Chapter Text
Weeks Later… Christmas Eve…
The Parker Household — Forest Hills, Queens
’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
May “Mayday” Parker was quite busy, scurrying about like a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
but May was still prepping for friends who’d soon be there.
Along with Uncle Ben and her mother, the ever-loving Mary Jane,
little Benjy was in the living room too, though preferred to play with his toy train.
Yes, fiddling with his toys, the two-year-old was a tad bit confused
watching his older sister and family, preparing the sofa and room to be used.
Outside their home and in New York City, a most powerful blizzard was blowing
and Mayday hoped the two guests would arrive safe, despite the heavy snowing…
- - - - - - -
“I think this blizzard’s worse than last year,” May commented, turning slightly to glance at the window while she placed a spare pillow and quilt on the couch. She could see a flurry of snowflakes blowing around, adding more to the whopping foot and a half the borough had already received.
The whistling of the wind outside was also concerning, making the Parker girl more nervous for her friends’ wellbeing, as well as anyone else caught in this weather. Unless they cranked up the volume tenfold, the ambient mix of holiday tunes wouldn’t be enough to drown out the almost unpleasant noise.
Mayday had wanted a white Christmas this year, but this particular blizzard was troubling.
“That’s an understatement, hotshot.” Mary Jane said, the same anxiety as her daughter gnawing at her soul. As the woman and Uncle Ben continued to spruce up the area, Benjy continued playing with his Thomas the Tank Engine toys from his kneeling position, making train sounds as he rolled them across the carpet. “I hope Elijah and Felicity are all right.”
Upon hearing his mother’s last statement, the youngest Parker perked up upon hearing the name of May’s friend. “Eli… come?” he asked, releasing his toys and pointing down to the floor as though to say ‘Here?’. His blue eyes began to twinkle with delight. All the commotion and tidying in the living room was beginning to make sense to him now, with Benny-boy realizing that his favorite playmate was on the way.
The elder Benjamin smiled, but otherwise said nothing as Mary Jane knelt down to address her son. “Yes, Benjy. Elijah and May’s other good friend, Felicity, will be here soon.”
“EEEE!!!” Screaming with joy and excitement, the two-year-old Parker grabbed his toys before leaping up to his feet, tidying up his own mess. After accumulating all his trains, the little boy began racing towards the stairs; the pathway up to his bedroom.
Uncle Ben chuckled from Benjy’s antics, the young boy always being adorable. Reminded of the young Cooper he deeply respected, the man turned to the red-haired mother, to continue the previous conversation. “It’s nice that you’re letting Elijah stay here until the new year, Mary Jane. But I can’t help but wonder if right now was the best time, given the weather outside.”
“I’m sure he can tough it out,” May replied, brushing a strand of her brown hair away from her face. “If Elijah Cooper can get thrown into a building by a flying goblin and shake it off, then a blizzard shouldn’t be an issue for him.” Stepping away from the window, the Parker girl was perplexed upon seeing her mother sitting on the couch at the room’s center.
“This will be his first Christmas celebrating with others.” Mary Jane stated, her emerald green eyes reflecting a deep sadness for Eli, as well as his life before he came to them. She’d only heard a select few of the memories he kept buried down… and it was absolutely heartbreaking to know what he’s been through. Disturbing to know the brutal tortures he’d been subjected to. Losing the girl he loved. Wandering aimlessly for years… without a family. “I can only imagine how many years he’s spent it alone.”
Concerned for her mother—as well as wondering if this dejection was for her father’s absence—Mayday sat on the cushioned seat beside her. As the Parker woman continued her final train of thought, May rubbed her shoulder to comfort MJ as her mom said, “We have to make sure everything is perfect for him.”
Wanting to confirm that everything was indeed perfect, both women lifted their heads to inspect the Christmas tree, adorned with various lights, ornaments, and garland. The star on the highest branch, nearly touching the ceiling, had been placed there a couple weeks prior when May crawled along the ceiling; refusing to use a ladder, much to her brother’s delight.
“Everything will work out fine, Mary Jane. I’m sure it will,” Uncle Ben responded, grunting as he knelt down beside the fireplace to stoke the flames with a yule log.
“Yeah, mom. You’ve already done so much.” Appreciative of her family’s support, the Parker woman smiled warmly as Benjy came clambering down the stairs; holding fast to the railing for balance.
The young boy may have inherited Peter Parker’s spider-powers earlier than his sister, but he was still advised to always maintain safety when moving around.
Ding dong
The sudden doorbell announced the presence of the Parkers’ guests, shifting everyone’s attention to the front door.
“ELI!!!” Benjy screeched, leaping down from the last two steps before racing for the door, giggling excitedly as May and the others joined him momentarily.
After gazing out the peephole and confirming the individuals on the other side, Mary Jane promptly pulled the door open to greet the bundled-up duo outside. “Elijah, Felicity, come in! You two must be freezing!” Both didn’t need any convincing, quickly stepping through the doorway.
“Sorry for our late arrival. There was a disturbance,” Eli stated, both he and the Hardy girl each carrying a bag containing his belongings. To him, it was nice to see the Parker family dressed so festively, with everyone wearing some sort of Christmas sweater. Mayday’s particular, quilted red and blue ‘Spider-Girl’ pajamas (sold exclusively from the Spider-Shoppe) was a tad bit on the nose, but suited her.
