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Here, a fluffy X-mas fic. heart Enjoy peeps! blaugh

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Sister Esther stared darkly at the empty cookie sheet lying on the counter. Ten minutes. A mere ten minutes was all it took for someone to eat all the gingerbread cookies she had made for the AX while she went to help a fellow nun bring in groceries to the kitchen. And she had a very good idea as to who had eaten them.

“Father Abel,” she grumbled, storming off to find the silver haired priest in question, brushing some stray flour off of her habit.

She shivered as she stepped out of the warm kitchen and into the outer hall. Today was especially chilly for Rome. People walking by were bundled up in scarves, hats, gloves; anything that would keep them warm in the stone rooms of the Vatican. Esther paused to look up at the sky, which was a crisp, bright blue.

“Its so blue today…” she muttered idly, “Just like his eyes…”

Her eyes went wide for a moment. Esther shook her head, realizing what she had just said. She blushed, sighed, and continued her hunt for Abel.

--

Snow began to fall slowly in the Vatican garden. Within the next hour, it would coat everything in a thin layer of white ice. Snow was rare in Rome, so many of its residents were outside enjoying the tiny miracle. One of these residents was not only admiring the snow, but taking refuge from a very furious nun as well.

Abel picked the gingerbread crumbs off his priest's robes while sitting alone in a wooden gazebo deep within the Vatican garden. He had to eat them quickly, or else Esther would have skinned him alive, so his robes were a complete mess. As he picked at the crumbs, he would toss them to the birds, who quickly ate the tiny morsels.

He laughed softly and smiled. “Boy, does this bring back some memories,” Abel said quietly.

--

A much younger Abel, no older than 7, sat in the dirt in the Mars base greenhouse. He had snatched some of his “mother’s” freshly baked gingerbread cookies and was trying to eat them in secret by concealing himself behind a group of tall, leafy bushes. Lilith had told him he could have one after they had cooled, but since Abel was a very impatient boy he had taken a few piping hot treats and hid himself among the foliage. He had finished two of them and was close to finishing his third.

A tiny sparrow landed in front of him. It hopped closer, then titled its head at the young Crusnik.

“Do you want some too Mr. Sparrow?” Abel asked. He broke off a small piece and tossed it to the bird. It hopped up to the crumb and quickly ate it, tweeting in delight.

Abel laughed and threw it another crumb. But his laughter quickly vanished as the bird flew away. Something large rustled in the bushes. From them emerged a tall woman with fiery red hair that reached her waist, which contrasted well with her tan skin. Her long hair was pulled into a pony tail with a white ribbon. Her bright, blue eyes held disappointment. “Mother” was not very pleased with her ward.

“I thought you might be hiding here,” Lilith said, tapping her foot on the soft soil.

Abel gulped and hid the half eaten cookie. “L-Lilith!” he stuttered.

Lilith sighed and shook her head slowly. “Abel, I expect much better from you. What have I told you about stealing?”

“Stealing? But I didn’t take anything! Honest!” Abel lied innocently, the cookie still behind his back.

Lilith smirked and leaned forward. With her long, painted nails, she picked a piece of gingerbread off his white shirt and held it up. Abel frowned and removed the cookie from behind his back.

“You know Abel, Santa doesn’t bring presents to little boys who steal and lie to their mothers,” Lilith said, “He only brings coal to naughty children.”

Abel gasped, small tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. He latched on to Lilith’s waist.

“I’m sorry Lilith! I didn’t mean to steal the cookies!” he cried, his voice muffled by the fabric of Lilith’s white uniform, “They just smelled so good, and I couldn’t wait any longer!”

Lilith smirked again and laughed gently. “Alright, enough,” she knelt on the ground so her face was level with his, “Now, do you promise to be good boy?”

“Uh-huh! I’ll be good Lilith!”

“No more stealing?”

“No more stealing!”

“And what about lying?”

“I won’t tell any more lies! I promise!”

“Good,” she laughed, kissing the top of his head, “I’ll tell Santa that you promise to be a good boy.”

“Thanks Lilith!” Abel shouted, hugging her tightly once more.

Lilith smiled brightly and took his hand in hers. They walked out of the greenhouse together, both smiling and laughing.

