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He hates the cold; it seeps into his bones and leaves him exhausted. The beginning of autumn usually brought him no problems; those months were precious despite the onset of the bitter cold. But as Gazaerbeam, he discovered that autumn wasn't as kind as in previous years. The cold seeped in faster the more energy he expended helping others and doing his work. Edna made him a suit adapted to winter, a warm one that would keep all his heat inside, even though he would expel it while working.
The cold seeps into his bones; that's always been the case in winter. But knowing it's because he's losing heat from his veins, his body isn't concerned with keeping him warm, but rather with preventing him from overheating, makes this winter slightly different.
He doesn't hate winter, just the cold. Winter is a strange time, a mixture of depression and joy, of nostalgic memories, loneliness, and the happiness of seeing the rest of the world excited. Even so, there are traditions he maintains. That's why he puts another bag of flour in his shopping cart.
He should put another one in; he's never made so many cookies, but now he has two jobs, which means more individual cookies and more pre-made packages. The packages are usually small, but now he has to make more.
He continues on his way and picks up two bottles of vanilla extract. He usually only uses one, but with more people, he might run out. The Christmas music at the mall isn't the best, but it's Christmas music, which is to be expected, and he looks forward to it with a certain excitement every year. Unlike the cashiers, who seem fed up and are barely halfway through the month.
"Simon," the cashier says with a smile, "that's a lot of bags. Are you bringing family?" She hands over the ingredients.
"No, but I have more dinners to make than last year," he says with a smile. "Do you get a Christmas break this year?"
"I had to argue a bit, but your advice helped," Brittany smiles.
"That's good."
He pays and grimaces at the receipt, then remembers that his salary has increased significantly since becoming part of a renowned hero team. Perhaps it sounds like he's trying to curry favor with Everseer and has planned to give him more cookies, but he simply respects the man despite… everything.
He leaves the store and the cold hits him despite his thick sweater. It usually helps, but having his body temperature slightly lower than last year from constantly using his power seems to be a big difference from what he's used to in winter.
He walks down the street, sees the snow and people talking in their heavy coats, and stops a couple of times to give some money to homeless people. He has enough to spend. He should visit Christopher, maybe get him an apartment, just for the season. He can afford to spend.
"Are you okay?"
Plasmabolt stares at him intently. She, in her winter suit that protects her wings, flies above him. The metal of his helmet makes his head ache from the cold; Edna is still working on making a new one for winter. His salary is going to go towards paying her.
"Cold" he replies, wiping his lens.
"You're not a fan of the cold," she says with a smile.
"Are you?" he tilts his head slightly.
"A little," she shrugs. "There are things you can only see in winter."
"I understand," he looks at the horizon, the city blanketed in white. "It's a beautiful sight."
"It is," she says in a cheerful, sweet tone.
A cold breeze blows and his fur stands on end. Seriously, this winter is getting to him more than usual. He looks up and sees Macroburst looking at him with a wide grin. It wasn't the winter, just the other hero coming towards them in his winter suit.
"Psycwave said he needs all of us at the base," the boy says. "I hope he has something warm."
"Same here," he agrees, brushing off some snow that has fallen on his shoulders.
"You don't like winter either?" the boy asks, circling him.
"It's cold," he shrugs.
"Yeah, it's harder to fly in this wind. I prefer summer," the boy complains. "Don't even get me started on the headache of going to New Atlantis, but at least it's warm."
"So, you've stopped complaining about winter?" Plamsmabolt says, looking at them both. "Want a ride?"
Gazerbeam sighs. He doesn't like flying, but he doesn't want to walk in this cold either. The more energy he conserves, the better.
"Sure."
The flight is slow. They arrive at the base, not without Macroburts cracking a few jokes, and Gazerbeam remains silent because he can feel the heat leaving his body. Plasmabolt tells him he's nice and warm. The base will never cease to fascinate him. Where did the NSA get all its funding?
"I brought you here to discuss a very important matter," Psycwave says with a broad smile.
Everseer sighs, sitting in his seat, which makes Psycwave look at him with annoyance, and the man looks away. Gazerbeam enjoys watching the two interact but keeps his thoughts to himself. Plasmabolt playfully taps him with a smile, and he makes a silent gesture with his lips.
"As I was saying, something very important," the woman continued, "and something that will interest you, Gazerbeam."
He looked back at the blonde woman, who was smiling at him. Macrobuts was smiling too, very much so.
"Today we're starting to plan our Christmas party!" the woman said happily.