“What kind of disturbance? Nothing serious I hope,” Mary Jane inquired, praying that neither were injured as she shut the front door behind them. She spent too many nights in the past patching up her husband—and her daughter most recently—from the hits they received.
“Not anything major,” Felicity replied as she and Elijah set his bags down by the couch, shedding their outer coats and gloves in the process. “Literally just some crooks wearing Santa Claus masks. They were no match for Spider-Ion and Scarlet Spider.”
Her response tickled Mayday, who chuckled as that description brought back memories. “You know, that reminds me of a couple years ago, when I fought Seth for the first time. The Season of the Serpent as I call it.” She knelt down, ruffling Benjy’s hair as she continued. “Before this little guy was born.”
Brushing his older sister’s hand away, the two-year-old boy tugged on Elijah’s pants leg, earning his attention before making his request. “Play now?” Cooper chortled as he gazed down at his toddler friend.
“How about after I get settled in first?” Accepting the compromise, Benjy nodded his head before turning to Felicity. Meanwhile, Eli faced the Parker mother to address her. “And I didn’t forget what you asked for, Mrs. Parker. We picked them up on our way here.” Unzipping his backpack, he presented two particular cans of food, for the Christmas dinner the next day. “It’s a jungle out there. I had to beat an old lady with a stick to get these cranberries.”
MJ smiled from his joke, wondering if Peter ever made a quip like that in the past. Was it on a Thanksgiving years ago? “Thank you, Elijah.” Taking the cans from the young Cooper, the woman inspected them thoughtfully before returning her gaze to him. “I appreciate you going out of your way to help with tomorrow’s dinner. I’ll pay you back for these.”
“It’s no problem. Giving me a place to stay is more than enough of a reward,” he replied, referring to all of the Parkers before he continued. “And I can even help with preparing the food if you like. It wouldn’t hurt to practice cooking.”
“That’s not a bad idea. We could always use an extra pair of hands tomorrow,” Uncle Ben suggested, turning towards Mary Jane for her take on it.
“Okay then…” the Parker mother began, tossing one of the canned cranberries to Elijah, who skillfully caught it one handed. “Come on. I’ll show you what we have to work with…”
As Eli folded his second jacket over the couch, he, MJ, and the elder Benjamin began making their way towards the kitchen; the younger one opting to gaze out the front window at the blizzard. Before Felicity could join them, the oblivious Hardy girl felt Mayday tap her on the shoulder, earning her attention.
“Felicity, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure, May. What is it?” Turning back towards her friend, the current Scarlet Spider was concerned as she saw a downcast expression formed on her friend’s face; a frown apparent from whatever was plaguing her.
“It’s… I feel terrible for how I’ve treated Eli these past several weeks,” May explained, nervously tapping her slippered feet while glancing into the kitchen at the man in question. “He’s been avoiding me. At least I think he is. And now that he’s here… I just… I don’t know how to fix things between us.” Sensing his sister’s unease and sadness, Benjy stepped towards her before hugging her leg tightly, to comfort her.
Processing Mayday’s words, Felicity flashed a hopeful smile before patting her friend’s shoulder. “May, just start with two words… I’m sorry .”
“I’m sorry?” the Parker girl asked, lifting her gaze from her little brother to stare dumbfounded at her companion. The young Hardy simply nodded her head, confirming the advice she gave.
“Yup. Everything else will fall into place.” Turning back towards the kitchen, the blonde girl was beaming as she studied the three individuals in the kitchen, likely discussing their game plan for tomorrow. “Eli’s a great guy. I know he’ll forgive you.”
Taking notice of the longing look Felicity was giving Elijah, May’s interest was piqued as she wondered what the relationship was between the two. “I’m curious. Are you two dating, or…?”
Whirling around, the Hardy girl was blushing from the implication, embarrassed about the question, given her and Elijah’s actual current relationship. “What? No, no, no. It’s nothing like that.” Taking a breath to compose herself, Felicity was smiling warmly as she continued. “But he does love me. Eli said something sweet to me, a couple days after he started training me to be Scarlet Spider. He told me that I’m like the little sister he never had.”
“That is sweet. Sounds just like Eli.” The smile matched her friend’s as Mayday stood there, gently scooping Benjy into her arms, who wanted to be ‘Up,’ as he put it. Once more curious about Cooper’s love life—and wanting to confirm a suspicion she held ever since she first brought Elijah into her home—May tilted her head to the side as she asked her next question, trying to remain as nonchalant as possible. “So… is he interested in anybody? Anyone in particular.”
“Oh, if only you knew,” Felicity thought, recalling another previous conversation, when Elijah had admitted to her about his feelings for May “Mayday” Parker. When she did give her response, the Hardy girl acted insouciant as she shrugged her shoulders. “Well… I guess there is this one girl. He’s been crushing on her for months, ever since he first came to New York. But he’s scared to open up to her about his feelings.”
“What? Could it be…?” Her thoughts buzzing, especially from the girl’s vague answer, May decided to pry deeper to get to the bottom of it all. “He never told me this. Who is she?”