--

Abel laughed out loud, his icy eyes staring off into the distance “I suspect she’ll find me any minute now, just like then.”

And sure enough, not moment later Abel could hear the sound of boots on cobblestone drawing nearer. He could see bright red hair flowing just above a tall hedge, then disappear as it went around the corner.

“There you are Father!” Esther shouted angrily, her foot stomping the ground in fury. She stormed up closer to the priest.

Abel gulped and frantically brushed off his robes, trying to rid himself of any sign of gingerbread. “Well hello dear Sister! Is there something I can help you with?” he asked innocently.

“Yes, I think you can,” Esther grumbled, “You wouldn’t happen to know where a full sheet of gingerbread cookies went, do you?”

“Gingerbread? Nope! Can’t say that I do!” Abel lied quickly, “Sorry to disappoint you Esther!”

“Really?” Esther said, her blue eyes staring at him accusingly, “Then what’s this on your robes?” She plucked a piece of cookie from his black robes, holding it up to his eyes.

Abel laughed nervously, looking at the brown crumb that had given him away. “Oh-umm…that’s just a bread crumb from supper! You know how that stuff gets everywhere! The crusts crumble so easily that they-” He tried to continue his lie, but found that he couldn’t. Looking into her dark blue eyes made him melt. Abel could never lie to Esther; it was impossible for him.

Abel sighed in defeat.

“Sorry Esther,” Abel laughed sheepishly, scratching his head.

Esther sighed as well. She could never stay mad at the silly, silver haired priest. “Well, I suppose I forgive you. But will you promise not to steal anymore cookies from me?”

“Uh-huh!” Abel said, nodding his head quickly.

“And you promise not to lie to me either?”

“I promise!”

“Thank you Abel,” Esther said, smiling. She turned back to look at the gently falling snow. “Wow, its so pretty!” she said excitedly.

“Not nearly as pretty as you” Abel wanted to say, but he kept the thought to himself. No matter how much he tried to deny it, his affection for the young nun had grown. He’d always thought himself a father figure to her, and long ago he would have been content with that. But not now, he wanted to be more than just that…

“Oh dear…” the young nun mumbled as she stared at something above the pair. A small blush grew on her cheeks.

“What is it Sister?” Abel asked.

Esther pointed to an object above them, and it caused Abel to blush as well.

Mistletoe.

Abel looked back down at the young, blushing nun. He gulped again, and began to laugh nervously.

“Well, when did that thing get here,” he said.

Esther laughed…and began to slowly lean closer to the priest. Abel too found himself leaning down toward Esther, their eyes closing, their lips only an inch apart. It was probably the happiest, most nerve-racking moment of the priest’s life, as well as the young nun’s.

But alas, fate is a cruel mistress.

Abel felt a hard object hit the side of his head, causing him to lose his balance and fall. Someone began laughing hysterically in the distance behind the hedges.

“You tryin’ to put the moves on my girl Father Four-Eyes!?” Leon shouted, emerging from the bushes. Trailing behind him was the imposing Father Tres.

“Damage report Father Nightroad,” Father Tres said, his voice monotone. The two priests approached the pair on the gazebo.

“I’m fine Tres. Just fine,” Abel sighed, his face lying on the cold concrete, “Do you two need something?”

“Yeah, Lady Caterina wants us in her office, pronto,” Leon said, grinning like a lion who’d caught his prey, “You and Esther can go smooch some other time.”

Both Abel and Esther blushed profusely at this.

“Alright Tres, lets leave these two lovebirds alone. See you later Four-Eyes!” The two priest left, leaving Abel and Esther alone again.

Esther laughed, and held out a hand for Abel. He grabbed it and pulled himself off of the cold floor. He brushed the dirt off his robes and adjusted his glasses.

“Well…better get going. Goodbye Sister Esther!” Abel said, turning to leave.

Esther watched him for a bit, but then she blurted out, “Wait a minute Father!”

“Hmm? What is it?”

Esther rushed over to him, stood on her tip-toes and gave the priest a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Goodbye Father!” Esther said as she hurried off back to the kitchen to bake another batch of cookies.

Abel stood in the snow, slightly dazed. He touched his cheek with a gloved hand and smiled.

--

Awwww! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Happy Holidays everyone!