Macrobuts gave him a playful tap, smiling, and Simon smiled. He figured it was a good thing he'd bought so many cookie supplies.
"It's going to be great," Macrobuts said. "You're going to love it, Gazer, and I'll even make you smile."
"You've seen me smile," he replied calmly.
"Are we doing a gift exchange again this year?" Plasmabolt asked.
"Yeah, though it'll be a bit cheaper since the NSA copied our idea this year," Psycwave said, crossing his arms. "I got Downburst. Who did you guys get?"
"Isn't it supposed to be a secret?" he asked, staring at the ceiling without moving his head, grateful for the visor.
"Nobody takes Secret Santa seriously," Macroburst joked. "I got Hypershock," he complained.
"Elastigirl," Plasmabolt said with a sigh. "I haven't figured out what to get her yet, but I have some ideas."
"Gamma Jack," Everseer complained. "Do you know what to get Gamma Jack?" he asked Gazerbeam.
"Hairspray or a book on radiation or related topics. Should do the trick" he replies. "…Do you know what to get Universal Man?"
Macroburst grimaces and looks at Plasmabolt, who shrugs. He’s screwed. He doesn’t want to make a bad impression. It’s his first Heroic Work party, and he doesn’t know what to get his Secret Santa. Jack and Lucios had told him to give up, and Bob wished him luck when he asked them.
"I can try to read his mind to see what he might want" Psycwave says slowly.
"No" he refuses. "I’ll find another way to get him something he’ll like."
"You’re going to get him a good present" Everseer says, and everyone looks at him.
"You’re not going to tell me what it is?" he says, defeated. At least this interaction with the man is calm.
"No, it won’t happen later."
He hates this man’s vision of the future. A lot.
The conversation shifts to what they'll do for Christmas, and they ask if he celebrates it or Hanukkah. He replies that he celebrates Christmas. After all, he was raised in a Catholic family. They talk about food and the holidays, about wearing Santa hats, and chat for a while, making Gazerbeam feel comfortable.
When he sees Everseer, the man looks at him coldly, and Simon looks away. He doesn't know if he's still upset about the last mission or about something he's going to do, but he doesn't intend to bother him anymore. He gives Everseer a smile, which changes his expression, and he smiles back; he looks tired.
"Gazer," Macrobust says, circling him as they walk through the city, "Stratogale asked me if you had any other study methods, and honestly, they wouldn't hurt me too."
"You go back to classes after the holidays, right?" he asks, wondering if he has any methods left other than burning his books.
"Yep, annoying exams," the boy complains. "I'm a hero, I don't need school."
"What did Everseer tell you about that?"
"That studying is important and that I need a degree," the boy says, landing on his feet. "I'm not going to end up like Universal Man for skipping college," he complains.
"No, but it'll be harder to get a stable job," he says, waving to some passing children. "Besides, don't make fun of Universal Man."
"You're not my boss."
"No, that's Everseer, and he's the one who tells you to study," he retorts.
"You're a pain."
"Do you still want the study methods?" he asks.
"Yes."
"Tomorrow at the NSA cafeteria I can teach you both, but only study methods," he clarifies, as he always does.
"Yes, yes" the boy smiles.
He looks at the calendar he got; it's a miracle it's not burned. Dates are piling up this month. He has the office party, dinner with the guys, the Phantasmic party, the NSA party, and dinner with the Dickers.
That's going to be a lot of cookies, a lot.
"You look tired," Mary says.
"It's winter."
"Simon, I've known you for five years. You usually look unwell in winter, but this is much worse." She gets up and tries to put a hand to his forehead. He moves away.
"I'm not sick," he clarifies quickly. "I just didn't sleep last night."
"Are they giving you a lot of work?"
"No" he replies, having two jobs does that. "I was preparing things for the holidays."
"Oh, your cookies," the woman smiles broadly. "I'm really looking forward to them."
He smiles at her and heads to work. A few casual clients; people tend to think twice before making appointments before the holidays. He has a consulting gig with Dinaguy and finds him a nice man; maybe he'll try talking to him more like Gazerbeam.
He's going to lunch with the guys; luckily, he doesn't have a patrol this afternoon.
"Jack" he greets, sitting down next to the man.
"Do you always look half-dead in the winter?" the man asks with a laugh.
"Yeah," he replies, smiling. "Apparently my body refuses to keep the heat in." He glances around the table. "What about the others?"
"Lucios said he wasn't coming today because he wants to enjoy the snow as much as possible, and Bob... he's with someone."