“Um…” Suddenly put on the spot, Felicity racked her brain as she attempted to come up with some excuse or false answer to preserve Eli’s friend status. If she revealed his love interest to May now, he’d be doomed.
Though the Hardy girl breathed a sigh of relief as the Cooper in question, along with the others, returned from the kitchen.
“I never knew so much time and effort went into preparing a turkey,” Elijah stated, taking the time now to place his bags down beside the couch; having forgotten to do so earlier. Turning his gaze to his friends, he was smiling as he addressed his sister figure. “By the way, thank you for your help, Felicity.”
“Please. You carried most of your own stuff. I was just providing you some company.” With everyone now standing together in silence, the blonde girl cleared her throat as she shifted nervously in her stance. “Well, I guess I should get going.”
“Um… are you sure about that?” May asked, smirking as she glanced out at the snowfall; Benjy’s wiggling prompting her to set him down so he could pester Eli. It was never Felicity’s intention to remain at the Parker household overnight… but one would have to be crazy to brave the storm. The independent Hardy simply waved her hand dismissively, before reaching for her jacket draped over the coat hanger.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be fine.”
“Felicity Hardy. Don’t you even think about going back out in that blizzard. Especially not alone. You’re more than welcome to stay the night,” Mary Jane interjected, hoping her daughter’s friend would heed their advice.
“Are you sure?” Not wanting to crowd or be a bother to the family, Felicity was hesitant to remain. Especially if it would be difficult to accommodate her.
“Of course you can stay. I already spoke with your mother over the phone an hour or so ago. Felicia’s fine with you staying over.”
“Truth be told, we’ve been preparing for both Elijah and you to spend the night,” Uncle Ben elaborated, folding open a newspaper before leaning back in the living room recliner. The elder Spider-Man sighed happily as he looked over the latest news, finding zen in the simplest of things nowadays.
Persuaded by their arguments, Felicity shrugged her shoulders casually. “Okay then. If you don’t mind.” With her invitation to stay, she began to peel off her winter boots. Mayday nudged the girl with her elbow before chiming in.
“You can stay in my room. Hope you don’t mind toughing it out in a sleeping bag. There’s no room for two on my bed.”
The Hardy girl smirked as she pulled off her socks, finding the lodgings agreeable. “It’s a step down from the couch, but I’ll manage.” As the guest who claimed the sofa finished retrieving a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved blue t-shirt from his backpack, Felicity was reminded that she didn’t have any pajamas, or other clothes to wear, period. “I may have to borrow some of your clothes, though, May.”
“Alright, but they might be a little too big for you, short stuff,” the Parker girl teased, beaming as she poked fun at her friend. She giggled as she received a punch to the shoulder in response.
Seeing all the people around them laugh and smile, both Elijah and the two-year-old Ben couldn’t help but join in as they sat on his soon-to-be bed for the next week.
“Then it’s settled,” Mary Jane said, turning towards her guests. “You two go get cleaned up. I’ll get the pizzas warmed up for dinner.”
Upon hearing that last statement, Benjy whirled around as his attention was pulled away from Elijah. “Pizza! Yum!” he shouted, now jumping up and down on the couch. Everyone present smiled from his antics.
“It’s getting late,” the elder Benjamin advised, smiling ever so slightly as he peeked out from behind his paper. “You should all hurry before Santa Claus gets here.”
“Santa come?” the toddler asked, ceasing his motions as he began looking all around at the others, seeking affirmation on Uncle Ben’s declaration.
“Yup. Santa Claus is coming to town, Benjy.” May Parker was grinning as she lifted her little brother off of the couch, before placing him on the carpeted floor.
“But he’ll only show up after everybody’s fallen asleep,” Felicity added, smiling warmly as she spoke.
“And don’t worry, Benjy…” Elijah began, winking at the others as he knelt down to address the two-year old. “I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for him while I’m down here on the couch…”
Midnight that evening…
The Parker Household Living Room
Elijah Cooper had been sleeping peacefully for nearly two hours, greatly looking forward to the following morning before he had finally fallen into a deep slumber. That pepperoni pizza had hit the spot perfectly.
Though he didn’t dream about sugar plums or gumdrops (or whatever it is children see in fictions once they sleep on Christmas Eve), the young man was reminiscing about the previous time he’d spent the night in the Parker household.
The joy he felt when the family had taken him into their home. Gave him food… clothes… a sense of belonging. Not unlike tonight when he was surrounded by those same faces, not to mention a couple of new ones.
But someone was missing.
Elijah wished that he’d gotten to know Peter Parker more. The things he could’ve learned from the Amazing Spider-Man. Mostly, though, he wished that the man could’ve been here for his daughter and son. The young Cooper could tell that the family missed him immensely.
It stung slightly, to know that while this was Elijah’s first Christmas celebrating with others… it would also be the first Christmas they had to spend without Peter in their lives.
But at least they ended the night on a high note, helping to distract them from the heartache. After dinner, the family and friends had spent the remainder of their time awake singing and dancing, jiving to the various festive songs that played from the stereo.
It brought a smile to everyone’s faces—and a bit of concern to Mary Jane—when Benjy had opted to crawl onto the ceiling, Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree in his own way while Brenda Lee sang her masterpiece in the background.
It had taken the combined efforts of both Spider-Ion and Spider-Woman to peel the renowned Spider-Baby from the ceiling above their heads.
