justprompts: What is your favorite holiday tradition?
soldier_ofgod and barnacle_the totally borrowed without permission, I hope you guys don't mind. XD (And you are always welcome to textually bitchslap me if it's not, which goes for anyone whose muses I borrow.) Obviously not binding to the muses, but, seriously, c'mon. The mental image made me laugh.
Billy had always had a natural talent for singing. His mother would smile down at him and tell him, "You didn't get that from me; I can't carry a tune in a bucket." His brother had never cared to try but ended up being like their mother in that regard. It was something he was good at that didn't have to do with sports or academics or social graces, and he embraced that.
The local church choir was happy to have him, and he always got a part in school musicals. He'd even once thought about a career someday, singing, a solo career, or maybe he'd learn an instrument and start a band, but that idea came and went quickly.
Every Christmas, a group of them went caroling, door to door, around town, fellow classmates and teachers and parents. Snow crunched under their boots, and noses would be red and runny by the time they called it a night, but they were always greeted with smiles, and freshly baked treats, and a marginally increased appreciation for the holiday spirit.
That tradition fell by the wayside after college. Visiting home, he was more content to stay inside, and after moving to LA, well, that wasn't really something that usually happened in a place that didn't get colder than 60 degrees most of the year.
Something about New York, and gifts, and cold, and friends inspired nostalgia in him. He missed having a real tree to put up and decorate. He missed a lot about a traditional Christmas that he saw around the city and with his friends. It shouldn't have surprised him when nobody was really interested in the idea of caroling around New York. It had been hard enough just to convince Rachel and Brooke to sing at a karaoke bar when they were going to do that. Maybe it was silly. Maybe nobody would care. Maybe it wouldn't be as much fun as he thought it used to be.
Castiel said he would join, if there were no battles to fight. Barney decided to do the same. And Billy decided, that must've been exactly what it felt like, to have an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. Cas the angel with beautiful angelic choir voice singing "Away in a Manger" to sing the praises of his Lord, and Barney convinced he would pick up chicks with a thoroughly disgusting (albeit hilarious) version of "Deck the Halls".
Billy had no illusions as to why his Bro was there. He, like everyone else, had better things to do (that is, nothing at all) than to walk around in the New York cold on one of the best days of the year. But he could at least pretend he was there out of the goodness that was somewhere in his heart. As for Castiel, it had been a surprising offer, but given their at times rocky-at-best friendship, Billy thought very highly of the man who claimed to be an angel. He wasn't likely to give religion another try anytime soon, but Cas still answered all of his questions about God.
They started at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, mostly because Barney was convinced they were caroling at a hospital, and Billy decided that it would be a nice gesture, singing to patients. A small argument broke out between the Bros about going outside and walking and doing it all afternoon, but Billy eventually surprisingly won out. Castiel had disappeared for a while during the debacle to spread a little more love and peace and love of God around instead of getting involved in the bickering. Probably for the best.
Moderating between the two was difficult, getting Barney to stop leering at women long enough to get to sing "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" in a relatively serious way, not to mention getting Castiel to get into a jovial rendition of "Wonderful Christmastime". Billy was happy either way, with the gentle tones of a carol about Jesus, or laughing at Barney's failed attempts to pick women up. He supposed that was why the two could stand to be near each other through the afternoon, the fact that someone between them understood both sides without leaning toward either one.
Another almost-scuffle broke out when Barney decided his flask full of scotch was necessary to last through the day, which Billy told him in no uncertain terms that it was absolutely not and to put it away before he got a Christmas smackdown.
Somehow the three survived. Call it a miracle. Billy and Barney settled in a cozy cafe that served hot chocolate. Castiel declined to partake in the beverages, saying how he did not in fact need to eat or drink and ignoring Billy explaining how a hot drink was good for anyone, celestial or not, and Barney making an offhanded comment about women and dieting.