"Is he finally going to ask Elastigirl out?" he asks, looking at the table.
"I hope so. I can't stand hearing him talk about her anymore," Jack complains with a laugh. "I mean, she's pretty, but it's too much."
"I guess so."
Jack and he meet up to go to the NSA base, both in their suits. Jack usually insists on flying him, and sometimes he agrees, like today. When did his life become about being flown around by supes?
The view is nice.
"Mr. Gazerbeam!"
"Here comes one of your fans," Jack whispers.
"Jealous?" he jokes and walks toward the teenager.
Stratogale, like the rest, is wearing his own winter suit and has a notebook in his hands. The girl smiles broadly at him, and he can't understand how a teenager can have so much energy. At her age, all he wanted to do was sleep and disappear.
"Stratogale," he greets her, "I suppose you want my help."
"Yes, let's go."
She walks to the table where Macroburst is also sitting, greeting her with a smile. He thinks, "How do they have so much energy?" He sits down.
"So, what subject is it?" he asks them both.
"Biology," Macroburst says, his notebook open.
"History," Stratogale says, looking at his notebook. "It's just that there's so much unnecessary information."
"I understand," he thinks for a while until he finds something useful and asks for their notebooks.
He tells them a couple of methods and explains as best he can, avoiding looking at the notebooks. It feels so strange that they trust him so much; Simon had barely managed to graduate from high school.
Stratogale smiles broadly when she gets a fact right, and Macroburst complains about useless facts. Simon can't argue that knowing biology isn't useless.
«Gazerbeam, Macrobursts.»
They both look up and stare at the cafeteria door where Everseer is watching them. Macroburst gets up, stretching, catching Stratogale's attention, who was whispering back facts.
"We should go," Gazerbeam says. "Patrol."
"Oh," the girl nods, "thank you for the studio time."
"Anytime," he replies and gets up.
They both go with Everseer. Today he's patrolling with Psycwave. They pass by the buildings and after a while, they stop to rest.
"How was your shift?" the woman asks softly.
"Good, slow," he looks at the street. "How was yours?"
"People get really depressed around this time of year," the blonde smiles at him. "It's good to go to parties."
"I guess so," he looks at the sky.
The snowflakes fall, and it's beautiful. He has to finish the cookies, get gifts for the exchanges, write to Nonna, and finish his paperwork. The snowflakes fall slowly.
"Your mind is always noisy."
"I'm trying meditation," he replies and follows her. "It's not working very well."
"So you do follow advice?" she laughs. "It surprises me."
An explosion shakes the air, and they both see each other. They run toward the sound, watching civilians approach out of curiosity, then stop to go in another direction. He mentally thanks Psycwave for his powers. She watches him run and smiles at him.
«Phantasmics, explosion in area B, Gazerbeam and I approach the scene.»
The woman's voice echoes in his mind, and he moves to her side upon seeing the villains in the park. Ice villains, that's not good. There are three of them, to be specific: two who look like simple henchmen with strange weapons, and the one in the middle, a woman throwing... ice cream?
"Gazerbeam, distract them. I'll go after Brainfreezer," the woman says clearly.
"Sure, but..." He looks at the people running. "If it's ice, why did we hear an explosion?"
"...I don't know," Psycwave bites his lip and takes a deep breath. "We'll find out once we stop these guys."
"Understood."
He runs to the park and takes aim at the first henchman, firing. The man falls to the ground, and the other two turn to look at him. He fires at the second henchman, who also falls. The villainess screams and throws ice cream at him. He rolls, avoiding being hit. He gets up and prepares to fire. Something hits him from behind.
It's something cold that freezes him, but he remains steady and fires. The villainess jumps away from the heat ray that melts the snow. Gazerbeam feels whatever landed on his back, he assumes it was ice cream melting, and he shudders.
"I'm going to freeze you!"
The villainess freezes and stops moving, as if all thought has left her mind. He sees Psycwave behind the villainess and delivers a blow, knocking the paralyzed woman to the ground, unconscious.
"I hate that villain," Psycwave says, looking at him. "Are you okay?"
"This is uncomfortable," he squirms, trying to get the gooey substance off his back.
They both tie up those they defeated, and he looks at the suits of those he took down.
"Is there anything else wrong besides the ice cream?" Psycwave asks, approaching.
"There should be a burn mark," he says, looking at the suits. "I didn't make those beams so weak, not on purpose."
"It's your first winter as a hero, and you're a heat super, so it's never easy to adapt," she smiles at him. "Macroburst could barely fly in winter during his first year."
