STING [peter parker & betty cooper]

Chapter Eighteen: Pictures Around The Christmas Tree

I woke up to the smell of pancakes, maple syrup, fruit, and coffee as I did every year around this time of the year since I was a child. I yawned and stretched as I looked over at the time. It was just after nine in the morning and if my stomach wasn't growling I would have gone back to bed for another hour.

When Polly and I were kids we were up at six am even though we couldn't open any gifts until our parents woke up. I spent that time arranging the gifts into specific piles and then shaking them trying to figure out what I got. If my parents were lucky we would wake them up at 7:30.

Ten years later I've learned the art of patience. Ok no who am I kidding I'm just a person who enjoys her sleep even during the holidays. Polly wasn't sure if she could make it back home, apparently she was busier than ever at work, but I was still holding on to the expectation of seeing her before the year ended.

Running my hands through my hair, something I did more often now thanks to being around Peter, I got up and shuffled my way to the door.

I didn't bother changing since we always ate breakfast and opened gifts in the pajamas my mother gave us on Christmas Eve. The only difference was last night the Andrews, Lodges and Parkers had been with us.

They were spending Christmas eve with the Andrews since they don't have any relatives around and Archie insisted in gathering everyone in his house. I had groaned in embarrassment when my mom made me open my pajamas in front of Peter and the rest of the family.

It wasn't that I had to show off my Christmas sleeping wear or even that they had dancing elves on the pants. No, it was that my mother, without my knowledge, had decided to include the Parkers in this tradition and got me and Peter matching pajamas. What are we, six?

Luckily Peter just chuckled while he graciously promised my mom he would wear them that night to bed. At first I thought maybe he was just saying that as to not hurt my mom's feelings, I would have understood, but that wasn't the case. When he came to Archie's window last night he was wearing them and I have to admit he looked adorable in his red shirt and elf pants.

May and Hiram seemed to genuinely like theirs and May even mentioned she may just continue this tradition in the following years. While Hiram and Peter were laid back and composed with their thanks, Archie, on the other hand, was way too ecstatic to be wearing pajamas with cute little penguins on them. He hugged my mom and proudly held them up for everyone to see but he wasn't teasing or making fun.

I didn't find a single fake glint in his eye, he really wanted to wear them. I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of beefy Archie walking around in penguin pants.

When I reached the kitchen I smiled at the plate already waiting for me, my mom and dad already sitting down with mugs of coffee in their hands.

"I was wondering when you were going to get up." My mom said while I took my first bite, moaning ridiculously loud. Overall my mom wasn't much of a cook and my father was worse, which is why I usually have kitchen duty, but her pancakes were heaven. After a couple of bites and a quick sip of juice I answered.

"I had a dream about Polly." My face was completely serious even though I wanted to smile thinking about the nostalgic dream. In order to resist doing so I took another bite.

"Really? That probably just means you miss her." My father said quietly and my mother avoided eye contact.

After the three of us finished eating, piling the dishes into the sink to be washed later, we congregated in the living room around my tree.

We sat down and started exchanging gifts, hugging one another and saying our thanks. I didn't need or ask for much but I got a good haul this year. Some nice clothes, two books, and a necklace. This didn't take long and by the time we had cleaned up all the wrapping, I carried my stuff into my room.