Disclaimer: I don't own Justice League Unlimited.

'Tis the Season

Customer Service

"Hello, sir. How may I help you?"

J'onn checked from side to side to make sure his wife was nowhere to be seen.

"I would like you to wrap some presents, please."

He placed a large gift bag on the table. The clerk looked at him strangely. For a moment, J'onn thought his façade of a small Chinese man had faltered.

"Did you buy that here?"

"… is that a requirement?"

"It is here, yes sir."

"I will pay you to wrap it."

"Sir?"

"Cash. I will pay you cash to wrap this. Name your price."

"Um…" He thought for a moment. "Fifty dollars?"

J'onn nodded and pulled out his wallet. He paused. "Is that usual for this kind of service?"

"If you'd rather go somewhere else…"

"Fifty dollars, you said?"

"Yes sir."

J'onn handed over the cash, and the store clerk got to work.

"What colour, sir?"

"Colour?"

"For the paper?"

"Oh, I… red?"

The clerk considered him for a moment. "All right…"

"Is that a bad choice?"

"Oh no, not at all." He mumbled something and got back to wrapping.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that."

"It's nothing, sir."

"You disapprove."

"Well, not totally, but-"

A thin, dignified man wearing a turtleneck sweater stepped around J'onn and to the counter. He looked over at J'onn.

"Excuse me, Mr J'onnz, but I'm afraid this man is trying to… swindle you."

The clerk was distraught by the implication. "Oh! I am not! I-"

"Oh, please. The only reason you don't want him to use red is because it's the cheapest you have. Now, I will thank you to return the money you practically stole from this man."

Muttering something under his breath, the store clerk handed over the fifty dollars to J'onn and irritably avoided their gaze.

Alfred turned to J'onn.

"Thank you, Alfred."

"Quite all right, sir. But really, if you were having trouble with wrapping your Christmas presents, there are many people who would have helped you for free."

"Not when the presents are intended for them."

"I was referring to myself, Mr J'onnz."

"Oh." J'onn paused. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, sir."