The rest of the team arrives, and the question of where the sound of his expression came from hangs in the air. Macroburst blows the ice cream off him with a gust of wind; it still feels sticky and colder than before.
They arrive at the NSA base to report. Everseer and Psycwave handle the report, letting the others go wherever they want. He goes for a quick shower. Normally, he would put on a spare suit, but since this is his only winter suit, he has to put it back on.
"Did you hear an explosion?" Plasmabolt asks. "Brainfreezer can't make explosions; that attack wasn't her style either."
"We need to be on alert," Everseer says clearly. "Someone is planning something."
He feels that Everseer knows what and who; he just won't say. He keeps his thoughts to himself and remains silent. Everseer is his leader; he must obey him; he must have his reasons. He likes his team; he doesn't intend to ruin it.
He preheats the oven, gathers the ingredients, and gives the recipe a quick once-over. He needs to make enough for his coworkers and three packages; it's simple, very simple. He still has to get a gift for Evereser, because he got Evereser in the Phantastics gift exchange…
He starts mixing the dough, washes his hands before adding the rest, takes out the old cookie cutters, and looks at them with a smile. In the end, he manages to make five batches and lets them cool on the table before putting them in jars and separating them into packages.
The smell of the cookies fills the house, and he enjoys it, remembering when he used to make them with his family. He's never stopped making them; it always smells like cookies in December. He gets up and separates the packages. He goes to sleep without any ideas of what he'll give the heroes as a gift.
"Teo, Martín," he greets, opening the case and taking out the container.
"Yes!" Teo says happily, "finally!"
He sighs and opens the container of cookies so that both building guards can take two, just like every other year. Teo thanks him, and Martín devours one and puts the other away.
"If there are any left over after the party, I'll give you what I have left," he promises.
"Thanks, Simon."
He walks to the reception area and sees Mary.
"Give me," she says, smiling as soon as she sees him.
"Hello to you too," he says, putting the container away.
"Oh, come on, you can't leave me without cookies. Knowing you, you'll even give some to Alam and Jefferson," she complains.
He takes a package out of his bag.
"I think you deserve more than two," he says, offering her the package tied with a ribbon.
Mary takes the package, places it on his desk, and stands up. He wants to ask her what she's doing, but she comes out from behind his desk and hugs him tightly. Simon tenses up, but then hugs her back affectionately.
"Thank you for being my friend," she whispers in his ear, "for everything."
"Thank to you," he replies.
She slowly lets go, and he smiles at her. She sits back down and opens the package of cookies with a smile. Mary is one of his closest friends. There are days when he wonders if he should tell her about his other job, about everything, but she has her own things going on outside of work and prefers to support rather than worry.
"Do you know where Oswald is?"
He ends up going to the janitor's closet and might be late for the meeting, but he doesn't really care. Mr. Johnson wouldn't be mad at him for it, and that's the only opinion that matters to him. When Oswald sees him, he smiles broadly, and Simon wordlessly hands him the package, earning a hug from the older man.
Oswald's hugs are always warm.
He hands out cookies to the other janitors there and heads to the office party.
The music is soft and there are murmurs. He enters the room, everyone talking with glasses in their hands. He goes to the central table where there are snacks, places his glass tray there, and opens it, leaving it open for anyone who wants a cookie; it's easier that way. He stays in a corner while the rest seem to be engrossed in their conversations.
"Young man"
"Sir," he smiles at the man who approaches with two glasses.
"Finally, you're here. I was just about to give the speech before the cake was served." The man offers him a glass.
"I had to do something first," he explains, handing a package to Mr. Johnson.
"I always look forward to your cookies," the man says, taking them and smiling. "Have you thought about my proposal?"
"A little," he replies, looking at the floor.
"Haven't you made a decision yet?" the voice is calm and patient.
"No, after the break I think I'll have one."
"That's fine, Simon. Whatever decision you make, I know it will be the right one," the man says firmly. "Just don't sign contracts with other firms," his boss jokes.
"Never" he says, smiling.
He manages to avoid Alam and Jefferson throughout the party, chatting with other colleagues. Some ask if he has any gossip about the heroes, and he replies that it's his clients' business, but he enjoys sharing little tidbits while they tell him about their own cases.
Everyone seems to enjoy hearing about someone else's family drama more than they should; that's part of the job. The boss gives a speech, the usual: good wishes and congratulations, ending with "always uphold justice," which elicits laughter from the room.
"Simon" The world hates him.
