probably not the best idea to do comic book wednesdays. over christmas. at peak time. billy skirts around kids with their hands in their parentâs gift bags, and has to GAWK over the sales price of last years model of iron man memorabilia. he wriggles to the door, almost collapsing into teddyâs side all empty-handed. â i canât believe iâm saying this, but lets just get the digital download. â he side-steps, to let a dazed mother shuffle past, overwhelmed and probably overspending. â unless you want to wait in line until next month. â
   it was probably too much of a lost cause. everywhere has decked their halls and pulled out the santa hats for their clothing mannequins. they canât breathe in the mall food-court without inhaling someones batch of sugar cookies. itâs the usual, but billyâs too used to hanukkah lights and carols to actually, you know, get used to it. this yearâs different. sure, the menorah is out on the window ledge and his mom wants him home for late december, but the thing by the glass is plastic and he isnât sure which aunt is bringing which cousin this year. this year, they get to do actual christmas shopping, where billy doesnât just sign his name on the bottom of teddyâs gifts to feel included when the young avengers passed stuff around their hq.
   they shunt out into the cold, bundled up with scarves to save the last of the store-bought heat. â who do we start with? tommy? kate? â what does he even get tommy? whenâll he even next see kate? maybe the mulled wine smell is getting to him. already.