#slwa

“There you are! What… what are you doing?” Sam approached the archangel with an amused and curious look on his face, unaccustomed to seeing him doing something so terribly human. He had been searching for Lucifer for at least half an hour, and had almost given up, ready to assume that his other half had gone off on one of his spontaneous and mysterious day trips - something he did when he had become a little too worn down by humanity. 

But now, it seemed, that was not the case. Lucifer was in the library, sitting cross-legged atop the table (what good are chairs, anyway?), staring down at a book sprawled out in his lap. There were a handful of other old books strewn about the sturdy tabletop, most lying open as though forgotten mid-read. 

“Are we fighting?” Lucifer’s voice was slow and quiet, but there was the faintest trace of worry behind his tone, and his sapphire eyes looked up to the hunter, brows furrowed in question. 

“What?” The small smile faded from Sam’s face, and he shook his head in confusion. “No… at least, I didn’t think so… Why would you ask that?” He was already crossing the room, his focus turning to the books upon the table as he attempted to puzzle out Lucifer’s latest train of thought. 

“Modern Botany, Norse Culture, A History of Babylon… Lucifer, what is all of this?” He looked up from the book he was flipping through, meeting the archangel’s concerned gaze bemusedly. 

“That… plant. The one that’s hanging at the top of the entrance to your bedroom… I asked Castiel about it, and he said he recalled seeing it utilized by the Vikings.”

“The mistletoe?” Sam tilted his head, a small smile pulling at his lips. 

“Yes - the mistletoe.” Lucifer nodded, gesturing toward the books upon the table. “The Norse used it to call for peace between enemies.” He leaned forward, the book sliding down his lap as he practically crawled across the table, reaching toward a different, older book. 

“And in Babylon, women stood beneath these plants while looking for a mate.” He glanced back up to Sam, a trace of worry in his striking blue eyes. “And since that it clearly not what’s happening here, I thought…” Lucifer trailed off, realizing as he spoke, that his assumptions were a little bit nonsensical and paranoid. 

With a heavy sigh, the archangel sat back on his heels, the ridiculous image of a full-grown man kneeling upon a table filled with books bringing a small smile back to Sam’s face. 

“No, Luce - I’m not mad at you.” 

“Then what is it? Because there is all of this history, and none of it seems to fit.” 

“Well, first of all, I don’t understand why you were asking Cas. You’ve already picked up more in a few months than he’s managed to grasp in years. Besides…” He moved around the table so that he was nearer to where Lucifer was perched, reaching out to remove the book that was still halfway draped across the archangel’s lap. 

“…I’ve told you: you can ask me anything.” Lucifer stared down at the book quietly, his gaze a little too focused on Sam’s tan fingers, his expression just a touch too indifferent. He had a poker face that couldn’t be beat, but Sam had the advantage of knowing Lucifer inside and out, and he knew his tells better than he knew his own. 

“Lucifer… hey -” He reached out, his fingers just barely ghosting across the curve of Lucifer’s pale cheek, when the archangel pulled his head gently to the side, glancing away and removing himself from the touch. It was entirely unexpected, and Sam had to admit: it hurt a little. He curled his fingers into a loose fist, pulling his hand back and dropping it to his side, his eyes never leaving the archangel’s face. 

“I already ask you so much. There are times when I feel…” Lucifer shook his head, his quiet voice fading into silence again. 

“You feel.. what?” Sam’s voice was soft, but filled with understanding as he looked to Lucifer expectantly. 

“Helpless!” Lucifer bit down on his tongue, the word having come out much harsher than he’d intended. His eyes flitted across Sam’s face for a moment, before he looked down again, drawing in a deep breath and releasing it slowly, before continuing in a much cooler tone. 

“I’m sorry, Sam - it isn’t your fault - you are always so patient with me. Sometimes, I simply wish you didn’t need to be.” A soft smile lifted the corners of Sam’s lips, his eyes sympathetic, but filled with affection. 

“Luce, please look at me.” His request lingered between them for a beat, before the archangel blinked tiredly up at his other half, apology written across his somber features. 

“You know things about Heaven - about God and Earth and space and time and, hell, about everything - that I could never even begin to fathom. Compared to you, I have the intelligence of a gnat.” He reached up to place his hand over Lucifer’s parted lips, silencing the words of protest he had balancing on his tongue. 

“But you’ve been locked away - for ages. You not understanding our trivial human customs is nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re learning, and quickly, too, I might add.” He lowered his hand from the archangel’s mouth, giving him a lopsided smile. 

“And you know what? I’m glad you don’t understand this tradition.” He gestured vaguely toward the books, Lucifer’s eyes following the movement, his brows pinching together as he looked back up to Sam, an almost devastated expression on his face. 