"Alam," he greets, "Jefferson."
"Merry Christmas," Alam says softly, kindly.
His stomach churns, and he looks down. He doesn't want to see the man, much less the friend of men. Heat slowly drains from his body.
"Merry Christmas"
He falls onto the snow, which cushions the impact, and gets up instantly. He hadn't been knocked down in months; this guy must be strong.
«His powers are enhanced strength, shockwave manipulation, and he escaped from prison a week ago. His shockwaves have a time delay.»
Eveerseer reports from a distance:
«Surround him. Don't let him strike again.»
He fires at the man who was trying to reach Macroburts, who is about to turn. The villain seems ready to attack, but he blocks Plasmabolt's energy blast. He tries to turn to attack, but the wind hits him. Then snow begins to pelt him, lifting him up as Psywave calmly approaches. Gazerbeam fires again, and the villain begins to take cover in the area where neither of them is hitting with their visible powers.
Everseer must be hitting him. Simon is approaching, firing at low power. Blazerstone is hitting while spinning in the air, as is Macroburts, and Psywave closes his eyes.
«Gazerbeam, knockout attack»
He feels the heat of his body, stands firm, and feels it rise. The man suddenly stops moving from the attacks.
«Now.»
Heat shoots from his eyes and hits the villain, who crashes to the ground with a thud. Gazerbeam slides a little across the icy ground but remains steady. The cold slowly seeps into his bones.
"The authorities are coming," Plasmabolt says, landing.
"I want to tie him up," Macroburst says, approaching the unconscious man.
"That was a good hit," Plasmabolt tells him.
"Thanks," he says, approaching the woman.
"Have you decided on a gift for your Secret Santa yet?" she asks cheerfully.
"From the team or the NSA?"
"Either one," she shrugs.
"I think I know what to give the team, but for Universal, man…"
"What are you talking about?"
He bristles and looks up at Macroburt, who's upside down.
"Didn't you get tired of doing tricks in winter?" he asks, watching the young man do another spin.
"Didn't you get tired of shooting like that in winter?" the boy says with a smile.
"Yes, I'm tired," he replies, feeling the cold in his bones again.
"Oh" the boy touches the ground, "you look paler."
"I'm fine."
He watches Everseer and Psycwave talking, their familiarity a source of respect. At least he knows what to give Everseer now. Something warm is placed on his shoulders, and he sees a scarf. He looks up where Macroburts is smiling at him.
"So you won't get cold."
He slowly takes it off and hands it back to the boy, whose smile fades. Gazerbeam smiles as best he can.
"You fly, I don't," he says, still holding the scarf. "I'll be fine. You need it more."
"But I want to give it to you," the boy says, landing slowly on the snow.
"...It's fine," he smiles and wraps it around his neck. "Thank you." He smiles, touching the scarf.
He doesn't notice the boy's lack of a smile.
He just needs to visit one more store and then he can go home and bake more cookies. He enters the store and the man greets him, asking if he's there because of a question about a case. Simon denies it. He manages to buy the medical disinfection kit; it's simple and not exactly cheap, but it seems perfect.
He can't think of anything else to give Everseer. The man's aversion to germs is something he can understand, though not to that extent, and besides, he doesn't get sick. Anything that makes life easier for someone else seems like a good gift; maybe that will show the hero that he wants to be on good terms.
It's not that they aren't, it's just… strange.
He leaves the store with his bags and feels the cold attack him again. He needs to think about how he'll get through the next few days in a less miserable way as a hero. People walk around laden with shopping bags; most companies hold their Christmas parties around this time of year, most places, really.
The house smells of cookies. She sets down the last tray and lies back on the sofa for a while. She can't stop thinking about everything; it's been a very strange year, but a good one.
He still doesn't know what to get Universal Man. Everyone says the same thing when she asks. Universal Man is obsessed with being Universal Man: no secret identity, no hobbies, nothing.
Just Universal Man.
What he can give him?
"You're not going like that," Jack declares.
"What's wrong with it? You said formal," he asks, eyeing his suit.
"You wear that suit every day, and it's plain," Jack replies, shaking his head.
"I am plain."
"Leave the man alone, Jack," Lucios says, rolling his eyes. "We have half an hour to get to your reservation."
"Yeah, and since I made the reservation, I know it's going to look bad," Jack says loudly. "You have no sense of style."
Bob huffed and stood still, while Lucios gave him a sympathetic look. The Christmas plan was simple, the key word is "was." It was going to be a dinner among friends, as civilians to have more options and fewer interruptions, so Jack took charge, arguing that as a part-time model he knew the best places in the city.
