Prompt: Angel

Word count: 1,176

Corruption

It was probably totally lame, but when Edward saw the Christmas tree angel, he knew it was perfect for Bella. So he bought it, even though he sort of felt like the Grinch, about to get rejected by Martha May Whovier.

Well, at least they were adults, and Emmett (probably) wouldn't laugh at him when he gave it to her. Anyway, like Martha May, Bella had let it slip that she loved Christmas, particularly all the green. Edward wasn't covered in green fur, but he had green eyes—close enough, right?

And, he reminded himself, Martha May picked the Grinch in the end.

He grimaced as he handed the cashier his credit card, suddenly realizing he was comparing his love life to a children's movie about a hermit. A green hermit who hated Christmas.

He went home before he did something else stupid, like buying a diamond ring the same size as the one the Mayor had bought Martha. Somehow, he wasn't surprised to see Emmett and Bella sitting on his couch when he opens the door.

Emmett was playing Call of Duty and barely looked up when Edward walked in, but Bella put down the textbook she was reading. "Hi, Edward!" she said, smiling at him widely.

He really wasn't sure when his best friend's little sister changed from annoyance to siren—angel, his brain supplied unhelpfully—but it happened, and Emmett wouldn't stop teasing him about it. And then threatening to cut off his balls if he ever hurt her. "If you convince her to go out with you first." Emmett always said the last part with this little smirk, like Edward would never make that happen.

Edward figured Emmett was probably right about that.

"Hey, Bella," he said, smiling at her. "What are you studying?"

"Economics. Emmett said he would help me study but he's not," Bella pouted.

"You have a test tomorrow or something?"

"Yeah."

Edward nodded slowly. "I'll help you in a minute. Let me put my books away." And your present, he added to himself, silently.

When he came back into the room, he sat a respectable distance from Bella on the couch. She edged closer. "Can you please explain aggregate supply curves to me?"

"Yeah," he said, hesitantly draping an arm on the back of the couch, around her. With his other hand, he pulled the textbook closer to him. "What you basically need to know is the difference between short run aggregate supply curves and long run aggregate supply curves—what?"

Bella was staring at him, or more accurately, he noted, his mouth. She blushed. "Nothing."

"Uh-huh," he said, amused. "Are you even paying attention?"

She rolled her eyes. "Short run, long run. You haven't said anything yet."

He grinned and flicked her shoulder. "Shut it, Swan."

In response, she hit his thigh with her knee. "Come on, teach."

So he did.

Eventually, Emmett acknowledged his presence by tossing a controller into his lap. "Come on, dude, stop flirting and help me kill Nazis."

Bella kicked Emmett in the back of his head, blushing.

Edward rolled his eyes and muttered to Bella that Emmett was just jealous.

She turned even redder.

Edward picked up the controller, though, and did help Emmett kill Nazis. He kept muttering things about economics to Bella, though, and eventually she rested her head on his shoulder. When he looked over at her, he noticed how much more angelic she looked when she was asleep. He sighed.

Emmett refused to carry Bella out of Edward's apartment. "I haven't done that in five years," Emmett said, scowling.

"Oh, you mean you can't?" Edward had teased.

"I mean I won't."

"You just want to crash here."

"Yes."

So Edward pulled out the air mattress and blew it up for Emmett. Then he picked Bella up and put her in his bed. He really tried not to think about how soft and perfect she looked there while he fell asleep on the couch. He was halfway successful.

He woke up to the smell of coffee. He stumbled into the kitchen to see Bella standing at the counter, a mug in her hands.

She was staring blankly at the numbers on his microwave. She shifted lightly on the balls of her feet, and for a second, he thought she might take off, that the white hoodie she was wearing—his white hoodie—would turn into wings and she'd lift off the ground. Jeez, when did he become this cheesy? He cringed.

"Hey," he mumbled, coming to stand behind her and reaching over her to grab a mug from the cupboard. He might have pressed a hand into the small of her back to balance himself. Maybe.

"Hi," she yawned. "Emmett didn't want to carry me, I guess?"

"Naw," he answered.

"He hasn't done that in five years."

"That's what he said."

They're quiet for a while, standing in the kitchen while they drink coffee. Bella spoke first. "You carried me to bed?"

He tried not to imagine those words said in different circumstances. "Yeah."

"Thanks." She tugged on his hoodie. "Do you mind?"

"Naw," he said. Of course not.

She smiled at him. "What's the angel for?"
"Hmm?"

"The angel. I found it in your room."

He wondered if he should feel weird about her snooping around his room. He didn't. "That…is nothing." He was annoyed that she found his gift.

"Huh. It's pretty."

Well, that was gratifying. "What are you guys doing for Christmas?" he asked, changing the subject. Maybe that was obvious.

She smiled. "I dunno. Dad might come up here."

"We gotta exchange gifts before then," he said, smiling.

She looked up at him. "What about now?"

"It's not wrapped."

"Not what I meant." She grabbed the back of his neck. "C'mere."

He obeyed, possibly bewitched.

"I'm going to kiss you," she said.

But she didn't get the chance because Emmett walked in and said, "Okay, none of that. Edward, stop corrupting my sister. Bella, stop propositioning my friend."

Bella made a noise of protest.

Emmett grabbed a mug. "I'm serious."

When he turned his back to them, Bella tugged Edward's face down to her level and kissed him softly.

"Angel," Edward mumbled against her lips.

She smiled.

Emmett punched Edward. "Hey!"

Bella kicked Emmett. "I like being corrupted. Edward likes being propositioned. Shut up." She tucked her face into Edward's neck. "S'too early for anything but kissing."

Emmett wrinkled his nose. "Well, I'm not kissing anyone. Ugh." He left the room, which was okay with Edward.

He kissed Bella's hair.
"The angel's for me, huh?" she asked.

"No. Absolutely not."

"So you calling me 'Angel' was definitely not a Freudian slip."

"Right."

"Stick with economics, Edward."

He would have answered that, but Bella was kissing his neck and it was tough to think around that.

"I like it."

"Good," he mumbled.

She huffed out a little bit of laughter. "Not mine?"

He grabbed her chin and kissed her until she forgot what she was talking about—or let it go anyway. "Definitely not."

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

A/N: Four days, going strong! Written for the 25 Days of Ficmas (link on profile). This may be completely cheesy. I completely don't care. Yay for fluff! And propositioning Bella. Double yay!