“Then you won’t explain it to me?” The confusion and disbelief in his voice made Sam feel guilty for a split second, but he continued to smile, giving a small shake of his head. 

“No… because I’d rather show you.” He reached out, gathering Lucifer in his arms and hauling him off of the table, the archangel tensing slightly from surprise, but returning the hold and allowing himself to be hoisted down onto his feet. 

Once he was upright, Sam gripped his hand and pulled him from the library, winding through the corridor until they reached his bedroom. He paused to push open the door, looking up and positioning himself just beneath the hanging twig, before pulling Lucifer closer. 

Those brilliant sapphire eyes were fixed upward, staring at the mistletoe as though he had just come face to face with an arch nemesis. Sam breathed a short laugh, reaching a hand up to take careful hold of Lucifer’s chin, tilting his head down a bit so that their eyes could meet. 

With one last, reassuring smile, he leaned forward to press their lips together, a tiny, muffled grunt of surprise rising up in the angel’s throat. Not a second later, Lucifer’s eyes fell closed, and he reached out to clench his fingers into the fabric of Sam’s shirt, moving his own lips tentatively against those of the hunter. 

The slow, careful kiss left them both a little breathless, and Sam inhaled deeply, another short laugh tumbling off of his tongue as he pulled back enough to gaze into Lucifer’s curious (and markedly brighter) eyes. 

“That’s what it’s all about, Luce.” He shook his head gently, running the backs of his fingers gently down the side of the archangel’s face. “I’m sure there are plenty of histories and legends and facts and theories… but sometimes, as humans, we find things to be more fulfilling, the simpler they are.” 

“So… kissing?” Lucifer continued to hold onto Sam’s shirt, keeping him close, watching him with the hungry eyes of a child on Christmas morning. “This is about kissing?” 

“Yes.” Sam nodded, his laughter a little stronger and livelier this time, his nose wrinkling up as he looked back at his other half with endless adoration. “Yes, it’s about kissing. It’s a holiday tradition - if you end up underneath the mistletoe with someone, you are suppose to kiss them. It’s silly, but -”

He was cut off by cool lips pressing against his own again, his head jolting back slightly, his recovery being equally quick. Sam wrapped his arms around Lucifer’s neck, pulling him close and allowing the archangel to lead him in a soft kiss, filled with curiosity and love. 

“But it’s beautiful.” Lucifer finished Sam’s thought in a hushed tone, keeping their bodies close as he smiled back up at the man. After a moment, his smile faded slowly from his lips, a look of realization widening his eyes. 

“Excuse me, Sam.” He released his hold, removing himself from the man’s grip and turning on his heels to move back down the corridor. The hunter furrowed his brows in utter confusion, chuckling incredulously. 

“Lucifer! Where are you going?” 

“I’m sorry, Luce.” The nickname stumbled off of Sam’s tongue, jumbled and tired, bringing a small, affectionate grin to Lucifer’s face. 

“For what, kiddo?” 

“M’not a kid.” Lucifer huffed out a quiet laugh, glancing down with a little shake of his head, looking back up to the groggy hunter with a patient smile. 

“Okay… what are you sorry for, Sam?” 

“I can’t take you dancing.” Well - that was unexpected. Lucifer sat up a little straighter, furrowing his brows and staring down at the human stretched out across the couch, a warm blanket pulled up just beneath his chin, glassy hazel eyes blinking slowly up at the archangel. 

“Dancing? What do you mean?” 

“Dancing. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, and couples go dancing on New Year’s Eve.” Sam’s words were a little slurred, his cheeks still puffy and his medication still in full swing. 

“Sam - you’ve just had an operation. Dancing isn’t important.” Lucifer shook his head, eager for a more detailed explanation, but opting to wait until Sam was recovered to ask his questions. 

“Just wisdom teeth. That’s no big deal.” The hunter shook his head miserably, tears suddenly brimming in his eyes as he looked away. “I’ll bet you look so beautiful when you dance. You deserve to go dancing.” 

“Hey now, ki- Sam… come on.” Lucifer reached out his hand, pushing Sam’s hair gently from his face, offering him a teasing grin. “I always look beautiful.” When the hazel eyes met his again, the archangel wanted nothing more than to heal the man immediately. But Sam had made his wishes clear - this was a normal human affliction, and he would endure it in the normal human way. 

“You do… you’re an angel.” Sam let out a little sob that made Lucifer’s chest hurt a little, and he moved his hand down to carefully brush away a tear that had begun to trail down the man’s face. He had just taken a breath to speak again, when a little giggle rose up from the hunter, small spurts of laughter bubbling up from his throat. 