The only thing that had slightly bummed the young Cooper out was seeing Mayday place some mistletoe above them near the front doorway, for when her special guest arrived tomorrow. Wes. But even that wasn’t enough to dampen his spirits as he, Benny boy, and Felicity jammed out to “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, the final song of the night.
After that, everyone went to bed, once the cookies and milk had been set out for “Santa Claus”. Mary Jane and Uncle Ben weren’t sure how long they’d keep the magic alive for the youngest among them, but they intended to make every Christmas until that point, absolutely perfect for Benjamin Richard Parker.
Once all the presents had been set under the tree—after the boy had been tucked into bed of course—Elijah Cooper had drifted off as he gazed at the soft glowing lights of the Christmas tree. The couch, though not the same one as earlier that year, was still most comfortable indeed.
Yes, Eli had been catching some much-needed Z’s… until he suddenly felt someone nudging his shoulder, rousing him from his deep sleep. At first, he had chosen to ignore it, writing it off as his drowsy mind playing tricks on him.
When it had happened again, this time more forceful, Elijah yawned as he turned to face the disturbance. Groggy, the slightly annoyed Cooper slowly opened his eyes. “Hm? Oh… Benjy?” His blurred vision adjusting, he could easily make out the young boy standing level with his resting head. Though Benny seemed slightly concerned, he also had a nervous smile spread across his face. “What is it, Benjy? What’s wrong?”
Pointing towards the window on the front side of the house, he only said one word in response. “Santa.”
“I don’t think Santa is outside in the street.” Pushing himself up to a seated position, Eli stretched as he dismissed Benjy’s imagination. He probably got woken up by a tree branch falling down. Add some moving shadows and a kid just might believe it’s Saint Nicholas. “Just go back to bed,” Eli stated, lying back down and closing his eyes.
“Santa,” the boy repeated, not moving an inch.
“You’re not going to stop bothering me until I check it out, are you?”
“No.”
“Fine.” Groaning in slight frustration, Elijah threw his blanket off of himself as he slowly stood up from the couch. Nothing but an empty glass of milk and cookie crumbs were left on the coffee table just beside his designated sofa… courtesy of Uncle Ben. Though irritated, Eli tried to remain as patient as possible while he stepped towards the front of the house. Before trudging up to the window, he glanced to the left to see countless colorful presents scattered underneath the tree. ‘Santa’ had been busy. “But I still don’t think…”
As he pulled away the curtains, Eli’s voice trailed off as he gazed out at the road just in front of the Parker house. There, parked in the center of the street, was a giant scarlet sleigh (about the size of a pickup truck), with intricate gold designs running along the length of it. Within the sleigh, at the back of the passenger compartment, was a giant red sack, which was easily as large as a sumo wrestler.
At the front of the vehicle were eight horse-like animals with large horns crowning their heads. Reindeer. The creatures were drawn to the sleigh, which sat stationary on the frozen pavement outside for whatever reason.
Snow was still falling from the sky, but Elijah could clearly make out all the details. “What the…?” Heck, through the glass, he could now see a ninth reindeer placed in front of all the others, with an impossibly bright, glowing red nose. Rudolph?
Of course, the most prominent detail in all of this was a portly, stout man wearing a coat and stocking cap which matched the color of his sleigh, and brown boots. About the size of Uncle Ben, the white-haired man was standing with his back to Eli, inspecting his reindeer and vehicle, at least as far as Cooper could tell. He looked just as anyone would expect Santa Claus to look… if he was actually real.
Suspicious of the whole situation, the uncostumed Spider-Ion equipped his web-shooters from his backpack, eager to get to the bottom of this as he began reaching for his coat and shoes. It wouldn’t hurt to bring the wrist devices along, just in case.
Not wanting to wake everyone else, Elijah prepared himself for the freezing temperatures outside as quietly as possible. Though hearing a stomping behind him, he was reminded of the youngest Parker being with him. Just as Eli had pulled on his beanie, the toddler was fumbling with his jacket, eager to go outside with his playmate. “Benjy, you can’t…” The determined two-year-old ignored Cooper and pulled on a pair of (unmatching) winter gloves, before smiling as he looked up at his friend. “Fine. But stay close.”
There was no point in arguing with Benjy. Elijah sighed as he reached for the knob of the front door. “Okay,” the toddler replied, reaching up to hold fast to the bottom of Elijah’s unzipped jacket.
As he pulled open the door, both Eli and Benjy shivered as they were hit by a blast of cold air, the freezing temperatures outside causing them both to hesitate in the doorway. But they pressed on and stepped forward, with the older of the two pushing the door shut. Reaching down to grip the boy’s hand, Elijah ignored the howls of the wind and, trepidatious, continued marching towards the sleigh while shielding Benjy from the elements the best he could.
Maybe this was just a Christmas prank staged by everyone, with the old man being Uncle Ben in disguise?
Ten or so feet behind the stout stranger, Elijah cleared his throat before announcing his presence, trying not to startle the old man. “Are you okay, sir?”
