A Wallace and Clyde Christmas story
Monday December 21 2015. Just a couple more days until Christmas. The streets of Philadelphia were beautiful with the lights and ornaments. People had placed their decorated Christmas trees in their homes. Some families had placed a small stable underneath it. The children were watching the presents, counting down the days, hours, minutes until they could open them and see what was in theirs. In short, the city was ready to celebrate.
Wallace had placed the plastic Christmas tree in the back of the Domain. It was plastic, so they wouldn't have to clean the shop more than usual, so the tree remained green and could be used every year. He had decorated it with half of the ornaments, just the part he owned. The other part of the decorations belonged to Clyde.
It's been a while since he had left. Customers had noticed only one of the twins was running the shop. "Where's Clyde?" they'd ask, or "Where is your brother?" if they were unable to tell them apart. Wallace would always say Clyde had gone away, only to change the subject immediately. Only a select group of people knew what actually had happened three months ago. He didn't let go of his brother just yet. Everything Clyde had owned still was standing where he had left them behind and life continued as it always had. The only thing Wallace couldn't do was looking in a mirror.
Wallace had decided to keep the shop closed today. He needed some time for himself and a helping hand that wouldn't be there. Why not take a walk, visit a bar, if one of them was open at this hour? He could always go to the one bar - he'd forgotten the name - where they'd recognize him immediately.
He grabbed his coat, scarf and keys and was ready to take a walk around the city, to maybe visit that bar. The wind blew in his face, making it seem colder than it actually was. He locked the door behind him and when he was about to leave the alley, he almost bumped into Kaz.
"Kaz," he said, looking at the kid with a surprised look on his face, "What are you doing here? The shop's closed."
"I know that. That's why I came," Kaz crossed his arms, "You're gonna do something stupid, aren't you?"
"Off course not," Wallace replied immediately, "I just need some fresh air, that's all." He wanted to walk past Kaz on his right. Kaz wouldn't let him. Wallace sighed. Can't he just leave us alone ?
"What is it, Kaz?" Can't you see we're busy?" he said and Kaz frowned, stared at him. Great, what is it now?
"Wallace?" Kaz said, cautious, "You're doing it again." Wallace knew that. He just didn't do it willingly. He looked at his right, where Clyde was supposed to stand in this situation. Off course, Clyde wasn't there. He had left them three months ago. Wallace nodded and then walked away from Kaz before the teen could make things worse.
Like everyone who knew the twins and the big superhero secret, Kaz knew why Clyde had left them. He wanted to help, but he didn't know how. But he did get a brilliant idea when he noticed the Christmas tree inside the shop, and how only the upper half was decorated.
Wallace was walking somewhere – he let his feet decide where they'd end up. It gave him the time to think in peace about everything that has happened the past months. He didn't notice where he was going until he was standing in front of the florist shop at Coral Street.
Wallace was good friends with the owner of the florist shop, a middle-aged man named Martin Wells. Martin sometimes visited him, but only to make sure Wallace wasn't alone these days. It's been two weeks since they've seen each other. That was a good sign - it meant Wallace didn't have that much loneliness problems anymore.
"Wallace, are you okay?" Martin asked and he immediately came closer to his friend. "Do I need to talk you out of it again?" Wallace shook his head. Martin was a good friend, but not every time they saw each other he had to ask that one question.
"I'm fine, Wells," he said, addressing his friend with his last name. He'd understand Wallace was indeed fine and it wasn't just his basic response to the question he had heard too much lately. Martin looked confused.
"Then, no offense, but what are you doing here? It's Monday, you're supposed to be working at the Domain." Wallace shrugged. He had no idea why he came to his friend until the voice in the back of his head gave him an idea. That idea had been there for a long time, but he guessed it was time to finally do it. After all, it was almost Christmas. Better now than after the holidays.
"I think I'm going to visit Clyde," he said with a shaky voice. The expression on Martin's face immediately changed. His eyes widened, taken aback by what his friend had just told him. Wallace is going to visit Clyde? This must be a Christmas miracle!
"Wait here!" Martin said, "I'll be right back!" He rushed away through the rows of plants. Wallace watched his friend for as long as it was possible before Martin disappeared between the plants. Ten minutes later, he returned with one white-pink colored flower, already placed in a flowerpot. Wallace had no idea what kind of flower it was, but it was beautiful. Martin gave the flower to Wallace, who tried not to drop it.
"It's a cyclamen," Martin then explained, "It has a wonderful meaning – you should look it up. I thought it would fit with your current situation."
"It's perfect," Wallace said, "so, how much does it cost?" Martin shook his head as Wallace asked him the question.
"Don't pay," he said, "Wallace, you're finally going to visit Clyde. Consider this my Christmas gift to you. Go and make us proud." Us. Wallace knew he meant himself and Clyde. He then nodded, muttered a well-meant thank you and left Martin Wells' florist shop.
Luckily Wallace knew where Clyde was now. It wasn't hard to forget anyways. After a walk that would last half an hour, he had reached Mount Peace Cemetery. With his back towards West Lehigh Avenue and looking at the older graves, he waited outside. He held the cyclamen in his hands and put some hesitant steps in the direction of the entrance. With the courage he'd built up, he walked through the open gate.