Now they were going to a restaurant that only Lucios knew and described as expensive.
"It's my formal wear," he tried again.
"Guys, go ahead," Jack said without looking at the other two men and getting very close to Simon. "I'm going to give you a makeover."
"Please, no."
Bob and Lucius leave him with Jack, like traitors. Jack practically drags him to a store, deciding on new clothes and paying without letting Simon have any say beyond whether the clothes fit or are comfortable. He'll admit the clothes look good, but he won't say so because Jack doesn't need any more ego.
His skin crawls as he steps out into the cold and he hurries to put on his sweater. When they arrive at the restaurant, Bob and Lucius are already eating.
"I told you we'd get here faster by flying," Jack whispers to him.
"I'd rather not break the law today," he whispers back.
The place is expensive, with decorated walls and large, ostentatious tables. He doubts he can afford anything on the menu. The bag he's carrying the cookies in feels tiny for this place.
"I'll accept it, you look much better like this," Lucios says, looking at him.
"Thanks."
He sits down and looks at the menu. There's nothing cheap, and he's not very hungry, so he orders the cheapest thing he can find, while Jack orders something much more expensive and a bottle. The conversation starts to flow. Bob talks about Elastigirl, and Jack starts teasing him. Lucios talks about how busy winter is for him, but also how great it is.
They leave satisfied, and when they open the car, he takes out the bag he brought with him. He smiles at them and hands them the packages one by one.
"It's a family tradition to bake cookies for the holidays and share them," he explains slowly. "These packages are for our closest friends, and you guys" he looks at the ground "are my best friends."
Best friend, words hurt. But it doesn't diminish how real they are.
Jack's body pushes him away; he's being hugged and returns the hug to the blond boy, who says something about candy. A cold hand rests on his shoulder, and he looks at Lucios, who smiles at him. The three of them scream when Bob lifts them off the ground in a squeezing hug, and he's sure some of the cookie packages must be ruined.
"I love you guys so much," Bob says.
"How could you not love us? We're awesome," Jack says, laughing. "Now let go of us before you break our bones."
"Sorry," Bob says, putting them down. They just stare at each other.
He doesn't know why he's laughing, but he does, and the others laugh too.
He writes the letter carefully, wishing Nonna all the best, telling her about his friends, and that, like every year, he's baking cookies. He wishes her a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. He goes to bed and dreams.
He wakes up startled; he wouldn't call it a dream or a nightmare, it was a memory. He washes his face and sits up in bed. Alfred showed him one of his Christmas presents, a handmade doll of a hero. He remembers asking him which hero it was, and Alfred smiling wildly and saying it was him.
Alfred was so sure it would be a hero; it was all he could think about. He splashes more water on his face, trying to clear his mind. An idea strikes.
He knows what to get Universal Man.
"What do you want?" Apogee asks.
"If you know where they sell superhero merchandise," he thinks it would have been better to ask Thunderhead; Thunderhead wouldn't see it that way. "It's for Secret Santa."
"Well, the Thrilling Three stuff is sold in several stores, and I know your team's merchandise has an alliance with a specific store," the woman thinks. "Now, superhero merchandise in general is usually found in large shopping malls, but it depends on the type of merchandise." Apogee crosses his arms. "Mr. Incredible, for example, is one of the few who has an official plushie."
He hesitates for a few seconds, but from what he's seen of Apogee, she's an intelligent and reserved person. Maybe he can ask her, and she won't say anything.
"Is there any Universal Man merchandise?"
"Not that I know of," Apogee replies with a grimace. "He has posters like everyone else, but beyond that, no action figures, mugs, or trading cards." He's popular, but not as popular as the teams or others.
"Thanks, Apogee," he says gratefully.
Well, giving him a poster doesn't sound like a good idea. He'll have to do it himself. He hears a noise and sees the door. Frozone arrives, his suit dirty and his face annoyed. He approaches immediately.
"Are you okay?" he asks, hesitant to touch him.
"A villain in the street, another guy we'd already locked up, and there was an explosion," Frozone complains. "There weren't even any bombs. I don't know where it came from."
"Is it normal for villains to escape so often?" he asks, worried.
"No," Frozone takes a deep breath. "I'm going to file my report, and I really hope it's something bigger than simple incompetence, because otherwise, I swear I'll end up in jail."