“Hm? Oh, yes! Fine, fine!” Whirling around, the man was hardly shocked by the two as he chuckled to himself. Now getting a clear view of the man’s face, Eli was stunned from the fact that it wasn’t Benjamin Parker Sr., but rather a face he didn’t recognize. The voice was also unfamiliar. Not to mention, a long white beard stretched down from the lower half of his face, with olive skin, dark brown eyes, and a wide chin and forehead giving him a cuddly and friendly appearance, almost like a teddy bear. “Just a bit of sleigh trouble I’m afraid.”
Inspecting the object in question and reindeer from close up, taking notice of some serious damage to the sleigh’s runners, Elijah lifted his gaze to the man’s face as Benjy wowed in astonishment. “Um… are you… really Santa Claus?”
“Who’s to say for sure? It’s all a matter of believing and faith. Almost like religion.” With his ambiguous response, the old man winked as he turned his attention back to his sleigh.
“Okay. Let me see if I can help you.” Regardless of who the stranger was, Eli decided that he had to help him anyway. It was the right thing to do. “It looks like the support on the left side, closest to the front, has disconnected from the runner,” the young Cooper stated as he and Benjy knelt down in the snow to assess the vehicle, which was leaning at an awkward angle towards them. “It also appears the back support uncoupled from the sleigh body itself.” When Elijah began rubbing his chin, contemplating a solution for this, Benjy studied the young man before copying the pose for no particular reason.
“Yes, that is unlucky. But it is fortunate that this accident occurred here, in Forest Hills,” Santa replied, petting the reindeer closest to them and soothing the agitated creature. Ever so often, a slight jingling would sound from the animals’ harnesses as they fidgeted on the ice, with silvery sleigh bells adorning them all causing the beautiful sounds.
Suddenly, with a light bulb forming in his mind, the white-haired man smiled as he turned back to the two individuals to offer a suggestion. “Elijah, perhaps you and Benjamin here could use your webbing to patch up my sleigh.”
“I never told you my name!” Leaping to his feet, Eli’s heart skipped a beat as he faced the stranger; clenching his fists tight. If this man was some sort of sinister villain, Cooper would be prepared to face him if he dared threaten Benjy or anyone. “How did you…?”
“…know your name and you being Spider-Ion? As well as this lad here being Spider-Man’s son?” Saint Nick asked, finishing Elijah’s question. The red coated man simply winked before continuing, displaying no hostility as he did so. “Well, you both are on my nice list after all. You’ve both been rather good this year.”
“Sure. Whatever you say.” Suspicious of the man, but realizing the cat was out of the bag so to speak, Eli nonetheless offered their services to assist the man. Maybe this was all just a lucid dream. At the very least, he didn’t seem dangerous. “Our webbing dissolves after an hour or so. Do you think you’ll be able to make it… home by then?”
“Of course. I’m almost finished with my run for this year anyway. With your help, I should be back at the North Pole before then.” The stranger’s response sounded so sincere; he had to be telling the truth about everything he said.
Definitely, most likely a dream.
“Whatever you say…” Elijah repeated, still unconvinced of the portly man’s identity. At the very least, if this wasn’t a dream, the elder man was a delusional individual who believed he really was Santa Claus.
Which had to be the only explanation… right?
“I might as well play along.”
Holding the golden runner in his hand, Eli tapped the palm of his hand, as he brought the instrument which slid over the snow up to the metal piece, which was attached to the sleigh. Firing several web-shots into the damaged area, the part was as good as new, at least for the time being, and held strong to its intended position.
When he stepped towards the back of the sleigh, Elijah realized that he’d need the toddler Parker’s help for the next part. Leaning the sleigh up with one hand (which was indeed as heavy as an automobile), and bringing the back support up towards the body of the vehicle, the spider strained to hold them together as he spoke to the two-year-old.
“Benjy, do you think you can web the support here… where these pieces are connected?” Beckoning towards the area with the flick of his head, Elijah groaned as he struggled to hold the position.
“Thwip?” the boy asked, tilting his head to the side and pointing to the intended location.
“Yes, thwip.”
Giggling happily—what with being given permission to use his powers—Benjamin Richard Parker tapped the empty palms of his own hands, before a pair of tiny web-shots flew out of the spinnerets on the undersides of his arms.
“How helpful it must be to have organic webbing.” Elijah thought as Benjy went a little overboard, firing more silk and laughing as he covered the bottom of the sleigh in the process.
Releasing his hold on the scarlet and gold vehicle, the young Cooper breathed a sigh of relief when both his and Benjy’s webbing held fast, keeping the runners and supports locked in place.
“Ho ho ho! Splendid work! Both of you! You have my thanks!” Santa shouted, patting Elijah on the back in the process.
“You’re welcome… Mr. Claus.”
“You may have very well saved Christmas tonight, for many children!” Beaming as he inspected the repairs, Kris Kringle turned back to face the two before continuing. “Please, let me reward both of you. The first gifts of Christmas if you may.”
“Bell!” Benjy replied happily, pointing to the various silvery instruments which decorated the reindeer. Grinning from the boy’s openness, Santa nodded his head as he reached for the sack of presents in his sleigh.
“Of course!” Revealing an identical object as the ones on the harnesses, the older man knelt down in front of the boy, smiling as he spoke softly to the two-year-old. It was almost like magic, how the man was able to summon the object instantly. “This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas. As am I. But the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart. Though as young as you are, Benjamin Parker, I’m certain you won’t forget this.” Gently, the man placed the bell into the boy’s gloved hands.