It was too quiet. The graveyard was almost deserted bet there was one elderly lady who was ready to leave this sad place. He let her walk past him. in older, darker times, he and Clyde would have pushed her, robbed her or worse. But things have changed. pushing and robbing old ladies was no longer one of their hobbies.
No, not our hobbies. My hobbies.
It took Wallace five minutes before he had found Clyde. He fell silent, nearly dropping the flower in his hands. He stared at the tombstone and thought too much about how Clyde was down there now. tears welled up in his eyes and the emptiness Clyde had left behind seemed to be more present than ever. He knelt at the grave.
"Hey brother," Wallace said. his voice cracked and he almost started sobbing. Clyde wasn't just his twin brother – his other half had left him. After all, they had been one person until the moment when Caduceo had split him in two brothers. They remained separated, only reuniting once, never attempting to recreate the Dyad again for they liked to stay two beings.
He wiped the tears out of his face. He was unsuccessful.
"Clyde, I…" He trailed off and his talking turned into sobbing. The tears streamed down his face. It's so unfair! Why did it have to be Clyde and not him? It could've tone in a completely different direction. It should have. When Mr. Terror – who turned out to be Mrs. Terror – came knocking on their door, she wanted to make sure they wouldn't be a threat to her. She did emphasize they were pathetic Normos who had to rely on powerful weapons. She tried to obliterate those powerful weapons. Wallace let her do it, but Clyde wouldn't let her. He resisted and the wrong choice of words got him killed.
"I miss you," Wallace continued, whispering, "You know that, right? I miss you so much that I'm doing stuff I thought I'd never do. I thought that if you wouldn't come back to me, I'd join you. I know, they're stupid thoughts from a guy who luckily is a coward who isn't brave enough to end it. Those are in the past, though – if I were to join you, it's not gonna be because I did it." He watched the tombstone, expecting an answer that would never come. Wallace looked down after placing his hands on the cold stone. This would be the only way to come into contact with Clyde again.
"I miss you, Clyde," Wallace said, "But I don't wanna join you yet. I hope that, wherever you are, you're happy. Because that would make me happy. Don't worry about Mrs. Terror, they'll catch her one day, dead or alive." He paused and the continued, "Wait for me, brother. It'll only take fifty years or more before we can start the next adventure together, like in the good old days."
Wallace stood up and watched the grave in silence. It was time to leave. He placed the cyclamen in front of the tombstone and nodded. Perfect. Peaceful. Just beautiful.
"Merry Christmas, Clyde," Wallace said his goodbye, turned around and then walked away from his brother's grave. Within two minutes, he had left the graveyard and was back at West Lehigh Avenue, ready to walk back home.
Wallace sighed. He was glad he's visited his brother. It's been three months since the funeral, so three months since he's last spoken to Clyde. A big burden had fallen off of his shoulders. He was relieved, glad he'd been brave enough to actually do it instead of running away from him and the past alike.
When he had returned to the Domain, he was surprised to see all ornaments were on the tree. Strange, he'd been certain he'd only decorated the upper half of the tree. And what were those presents doing there, lying underneath the tree? Wallace stared at it and when he realized someone else must've finished the work and brought those gifts, he heard something.
"Merry Christmas!" Wallace jumped up and turned around. There, hidden behind the comic books, stood Kaz, Oliver and Skylar. They were holding one present each in their hands. Shocked, Wallacee looked from the three friends to the tree and back to the friends. He didn't even wonder how they had managed to get in his shop anymore. He was already glad he could talk to them.
"What's going on?" he asked, "What's this all about?"
"Well," Kaz began, "I realized you were gonna be alone this Christmas, so I called Oliver and Skylar and told them about your situation. They came as soon as I called and we took care of the rest."
"That's amazing, Kaz," Wallace then said, "but I was gone for not longer than an hour. How did you manage to get all these presents here? And I've got nothing for you guys."
"We'll take one random item from the Domain," Kaz suggested and Wallace crossed his arms - he could have expected this from the kid -, "and those presents were for my older brothers. All except for one are still in jail, so they won't be getting any presents this year." He looked at the presents underneath the Christmas tree and then at their smiles. He soon began to smile as well.
I'll survive, Wallace thought, alive or not, Clyde's gonna be with me until the end. And life without his brother wouldn't necessarily have to suck, as he thought until Kaz, Oliver and Skylar had broken into the shop. He'd always have these loyal customers and good friends. He smiled and then accepted the gifts. It might not be what he was used to, but it was just as fun as always.
They spent the rest of the day opening presents, telling stories, playing board games and having a good time.
And this was my Christmas one-shot! I really wanted to write one, but because I have a lot of other stories, a one-shot seemed the best way to write a Christmas story. It had to be about a family celebrating Christmas, but with someone other than Kaz, Oliver, Skylar or Alan taking the spotlight. And that's how it ended up being about Wallace and Clyde. I know it doesn't really have that Christmas feeling, but not everyone is or can be happy during this time of the year. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the one-shot and early merry Christmas!
-Writer207
