A/N: I started writing this right after The Ho Ho Ho Job but got distracted, and now there are other fics out there dealing with the same thing... but I guess this is just my take on it.
Hardison was acutely aware of the fact that Parker was standing outside in the snow, wearing an elf costume merely designed to look warm. So, after about five minutes – when everyone else had turned away from the window and the snow falling just beyond it – he took the blanket stored underneath the couch and went outside.
"Hey," he said as his feet crunched in the inch or so of snow on the balcony. Parker only glanced back at him when he wrapped the blanket over her shoulders.
"Thanks for making it snow," she said, her words utterly sincere and as sure as they were when she spoke of Santa living at the North Pole.
Hardison grinned and looked up at the sky. "As much as I'd like to take credit for hacking Mother Nature, it wasn't me…" He breathed in the cold, crisp air and his grin dimmed to a serene smile. "This is a good, old-fashion Christmas miracle."
Parker smirked at him. He looked down at her and adjusted the blanket more securely over her shoulders.
"You should really come inside. You're going to freeze out here."
Seemingly unaware of what she was doing, Parker leaned into Hardison's body and sighed. He tried to ignore the little skip in his heart, and his arms tightened instinctively around her.
"I'm warm enough," she whispered. She held out a hand to catch a couple snow flakes on her fingertips, and Hardison's smile increased briefly as he held her against him. He watched the miracle-flurries float through the darkened sky. Somewhere, a window was open, and a jazzy rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful floated through the air.
When Parker pulled her hand back to warm against Hardison's chest, he thought maybe she knew what she was doing after all. He was pretty sure she'd be able to feel his sped-up heartbeat beneath the fabric of his t-shirt and he willed it to slow before it embarrassed him. Of course, it didn't. Hearts tended to do things on their own accord, like beating real fast and falling for crazy blonde thieves. Hardison swallowed thickly and held back a resigned sigh while Parker rested her head against his chest. He watched her eyes close – with peace, or sleep, or both, he didn't really know – and smiled softly at the little white snowflakes that had fallen on her lashes.
"We'll have a Christmas snowball fight later, right?" Parker asked lazily, content and warm standing next to Hardison. "And build a snowman. And an igloo. I want the whole Christmas Snow event…"
"Whatever you say, Parker."
"Merry Christmas, Hardison."
Hardison bent down to plant a brief kiss on the top of Parker's head.
"Merry Christmas."