“Okay!” Benjy shouted as he immediately began shaking the silvery object in his hand, ringing it as everyone listened to the lively, energetic tune it gave off.
Standing at his feet, Santa Claus turned to Elijah Cooper, who was lost in thought about… all of this. “And what do you want for Christmas, Elijah?”
“Well… I’m not sure how…” Scratching the back of his head, Eli was nervous as he found himself unable to voice his request.
“What you wish for isn’t a physical object. I know.”
“I just want to know who my true love is. I know it’s been a Britney Spear’s song, and I know how corny it sounds,” Eli began, chuckling to himself as he and Santa continued listening to Benjy ring the sleigh bell. Both men grew serious as Elijah continued. “But if it isn’t meant to be Ma-- the woman I long for… then I need to know. I wish to know what the future holds for me at the very least.”
“The future is always changing. Always evolving, young Cooper. Especially yours,” Saint Nicholas stated, acknowledging the fact that Elijah may not even get what he wants in the end. “Though please, let me show you a glimpse of the future… for you .” The man reached into his sleigh yet again.
“Thank you.”
“But please take this with a grain of salt,” Santa advised as he revealed a handful of what appeared to be golden glitter in his white gloved hand. “As I said before… your future is always evolving, and there is always the chance that this may not come to fruition. You have a whole Spider-Verse to thank for that.”
Nodding once, understanding the terms, Elijah steeled himself as he prepared for whatever he may find. Whatever he will witness. Even Benjy fell quiet as he processed what was happening before him.
With a slight nod of his head, the elder man spread the dust just beside Elijah, facing towards the Parker household. At first, nothing happened as the gold powder settled against the snow, falling to the earth like the flakes that fluttered down from heaven.
Then all at once, like magic… Christmas magic… a thin blue pillar of ice arose from the snow, startling Eli and Benjy as it rose from the ground. As Scarlet Spider and Spider-Ion, the young Cooper had seen a lot during his life. But this was by far the most peculiar and strange thing yet.
As the two-inch-thick wall, smooth-looking in texture, settled in front of Elijah, the young man smirked as he gazed at a reflection of himself, curious at what he found.
It wasn’t him. Not exactly. Sure, his features, like his forest-green eyes and chiseled face, were the same… but he looked older. Much older.
And unfortunately… he was alone.
Along with his professional looking attire—white collared shirt and black dress pants—(which probably meant he’d find some success in his future), Elijah chuckled as he inspected his facial hair. “Nice beard and mustache.” With a balbo beard that covered the bottom half of his face, there were also slight wrinkles and stress lines from his matured age… and some small, faded scars yet to be received. “I’d say that this is me in my mid-thirties.”
“Indeed,” Santa replied.
“I look tired… but happy.” In addition to everything else, Eli could tell that his hair (which was currently tousled with long bangs) had been trimmed much shorter. Of course, the most prominent feature was what covered his left eye, or rather, right eye given the reflection. “Hey Benjy, guess what!? I get an awesome eye patch!” Benjy giggled and cheered in response. Gazing at the cool black accessory wrapped around his head and nervously wondering when he’d likely lose one of his eyes (and also wondering if by seeing this now would prevent it from happening), he could suddenly see movement on the right side of the pillar, as something approached his soon-to-be blind spot. “And there’s something else.”
Nothing could prepare Elijah Cooper for what he saw next, as the woman approached and stood beside him. He gasped as he took in her features, his heart soaring as he did so. Though older like him, the years did nothing to diminish her beauty.
He could never forget a face like hers.
It was May “Mayday” Parker!
Smiling warmly, the reflection of the woman leaned against his own; holding him close. May’s brown hair had grown out once again, stretching past her shoulders like the style from when they first met… Amazing and Spectacular . Like him, she looked matured with some slight stress lines, but her stunning good looks had only been amplified and enhanced, with her perfect face and creamy skin unblemished by scars and the test of time. Her ocean blue eyes stared intimately into his own… which only meant one thing.
“I end up with Mayday,” Elijah whispered, smiling and fighting to hold back tears of joy as he continued observing the woman. Benjy was beyond bewildered as he witnessed the scene play out.
Gazing at the rest of her body, the first thing Eli noticed was a bright blue sleeveless dress, complimenting her eyes and curves perfectly. But what caused his eyes to grow wide was when they fell on her stomach. Elijah’s heart skipped a beat as he stared at the small watermelon shaped bump, pressing against the maternity dress being worn.
She was pregnant.
“I… we…” Words couldn’t express the emotions surging through him as Mayday’s older reflection leaned against him, gently closing her eyes as her hands rubbed her baby bump.
Eli wished that this could last forever.
But the moment ended all too soon as the ice began to melt away, the reflection slowly receding back into the snow.
The last thing Elijah Cooper saw was Mayday Parker’s warm smile, unchanged by the passage of time. In the next instant, the ice had disappeared completely into the snow, as if it never existed in the first place.
But the memory of this gift would remain with Eli forever…
Nearly unphased by what had just happened, Benjy went back to ringing his silver bell, the soft jingling echoing within the street as Elijah turned towards the jolly round, Kris Kringle. “Thank you… Santa,” the young Cooper muttered, his heart still racing from his future being foretold. “Though there is a chance that this future may not come to fruition… I appreciate you showing me. For giving me hope.”
