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who: Wally West + Jon Kent
what: holiday shopping & stuff
when: early december
where: here and there
warnings: none

[ There's been an extra bounce in Wally's step as the holiday season approaches. He has always been fond of the holidays, but this one is special even if he's far away from home as it's the first one he's experienced since escaping from the Speed Force.

It is why he plans on doing it right and that means there's a lot of work to be done in preparation. Good thing he was able to acquire the aid of the Boy of Steel to help him out with everything.

He grins down at Jon standing alongside him, as the two of them are about to embark on their holiday mission at one of the stores. ]

So where do you think we should start? Is there anyone you want to get gifts for? Do people even give gifts for Hygge? [ Not that it's going to stop him. ]

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[ Jon always enjoyed Christmas. It had all his favourite things. Food, presents, getting to hang around the fire. Sometimes, snowball fights with his dad. Last year, the Waynes had come over. Damian had bought Jon his favourite video game and they played long past their bedtime.

But for the first time, Jon felt . . . lonely. His parents weren't around, Damian had vanished sometime last month. Even Dick had been pretty inconspicuous (though, Jon knows, he probably feels Damian's loss harder than Jon. He can't blame him for that). Still, it was hard. Bucky wasn't very good at keeping Jon company and he always felt bad reaching out to the older people he knew. Who probably don't want to deal with a kid like him.

Still, Jon leaped at the chance to do some shopping. Christmas shopping! Jon loved giving gifts and that would help. Doing something nice for others is always the best way to feel better about yourself. ]

Uh, I got a list. Who is on yours?

[ Wally wipes some of the snow that hasn't melted fast enough off his jacket. The weather outside has begun to match the season and it's a welcomed change in his opinion. ]

Just Dick, Cisco, and a few other people. So, you know, the usual suspects.

[ The look he gives Jon should let him know he hasn't forgotten about him. Truth is he actually picked up a few items for the boy the other day that he thinks he'll enjoy. Maybe. He often puts the 'it's the thought that counts' theory to the the test as he never really knows what to get people. ]

I bet your list is at least twice as big as mine.

[ His shoulders hunch defensively as Jon adjusts his glasses. ]

Not really. It's gotten smaller now. But . . . that's okay. I should still get people stuff.

[ Wally winces, mentally kicking himself for his mistake. He got too caught up in things that he forgot to stop and think. ]

...Right.

[ He'd apologize for being an idiot if he wasn't afraid it would just make things worse. ]

What about Annie? We have to get something for her, don't we?

[ Jon brightens momentarily. ]

Yeah! I think she's getting ready to fly soon. Her wings are pretty big!

[ Now that's a little more like it. ]

I know! I thought she was going to take off right in front of me the other day.

[ He stops to glance at a few of the items on the shelves of the aisle they're walking down before deciding none of them deserve a closer look. ]

So what do you think a War Kite would want for Christmas?

[ He scrunches up his nose, thinking about it. ]

Maybe like . . . a drone? Something she can chase in the sky?

[ Wally nods with a smile at the suggestion. ]

I think we can find something like that. Maybe get her a few other things as well. We have to make her first Christmas special.

[ Buoyed, Jon starts ticking them off his fingers. ]

I should get her a proper collar too. I'm taking her outside more now.

[ Wally nods along, happy to see the boy get into the spirit. They can afford to splurge a little with the gifts as his perimeter guard gig pays well and he's been saving up since he's gotten here. ]

Well, that's one... War Kite down. Now all we need to do...

[ He trails off as one of the clothing displays nearby catches his attention. He proceeds to walk over to the display, rummages around for a few seconds, before turning around to look at Jon with a big grin on his face and holding a pair of yellow socks with tiny clocks on them up in one of his hands. ]

Hey, do you think anyone would like these? [ Too bad Barry wasn't here because then they would be the perfect gift. ]

[ Jon frowns disapprovingly at Wally. ]

You can't give socks. That's the worst gift!