The angel thanked them for allowing him to join them, but Billy smiled and shook his head. He would've completely given up on the whole idea if nobody had offered to join him. Castiel left not long after that.
Barney just snorted into his mug. "That's some seriously lame company you keep, Hollister."
Billy had always had a natural talent for singing. His mother would smile down at him and tell him, "You didn't get that from me; I can't carry a tune in a bucket." His brother had never cared to try but ended up being like their mother in that regard. It was something he was good at that didn't have to do with sports or academics or social graces, and he embraced that.
The local church choir was happy to have him, and he always got a part in school musicals. He'd even once thought about a career someday, singing, a solo career, or maybe he'd learn an instrument and start a band, but that idea came and went quickly.
Every Christmas, a group of them went caroling, door to door, around town, fellow classmates and teachers and parents. Snow crunched under their boots, and noses would be red and runny by the time they called it a night, but they were always greeted with smiles, and freshly baked treats, and a marginally increased appreciation for the holiday spirit.
That tradition fell by the wayside after college. Visiting home, he was more content to stay inside, and after moving to LA, well, that wasn't really something that usually happened in a place that didn't get colder than 60 degrees most of the year.
Something about New York, and gifts, and cold, and friends inspired nostalgia in him. He missed having a real tree to put up and decorate. He missed a lot about a traditional Christmas that he saw around the city and with his friends. It shouldn't have surprised him when nobody was really interested in the idea of caroling around New York. It had been hard enough just to convince Rachel and Brooke to sing at a karaoke bar when they were going to do that. Maybe it was silly. Maybe nobody would care. Maybe it wouldn't be as much fun as he thought it used to be.
Castiel said he would join, if there were no battles to fight. Barney decided to do the same. And Billy decided, that must've been exactly what it felt like, to have an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. Cas the angel with beautiful angelic choir voice singing "Away in a Manger" to sing the praises of his Lord, and Barney convinced he would pick up chicks with a thoroughly disgusting (albeit hilarious) version of "Deck the Halls".
Billy had no illusions as to why his Bro was there. He, like everyone else, had better things to do (that is, nothing at all) than to walk around in the New York cold on one of the best days of the year. But he could at least pretend he was there out of the goodness that was somewhere in his heart. As for Castiel, it had been a surprising offer, but given their at times rocky-at-best friendship, Billy thought very highly of the man who claimed to be an angel. He wasn't likely to give religion another try anytime soon, but Cas still answered all of his questions about God.
They started at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, mostly because Barney was convinced they were caroling at a hospital, and Billy decided that it would be a nice gesture, singing to patients. A small argument broke out between the Bros about going outside and walking and doing it all afternoon, but Billy eventually surprisingly won out. Castiel had disappeared for a while during the debacle to spread a little more love and peace and love of God around instead of getting involved in the bickering. Probably for the best.
Moderating between the two was difficult, getting Barney to stop leering at women long enough to get to sing "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" in a relatively serious way, not to mention getting Castiel to get into a jovial rendition of "Wonderful Christmastime". Billy was happy either way, with the gentle tones of a carol about Jesus, or laughing at Barney's failed attempts to pick women up. He supposed that was why the two could stand to be near each other through the afternoon, the fact that someone between them understood both sides without leaning toward either one.
Another almost-scuffle broke out when Barney decided his flask full of scotch was necessary to last through the day, which Billy told him in no uncertain terms that it was absolutely not and to put it away before he got a Christmas smackdown.
Somehow the three survived. Call it a miracle. Billy and Barney settled in a cozy cafe that served hot chocolate. Castiel declined to partake in the beverages, saying how he did not in fact need to eat or drink and ignoring Billy explaining how a hot drink was good for anyone, celestial or not, and Barney making an offhanded comment about women and dieting.
The angel thanked them for allowing him to join them, but Billy smiled and shook his head. He would've completely given up on the whole idea if nobody had offered to join him. Castiel left not long after that.
Barney just snorted into his mug. "That's some seriously lame company you keep, Hollister."