Saint Nicholas was beaming as he nodded, chuckling to himself from the joy he provided the two spiders tonight. “Just remember, Elijah… hope is a gift. Always spread it to those who need it most.” It was then that Mr. Claus remembered he still had work to do…
- - - - - - -
Santa sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle
and away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But Eli and Benjy heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
The following morning… Christmas Day…
The Parker Household Living Room (again)
“What a strange dream,” Elijah muttered to himself, yawning as he rubbed his eyes. Sunlight was peeking through the front window of the living room, peacefully rousing the young Cooper from his peaceful slumber. The snow had finally stopped.
“At least, I’m pretty sure it was a dream…” the young Cooper thought as he slowly pushed himself up from into a seated position. Everything after Santa flew away on his sleigh was foggy, which was another bizarre occurrence in and of itself. He only vaguely remembered himself and Benjy walking back to the Parker household. Just as he reached for the doorknob…
Well, that’s when he woke up just now.
Standing to his feet, Eli observed his surroundings carefully. The state of the living room was identical as from last night, minus the cookie plate and cup which had likely been moved to the kitchen. But the layout of the presents under the tree was identical to both before he had gone to sleep for the first time, and from during the… incident.
In other words, Elijah Cooper could neither confirm nor deny Santa’s existence.
Hearing laughter and voices coming from the kitchen, the pajama clad Spider-Ion began stepping towards the area, taking note of the sound of clinking silverware against plates. They were most certainly eating breakfast.
Eli confirmed as much as he stood in the doorway, taking note of the five individuals seated at the small wooden table. All dressed in their own pajamas, the Parkers and Felicity were enjoying their Christmas morning, waiting for Elijah to wake up.
Facing towards him, Mary Jane was the first to take notice of her guest as she smiled. “Good morning, Elijah. And Merry Christmas.” Everyone else lifted and turned their heads to face him; Benjy waving like he hadn’t seen his playmate in forever. “Did you sleep okay?”
“I slept great. Thank you, Mrs. Parker.” Stepping into the room, Elijah pulled up a spare bar stool by the counter before sitting beside the packed table. Perched in his chair, he observed the people he cared about closely.
Naturally—thinking about the warm feeling of seeing themselves together—his gaze fell on Mayday who was slowly picking at her food. Significantly younger compared to the last image he’d seen of her, she was still just as stunning in her Spidey pajamas with her short hair a tousled mess. “Mayday Parker, you are perfect.”
But she looked nervous, for whatever reason. Lost in her own thoughts. When May tilted her head in his direction, Elijah darted his eyes away, so she wouldn’t catch him staring at her.
“You must’ve been having one heckuva dream,” Felicity commented, grinning before she took a swig of orange juice. Just as the previous night, the sleeves on her borrowed pajamas were a tad bit too long, in a comedic manner, as they stretched towards her fingers. “You were sleeping pretty heavily when we came downstairs.”
“Yes… a dream,” Eli mumbled, deep in thought as he scratched his chin. But perhaps there was another way besides his own contemplates that might give him a definitive answer. Looking up towards the Parker woman and her son, he made sure to ask the question carefully. “How did Benjy sleep?”
“He says he slept fine,” Mary Jane replied, ruffling the two-year-old’s hair before brushing a strand of her own red locks out of her eyes. “Nothing but sweet dreams.”
“Perfect,” Cooper thought sarcastically. “So much for that. Maybe I should ask if he mentioned Santa at some point this morning.”
“Are you hungry, Elijah? We’ve got bacon and eggs on the stove left over for you,” Uncle Ben offered, unintentionally halting any further plan at piecing together his memory from last night. Everyone else was finishing up with their meal, picking at whatever was left on their plates.
“No thank you, Ben. I’m not feeling very peckish at the moment.”
Undeterred from his response, the elder Ben appeared happy as a lark as he turned towards the toddler Parker. “Okay. Then how about we start opening presents right now?”
“YES!!!” Benjy shouted in glee, bouncing up and down in his booster seat in utter delight from the suggestion. Everyone couldn’t help but smile from the act, with Mary Jane grinning as she hoisted him down to the floor.
“Don’t worry about your dishes, everyone. I’ll come back for them after we get started.”
Spurred on by the mother’s words, everyone stood up and began heading towards the living room—following the eager Benny boy—save for Mayday who anxiously remained standing by her previous chair.
“Eli, can we talk?” she asked, her first words to him of the morning. Ignoring Benjy’s exclamations and the others’ conversations, Elijah snapped to attention as he stood up from the bar stool. May’s voice sounded so shaky. So vulnerable. Like she was afraid of something.
“Of course, Mayday. What is it?”
“I…” Walking closer to him, the young woman’s hands were shaking as she approached him. Heeding Felicity’s advice from the previous night, Mayday decided to finally make amends with Eli. All of the previous night and this morning, she’d been wondering when the best time would be to say those two words. She realized that it was now or never. “ I’m sorry .”
Perplexed by her statement, the young Cooper tilted his head to the side as she stood mere feet away from him. “For what?”
