Alister frowned up at the green and white monstrosity above his head as a soft drop of white snow drifted onto the end of his nose. The midnight, winter sky was surrounding both men in a chandelier of stars, snow and atmosphere. Alister was also, rather irritated that he'd been dragged from the warm, comforting surroundings of his library, through a bunch of people dancing and exchanging Christmas gifts and into the freezing cold air to catch frost bite and stare at a bit of bloody mistletoe.
"What the bloody hell is the point of all this?!" Alister exclaimed in his rather outraged sounding British accent which made the man opposite him grin like a Cheshire cat. Alister sighed frustratingly and crossed his chilly arms over his chest for warmth. Zip dangled the mistletoe above Alister's head and swayed it gently, his chocolate eyes watching Alister's annoyed blue ones with amusement. Alister glanced down from the object in Zip's hand and at the hacker's almost mocking smile, "Well, can you explain why you so rudely interrupted my book on ancient caves in Bolivia?"
Zip titled his head to the side and stepped closer to the other man who hunched his shoulders slightly, obviously not comfortable with the close proximity of their bodies. The hacker's lips curled at the corners as Alister shifted in the snow, his plaid slippers not really designed for the sort of weather they were in. Alister's blue eyes glanced to the floor, a slight embarrassment held in them as he rubbed his arms nervously. Zip wasn't sure whether it was the cold wind, but Alister's cheeks were flushed pink and he found it absolutely hilarious, not to mention, downright adorable.
"You were reading a romance novel, Al," Zip chuckled, his brown eyes lighting up at the glare he received from Alister who tilted his head up then gasped at the realization just how close Zip was. Alister blushed furiously and folded his arm, "Don't worry. I think it's sweet. Anyway. Isn't it kind of obvious why I dragged you out here?"
"Because you have nothing better to do with your spare time than annoy people who just want to have some bloody peace and quiet once in a while?" Alister sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance at the other man who rolled his eyes and practically shoved the mistletoe in the other's face. Alister cocked his head back and stared cross eyed at the piece of Christmas decoration, "What is with the bloody mistletoe?!"
Zip pulled the mistletoe away and lent his face closer, his brown eyes sparkling under the floodlight of Croft Manor's garden. Alister's heart raced to the beat of the club track thumping through Lara's party on the other side of the brick wall they were standing near. The sounds of laughter, cheers and chatter were drowned out by Alister's own heart as Zip held the mistletoe above their heads.
"You surely don't expect me to kiss you." Alister stuttered, his cheeks flushing rose as Zip fluttered his eyelashes in a way which made Alister question whether it was attractive or just plain weird for a man to even attempt that sort of flirting. Wait-is that what this was, flirting? It was certainly something...
"I'm not exactly gonna do it in front of all of Lara's posh friends, am I?" Zip's voice held a teasing tone and Alister again didn't know whether to find it offensive or flirty. For once, well the second time in his life, Alister truly and utterly had no idea what to say, "She'd kill me for ruining the evening."
"I--erm. I--uh." Alister stumbled over his words as his glasses became cloudy with confusement. He swallowed the hard lump in his throat and blinked rapidly at the man who was edging closer, "Zip! What the devil do you think you're do--" His words were cut off by the pressure of the hacker's chapped, winter lips against his own. Alister didn't know what to think. His mind was a mush of protest, confusement and anger but a voice was screaming at him to enjoy it. Alister desperately wished he hadn't listened to that stupid voice and let himself linger there into the gentle kiss.
When Zip pulled away, a truly satisfied grin on his features, Alister blinked for a few seconds as though only just realizing what had happened. His face soon changed to utter outrage and he clenched his cold hands, his blue eyes glaring daggers at the hacker who couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"What the bloody hell did you do that for?! Are you some sort of weirdo who gets kicks out of kissing people out of the blue and then laughing in their faces. You're so rude, Zip. So bloody rude." Alister threw Zip a glare deathlike glare filled with tones of hurt. Zip picked up on this and his smile dropped as soon as he heard a wolf whistle call from the mansion door.
"Boys what have I told you about sneaking out after bedtime to snog?" Lara Croft's lips curled into a smirk at the two men who looked at her with pure dread in their eyes. She swung her camera phone on her little finger by a piece of ribbon and watched the men with amusement on her face, "Do you want to be grounded again?"
And with that, all hell broke loose.