When Herbert comes close, he accepts the kiss with a little smile - but then pulls Herbert back down to kiss him back, sweetly and softly. "Good evening, my Engel." Confident, not being shy about saying it in front of the rest of the family. Not anymore.
Reaching up to stroke his cheek, he then turns to the rest of the room at large, greeting everyone in turn.
"Good evening, Georg, Koukol...Sarah."
He doesn't get up just yet, though, sitting cross-legged on the floor by the tree. He knows none of them have done this before, after all.
Herbert happily sits next to Alfred by the tree, taking his hand and squeezing it. Georg smiles warmly at the sight, and Sarah wraps herself around Georg's arm. Koukol says something along the lines of Merry Christmas and gives Alfred a thumbs up.
"Well it all looks wonderful. What shall we do first?" Herbert asks, deferring to Alfred's expertise.
It's so nice, having Herbert join him at his side like this. It shouldn't surprise him that his lover is willing to sit behind him on the floor without question, but it still does, a little. They're equals. It's comforting.
"Well, usually there is more...uh...religious component to this, but... I've never really been religious, and I...think some of it would...maybe hurt us? So we're going to skip it."
Oh, but that's an interesting theory, isn't it - if he isn't religious, what does that change? Mm, things to think about for later, not now.
"I pulled the piano down from my room, and I thought I would...I would play some songs for you all - i-if you would like!" Ah, there's the nerves.
"But we can start by exchanging gifts. Usually that's first, at least it was in my...well, where I grew up."
"Oh, I would never - I wouldn't bring a cross in front of you!" Not after that first time, anyhow. That feels so long ago.
Alfred was all ready to start - so it's with surprise that he takes the gift from Herbert, smiling graciously. Giving the gifts is always more the fun for him, but... admittedly, he's curious about what the two older vampires might each have done.
"Oh, thank you, Herbert! Let's see -"
Unwrapping the paper, he regards the canvas inside - and his hand shoots to his mouth as he realizes what it is.
"Engel - this - did you paint this?" His expression is misty, clearly very moved as he looks to Herbert with his wide blue eyes.
He ducks his head a little, because it's nothing compared to the gorgeous portrait Alfred gave him. He struggled with the paints, getting the colours right. There are a lot of failed attempts he'd thrown away. "I know it isn't very good. I don't have your eye for detail or your skill, but -- I thought you might be missing the sun. So I wanted to give you that."
Almost reverently, Alfred's fingertips trace lightly down the canvas, tears rolling down his cheeks. He has grown to love the night, of course, being here. But...there are times when his heart aches for the light of day, when he cries in his room reading of warmth, of an illuminated world.
Setting it gently aside, he practically flings himself at Herbert to wrap arms around him.
"It's perfect, Herbert. I love it, I love it so much - I love you." He plants a little kiss on him, uncaring that they have an audience for it.
"It's wonderful, really. An incredibly thoughtful thing, and...just for me. I'll treasure it."
Sniffling a little when he pulls back, he reaches under the tree to grab one of the boxes he had placed to pass to Herbert. "Your turn, Engel."
Inside, Herbert will find a woolen calf-length cloak in a rich purple hue, emblazoned with the phases of the moon down the back. The interior is lined with rabbit fur, soft and warm.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Reaching up to stroke his cheek, he then turns to the rest of the room at large, greeting everyone in turn.
"Good evening, Georg, Koukol...Sarah."
He doesn't get up just yet, though, sitting cross-legged on the floor by the tree. He knows none of them have done this before, after all.
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"Well it all looks wonderful. What shall we do first?" Herbert asks, deferring to Alfred's expertise.
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"Well, usually there is more...uh...religious component to this, but... I've never really been religious, and I...think some of it would...maybe hurt us? So we're going to skip it."
Oh, but that's an interesting theory, isn't it - if he isn't religious, what does that change? Mm, things to think about for later, not now.
"I pulled the piano down from my room, and I thought I would...I would play some songs for you all - i-if you would like!" Ah, there's the nerves.
"But we can start by exchanging gifts. Usually that's first, at least it was in my...well, where I grew up."
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Carefully, he takes up his gift from its place under the tree and hands it over to Alfred. "This is from me, for you."
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Alfred was all ready to start - so it's with surprise that he takes the gift from Herbert, smiling graciously. Giving the gifts is always more the fun for him, but... admittedly, he's curious about what the two older vampires might each have done.
"Oh, thank you, Herbert! Let's see -"
Unwrapping the paper, he regards the canvas inside - and his hand shoots to his mouth as he realizes what it is.
"Engel - this - did you paint this?" His expression is misty, clearly very moved as he looks to Herbert with his wide blue eyes.
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no subject
Almost reverently, Alfred's fingertips trace lightly down the canvas, tears rolling down his cheeks. He has grown to love the night, of course, being here. But...there are times when his heart aches for the light of day, when he cries in his room reading of warmth, of an illuminated world.
Setting it gently aside, he practically flings himself at Herbert to wrap arms around him.
"It's perfect, Herbert. I love it, I love it so much - I love you." He plants a little kiss on him, uncaring that they have an audience for it.
"It's wonderful, really. An incredibly thoughtful thing, and...just for me. I'll treasure it."
Sniffling a little when he pulls back, he reaches under the tree to grab one of the boxes he had placed to pass to Herbert. "Your turn, Engel."
Inside, Herbert will find a woolen calf-length cloak in a rich purple hue, emblazoned with the phases of the moon down the back. The interior is lined with rabbit fur, soft and warm.