He sees Lucius walking away, and Simon doesn't like this. Something is happening, but at the same time, nothing changes. It may just be incompetence; it wouldn't be the first time the authorities have been useless.
After his fifth attempt with burnt fabric, he decides he needs to ask for help, the problem is he has no one. He can continue this later; he still has to get ready for the Phantasmics meeting, and the cookies are still in the oven.
He puts on his suit and carries a bag with him. Plasmabolt appears to pick it up and asks him why his gift is so big. He just says it's a secret. She laughs, which takes away his bad mood from having burned so much fabric.
"And your hat?" Psycwave asks, approaching him.
"Ah…" he hesitates.
"You forgot it," the woman says, rolling her eyes, and hands him a Christmas hat. "Luckily I brought one just in case."
He puts it on and nods. The blonde smiles and goes to Macrobust, who has just arrived wearing his hat. He looks like an elf.
"Psycwave takes team activities very seriously" Plasmabolt says cheerfully.
"I know" he replies, watching the woman walk over to Everseer to force him to put on his hat. "It’s great."
Everyone eats their snacks, chats for a while, and Macroburts keeps staring at him, which doesn’t bother him, but he wonders if he got the boy as his Secret Santa. Plasmabolt jokes with him for a bit, and he plays along, though it’s more difficult for him than joking with Jack.
"Mistletoe,” Psywave says.
Simon looks up and sees mistletoe above him and Plasmabolt. He looks at Psycwave, who is smiling, and Macroburts, who is doing the same. This is awkward. The mistletoe falls on his head out of nowhere, and Psycwave groans. He hears Plasmabolt laugh and gives her an awkward smile.
Gazerbeam looks at Everseer, who is sitting in a corner, and smiles at him. That mistletoe didn't fall on its own and is grateful that he got it out of trouble.
"You have to describe your Secret Santa and give them the gift," Psycwave explains, smiling. "I'll start."
He has no idea how to describe Everseer without sounding strange. Something will come to him; if he keeps thinking, Everseer and Psycwave will know before it's his turn.
"I got someone brave and strong, someone I respect a lot, even if they refuse to tell me about their life outside of their suit," Psycwave smiles as she speaks. "The only other person in this group who understands the need to look presentable with a good lipstick before fighting crime." The woman looks at Plasmabolt, who smiles.
They hug, and she gives her the gift.
"My secret friend is someone fearless, capable, and fun" Plasmabolt says. Simon knows it’s not him. "Someone who started very young and proves his worth every day."
Macroburts flies to Plasmabolt and hugs her, taking the gift with a big smile.
"My secret friend is someone I respect and appreciate a lot, even though I haven’t known him for very long," Macroburts says, looking at him. "Someone with great strength and patience, someone who cares about everyone, and I hope he’ll be part of this team for a long time."
He doesn't move, processing the words of the boy who's looking at him with a smile. He's never done this before. He smiles and approaches, gives the boy a hug, who hugs him back tightly, and takes the gift.
"Open it!"
"Isn't that supposed to be later?" he asks.
"Yes, later," Psycwave says, and Macroburts pouts.
Now it's his turn; he has to reveal his secret friend. He takes a deep breath.
"My secret friend is someone I respect a lot, someone who makes difficult decisions that I don't think I could, someone I hope to understand better someday." He looks at Everseer. "He's a great hero, and I thank him for giving me the opportunity to be part of this wonderful group."
Everseer approaches, but neither of them hugs. Gazerbeam gives him the gift, careful not to let their hands touch, and smiles at the man.
"My secret friend is a great woman, but she should also stop meddling in other people's lives for the sake of drama."
"Hey!"
Everyone laughs as Psycwave takes her gift. Macroburts stands beside him, and Gazerbeam sees him. He assumes the kid wants him to open his present, so he does. He quickly peels back the wrapping paper without looking, and when it's no longer covering the gift, he looks at the object in his hands.
He closes his eyes, realizing he's been staring at it for a long time.
"Do you like it?" the boy asks excitedly.
"I love it," he says with the biggest smile he can muster.
Macroburts smiles, hugs him again, and lets him hug him back. The framed photo of the team in his hand is a lovely picture with everyone in it, a reminder that this is his team.
It's a shame he has to put it in a box to keep it safe from his eyes.
He tries again that night; his roof has more holes, but the heat is weaker. He pricks his fingers a couple of times and feels Nonna telling him he's careless, even though his grandmother is in another country. He looks at the reference poster; it's the third one. The rest are torn to shreds on the floor.