[ Wally looks like he's about to protest, but deciding there's no use debating the merits of socks as a gift with a ten year-old, he settles for putting the item back in the display with a sigh. ]

Okay, fine, no socks. [ He can always come back later for them. ] But I don't know if I'd call them the worst gift.

[ His eyebrows cross together. ]

What would you call the worst gift then?

[ Wally scratches the back of his head as he thinks about it. ]

Um... what about a plant? Someone once gave one to my aunt as a gift and looked for it every time they came over. At least with socks you can just toss them in the back of the drawer if you don't want them.

[ Not the most flattering of defenses for socks as a gift but it's all that he's got. ]

[ Jon rubs his chin thoughtfully. ]

Plants aren't too bad. But I guess they're kind of boring too.

What would be your worst gift?

[ Wally makes a humming sound as he considers the question. ]

Well, the worst gift I ever got for Christmas was probably the calendar I got when I was eleven. It wasn't even for the upcoming year so it was only good for six days.

[ Just the thought of it makes him chuckle. It was probably something his father picked up at the last minute after one of his get rich schemes fell through. That being said, he didn't have a lot to complain about when it came to Christmas growing up. ]

But these days I just appreciate whatever I get. I know it sounds corny, but it's just nice to be thought of.

[ His expression is openly sympathetic at the calendar gift. ]

Yeah.

[ Jon briefly wonders if his parents are thinking of him. But it's a sobering thought so he pushes it aside. ]

I'm sure you'll get some cool stuff this year.

[ The last bit has the speedster reaching out to playfully ruffle the boy's hair with a smile. ]

I think so, too.

So what is the best Christmas gift you've gotten?

[ Perhaps the answer will give him an idea about what else he could get Jon for the holiday. ]

[ He brightens. ]

That's easy! The time Damian got me Munk-E-Munsters! Though I don't know how he knew I wanted that game. I only told my dad.

[ Ah, video games. He should have known. ]

Probably some trick he picked up from his father. It's kinda annoying how they know so much, isn't it. [ It's said good-naturedly, of course. ]

[ Jon shrugs. ]

It's not too bad. He's not breaking into my school and spying on me anymore.

[ A beat. ]

I think.

[ His eyebrows raise up a little in surprise. ]

He broke into your school and spied on you? [ A little strange there, Damian. ] Dick never did anything quite like that.

[ His best friend just did what a lot of people do and called when he wanted to know what was going on. ]

He did talk me into taking the Batmobile for a joyride once, though. We didn't think Batman would notice, but we thought wrong.

He even pretended to be my bus driver and my science teacher.

[ It was Weird. ]

And I think Damian's just different from the other bat-people.

[ Wally nods in agreement. All that stuff is out there even for a Bat. ]

Well, I suppose he keeps life interesting. That's not something you can say about everyone.

It's not like my life is boring.

[ But he nods. ]

Anyway he's stopped doing that stuff. Since my parents gave the a-ok for us to hang out.

[ Okay, that has things making a little more sense. ]

He was just finding creative ways to spend time with his pal. I can understand that.

[ A moment goes by before Wally gestures back to the display with the socks. He has to make one last appeal on their behalf. ]

So, we did decide the socks were a bad idea for a gift, right?

[ Jon nods vigorously. ]

No socks. Uh . . . what do adults like?

[ Wally gives a slight shrug of his shoulders. ]

As weird as it sounds, I'm not really sure. Most of the adults I know get books, clothes, and things like that.

[ His lips quirk up into a half-grin.]

It's not quite as exciting as getting a video game or your very first baseball glove.

So basically . . . as you get older, you get more boring?

[ Wow. Adulthood is a lie. ]

[ Wally laughs, not surprised Jon would see things in that light. ]

I wouldn't go that far. People's priorities and interests just have a habit of changing as they get older.

[ Such as the holidays becoming less about the gifts you receive and more about the people you spend them with. ]

I think the best thing about growing up is the freedom. If you don't want to become boring, as you put it, then you don't have to.

[ Jon takes this all in surreptitiously. ]

What kind of freedom though?

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