christmas Chas!” Giving him a soft peck on the cheek before almost falling out of the taxi. But not before John could grab her by the arm and yank her to her feet. He stood leaning against the door, and did something really unexpected. He smiled at Chas. It was hardly a smile but definitely enough for Chas to notice. One corner of his mouth raised, a cigarette waiting anxiously to be lit.
“Thanks for driving us.” He flicked open his lighter with the hand resting on the taxi door.
“Trust me - It was worth it.” Chas cracked one last ‘haven’t you changed’ smile at John before he slammed the taxi door shut. He sat and watched as John helped his girl across the pavement, before rolling down the window to shout,
“Merry Christmas!”
John didn’t even turn around. He just stuck up his middle finger to Chas as he opened the stairwell door.