He looks at the object of his creation. He's going to hate it, but it's the best he can do. He decides to write an apology note with five dollars, apologizing if he thinks it's a terrible gift. He leaves the cookies neatly arranged on the counter and enjoys the few hours of sleep he has left.
"Did you get a gift?" Mr. Incredible asks him with some surprise.
"Yes," he says, looking at his gift bag. "I hope he likes it."
"No one would be surprised otherwise, Universal Man is... complicated," Bob assures him.
The heroes stroll by, snacking. A couple decided not to join the party for personal reasons, but most are there, chatting and eating. He sees Blazestone take another cookie and smile. It's good that she likes them.
"Even so, I hope he likes it," he says, his hands tightening slightly on the case.
"Good luck."
Bob goes to talk to Elastigirl. They're so obvious. Jack is talking to Blazestone about who knows what, but they both seem to be enjoying their conversation. Lucius is talking to Phylage about something, and the Phantamics team is off on their own. He would approach if it weren't for the periodic, cold glances Everseer gives him.
Gazerbeam sees Thunderhead and approaches the man with a smile.
"Hey Thunderhead," he greets him. "Are you enjoying the party?"
"It's a boring party," the man says honestly. "I'd rather stay at my apartment. We can actually dance there." Thunderhead nods. "Do you like it?"
"The party?" he asks, and Thunderhead nods. "I guess so. I prefer things to be quiet."
"I understand," Thunderhead sighs. "Thanks for talking to me. Most people get bored when... I slow down."
"Idiots," he whispers. "I slow down too. I'm just better at hiding it," he confesses.
"You don't need to hide it from me," the man said with a smile. "It won't bother me."
"Thanks, Thunderhead."
Time passed, and Thunderhead began talking to him about various topics, though he took a while to organize his thoughts. Simon was fine with that; they had time before the gift exchange. He was grateful that, given the number of gifts and the fact that everyone was technically asking for time off work, all he had to do was exchange them with his Secret Santa in front of another person, speechless.
"Now, everyone on this side, stand up and give your Secret Santa gift," Stormicide said, with Psycwave at his side.
It's the side where they're sitting, so they get up and go to their Secret Santas. He sees Universalman, approaches him, and extends the gift.
"Merry Christmas," he says as confidently as he can. "I hope to get to know you better."
"Thank you," the man takes the gift and smiles, a wide, strange smile.
He sits back down and goes to the other side where his Secret Santa turns out to be Dynaguy. He smiles at him.
"I wish you'd been assigned to our team," the hero says. "I hope you can be part of the team someday."
"But then it wouldn't just be the three anymore," he says, taking the gift.
"A name change would be a problem," the man jokes, and he smiles at him.
He watches people opening their gifts, and Thunderhead approaches him with a smile.
"What did you get?" He opens it and shows it to Thunderhead. "Nice."
He looks at the book and smiles. He doesn't understand why everyone assumes he's a bookworm.
"Gazerbeam!"
He turns and sees Universal Man approaching. He's dead. He's ruined it. The rest of the room sees him and wants the floor to swallow him whole. Universal Man hugs him and then shakes him a little. He doesn't understand anything.
"Where did you get it?" The man shows the plushie.
A Universal Man plushie that took Simon a lot of patience to make. Universal Man holds it proudly, almost like a trophy, and he stares blankly.
"I placed an order for them to do it."
He doesn't want to admit he made it himself. He knows no one would bother him about it, but he'd rather they think he wasted money on something poorly made than that he did a bad job with the stitching.
"You're amazing!"
Simon smiles, and Universal Man starts showing everyone the plushie. It was worth pricking his fingers for that plushie.
It's been a good holiday season. He's getting ready for the last dinner on his schedule; it's Christmas Eve, and he's waiting at home for Rick to knock on his door to take him to Mrs. Dicker's for Christmas dinner. He has his tray of cookies in his hands and sees that there are still some left over. A thought crosses his mind.
He gets up and prepares a smaller package. He looks at it for a while, and although it's not a good idea, everyone deserves something sweet for the holidays. He decides to put it in the mailbox, hoping that Alfred still likes cookies.
"What are you doing outside?" Rick asks, arriving in his car.
"I got bored waiting inside," he replies and walks to the car. "Let's go before your mother scolds us both for being late."
Rick laughs, and they drive away. Simon smiles and watches the snow fall—a white and frosty Christmas.
While having dinner with the Dickers, and the woman congratulates and scolds him at the same time for all the things that have happened in the year, he can't help but think that this is one of the warmest Christmases he has had in a long time.