“Why are you laughing?” 

“Because… Luce… it looks like you have a halo.” He giggled again, and the archangel watched him for another moment of confusion, before turning around to see the small Christmas tree directly behind him, still alight with bright, white bulbs, illuminating the room in a soft glow. 

“Oh, I see.” He laughed quietly himself, turning back to watch the childlike, radiant joy that sparkled in Sam’s eyes. It might seem strange to others, witnessing the normally fearless and stolid hunter behaving in such a manner, but to Lucifer, it was just an amplification of the purity he saw every time he looked into the eyes of his other half. With his inhibitions lowered, and his sense of vulnerability heightened, Sam had easily allowed any of his natural defense mechanisms to fall by the wayside. 

“Hey, Lucifer?” 

“Yes, Sam?” 

“I… uh.” He paused a moment, glancing away and continuing in a quiet voice. “I kinda have to go to the bathroom.” 

“Oh. Of course… let me help you.” The archangel rose up from where he had planted himself on the coffee table, leaning over and sliding a hand behind Sam’s back, pulling him slowly into an upright position. He gave him a moment to readjust, before placing his hands gently beneath the man’s arms, and hoisting him up onto this feet. Sam teetered a moment, leaning slightly into the archangel’s body, before managing to rock himself into a steadier stance. 

“Ready?” 

“Yeah…” Lucifer kept one arm around Sam’s waist, walking with him slowly down the hall and toward the bathroom. Once the reached the door, Sam looked up with a faint blush, attempting to twist out of the archangel’s hold. 

“Can you just… wait here?” 

“I won’t move from this spot.” Sam nodded with a small smile, turning around and closing the door softly, leaving Lucifer standing outside patiently. He could hear the sound of flushing, and then the faucet running… and running… and running. Just as the archangel was about to knock, he could hear the water stop, and the door pulled inward  to reveal Sam, his t-shirt throroughly soaked through in the front. 

“Sam - what happened?” Lucifer pinched his brows in confusion, studying the hunter’s clothing incredulously. 

“I wanted to see my teeth. But the sink filled up with water, and I leaned too far forward.” The archangel nodded slowly, shaking his head in a dismissive gesture when Sam turned his eyes up toward him, his gaze filled with unwarranted guilt. 

“If you wanted a bath Sam, you could have just told me.” He smiled reassuringly, stepping forward and gripping the hem of the dripping wet shirt. “Let’s get this off - we can’t have you catching cold in addition to everything else, now can we?” Sam scrunched up his nose at the thought, shaking his head and lifting his arms straight up, allowing Lucifer to easily pull the shirt over his head. 

Just as he was freed of the wet top, Sam lost his balance, his arms coming down and flailing about as he stumbled backward, only to feel a cool hand wrap around his forearm, Lucifer giving him a gentle tug forward, causing him to shift momentum and crash directly into the archangel’s chest. 

“Woah, there…” Lucifer stumbled back a couple of feet, his arms wrapping instinctively around Sam’s back, holding him securely upright as he managed to regain his balance. The hunter’s head was buried into Lucifer’s shoulder, his arms wrapped around his neck tightly as he leaned nearly all of his body weight against the archangel. 

“’m sorry…” 

“You are?” Lucifer tilted his head, reaching one hand up to tuck a bit of Sam’s hair behind his ear, prompting the man to look up at him briefly. “Funny - I’m not. I’m never sorry to find you falling into my arms.” He smiled brightly, earning a quiet breath of laughter from his other half before Sam buried his face into Lucifer’s shirt again, pulling himself closer to the angel’s body. 

“Hey, Sam…” Lucifer lowered his head, whispering quietly next to Sam’s ear as he began to sway slowly side to side. 

“Hm?” The muffled reply drew another low chuckle from the archangel, one hand moving to rub small circles over Sam’s back. 

“This feels a little bit like dancing, doesn’t it?” The question managed to earn a bigger reaction from the man in his arms, Sam drawing his head back to blink up questioningly at the archangel. Slowly - tentatively - a smile bloomed across Sam’s pouting lips, looking ridiculously endearing with his slightly swollen cheeks and sleep-heavy eyes. 

“Yeah… yeah, it does.” He sighed contentedly, dropping the side of his head gently against Lucifer’s own, closing his eyes as they moved. “Hey… Luce?”

“Mhmm?” 

“You can call me kiddo… if you want to. I don’t mind. Not really.” 

Lucifer smiled, tilting his head closer toward Sam, a hand coming up to play idly with the hair at the base of the man’s neck, a quiet humming rising up from the archangel’s throat as he created a soft melody for their impromptu dance.