“For how I’ve treated you these past several weeks.” Looking down at her feet, May felt the guilt begin to gnaw away at her again as she continued. “Giving you the cold shoulder. The sarcastic remarks. Everything.” Her voice was shaking as she gave her confession, the Parker girl on the verge of tears. “You didn’t deserve any of it. I… I’m just hoping you can forgive me.”
Recalling all of what she recounted, remembering every single incident, the slightest smile played at the edges of his lips as he stared into her ocean blue eyes. “Of course I forgive you.” Feeling nothing but love for the woman in front of him (especially from what he saw last night in the foretelling of his future), Elijah suddenly lunged forward before wrapping his arms around her. May gasped as he pulled her close, hugging her tightly.
Both felt a warm fuzzy feeling growing in that moment, spreading from their hearts throughout their bodies. It wasn’t romantic—at least not to her—but it was still a very tender moment between the two friends.
Mayday had to blink away her tears, barely able to compose herself before asking, “How can you forgive me so easily?” Her grip tightened on him.
Still holding her close, Eli sighed happily as he closed his eyes, reciting scripture. “Matthew 6:14… ‘If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.’” Slowly releasing his friend and stepping back, his strong but gentle voice sounded so perfect in that moment as he squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “Nobody is without fault in this situation. I forgive you, if you can forgive me for keeping Scarlet Spider a secret from you.”
The Parker girl chuckled slightly as she fiddled with the sleeves on her pajamas. “I guess we both were in the wrong, huh?” Lifting her eyes to gaze into his ever calm, forest green eyes, both smiled gently as she spoke. “And I do forgive you for that.”
“Come on. The others are waiting…” Elijah beckoned towards the living room with a tilt of his head, prompting May to follow close behind him as he stepped into the warm atmosphere. That moment had felt like a step in the right direction for their relationship.
Eli felt as though everything was perfect in that moment, while he stood beside the couch where the others sat. Holding May “Mayday” Parker close in that hug reminded him only of his vision given to him by Santa. His future with her felt assured at that moment. “Nothing could ruin this day. This Christmas. This may be the best day--”
Ding dong
Hearing the doorbell ring was the equivalent of being woken up from an amazing dream. A slap to the face, bringing Elijah back to reality. Indeed, there would be one thing that would ruin this day for him. One man.
“I’ll get it,” Mayday said, peeling away from the others before strolling towards the source of the disturbance. After unlocking the front door and pulling it open, the young woman was both startled and relieved to see the visitor.
The black haired, brown-eyed, handsome man before her was dressed in heavy winter clothes; the young man being more than prepared for the freezing temperatures. In his hand were several wrapped boxes, Christmas presents for May and her family. He was always so thoughtful.
Wes Westin. The love of her life.
“Merry Christmas, May.”
The greeting was simple, yet impactful for Mayday as she reciprocated it; the freezing air hardly bothered her since her beating heart made her feel so warm. “Merry Christmas, Wes.” When he stepped in, beginning to shed his outer garments, the young woman only just then remembered she was still in her pajamas; finally coming back to reality. She also forgot to brush her hair, put on makeup and perfume… “I’m so sorry. I forgot you were coming over this morning at nine. I would’ve changed. Ugh, I look like a mess.”
Her boyfriend shook his head, smiling as he responded. “No. You look perfect, May.” Unable to control herself any longer, the Parker girl grabbed him by his shoulders before quickly pulling him close. Instantly, they pressed their lips together in a passionate kiss that seemed to stretch on for minutes.
When they finally did separate, Wes glanced up towards the ceiling, spying a green leafed branch with white berries. A smile spread across his face as he realized what it was, and the intention of it. “Did you put that mistletoe there on purpose?”
“What do you think?”
Smiling, both lovers resumed their kissing. Witnessing the display taking place across the living room, Benjy cringed before muttering “Yuck!” as he sat on the carpet just beside the Christmas tree and its presents. Mary Jane and Uncle Ben on the other hand smiled as they witnessed May kissing her boyfriend, overjoyed that she was happy and with such a great guy.
As Felicity slowly turned towards Elijah, frowning as she felt his pain, the hurt Cooper sighed as he looked away from Mayday and Wes. “I guess last night was a dream after all,” he confirmed within the safety of his own mind. May and Wes were happy together. There was no way she’d give her current boyfriend up, or leave him, for anything.
Least of all, Elijah.
Trudging over towards where the others were, he ignored the conversations taking place as he sank into the recliner facing the people. “I knew it was all too good to be true.” Ready to dismiss everything he experienced as nothing more than his imagination, he was pulled from his thoughts when he heard a familiar jingling.
Ring ring ring ring
Whipping his head at the direction of the source of the sound, Eli gasped as he saw Benjamin Richard Parker seated on the carpet. In his hand was a certain silver sleigh bell, exactly the same as what he saw last night.
Reminded of his ‘dream’ from the previous night, Eli did his best to remain composed as he turned to Mayday’s mom and Uncle Ben. “Where did that bell come from?”
- - - - - - -
Mary Jane’s response was, as the young Cooper tried not to appear ecstatic,
“I don’t know. I’m pretty sure it came from the attic…”
Yes, what Elijah thought as Benjy rang that instrument which did gleam,
“Wait. Was what happened last night even a dream?”