While Christmas is a family holiday for Americans, New Year's is a public celebration, full of joyful excitement, laughter, and cheerful crowds rushing to greet the coming year.
Since ancient times, this holiday has carried a sacred meaning of renewal: after living out its twelve months, the old year ages and dies, only to be born again and remind us how precious and wonderful it is to be alive.
At these moments, people have traditionally paid homage to the unstoppable force of rebirth by making resolutions for the coming year—some set bold, challenging goals, hoping to implement new ideas, while others vowed to start fresh, not entirely knowing how, but sincerely believing that they could succeed.
I didn't stay on the sidelines, either—I made my own plan for the year ahead. First: survive. Second: get stronger. Third: expand my harem. Yes, in a world as dangerous as this one, self-preservation comes first. I even had a wish ready to silently recite at midnight: "Please let Earth avoid any galactic-scale threats in the coming year."
Hoping for a year without disasters would be foolish; the laws of the DC and Marvel universes would never allow it. As long as heroes exist, villains will continue their schemes. And so on, endlessly. Therefore, all we can do is hope that Galactus chooses to eat in a neighboring galaxy, billions of light years away, and keeps his insatiable hunger far from Earth.
But maybe those thoughts only plagued my restless mind. For most Americans, the Christmas holiday period—from Christmas to New Year's—is the most magical and carefree time of the year, filled with festive chores and no room for worries.
Gotham's residents, eager to leave behind the burdens of the past year, transform the holidays into a fairy tale. As the darkness falls, houses, streets, trees, and even bushes are draped in bright lights; every homeowner feels duty-bound to decorate their lawn, displaying glowing snowmen, gnomes, reindeer, and Santa Clauses; and a wreath of fir branches, tastefully adorned with ribbons, ornaments, and pinecones, completes the scene.
I, too, felt it was my duty to turn the season into a magical winter wonderland. And what fairy tale is complete without a castle? Friends, colleagues, and those I could safely call family gathered at Gotham's most famous landmark tonight to help me bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new. I glanced around at the guests: in the candle and lantern-lit hall, the bravest danced to spirited music near the stage.
The more reserved soaked up the festive atmosphere around tables, chatting as they sampled the holiday treats. Others enjoyed themselves in a circle, playing Jenga—each move tense, as if their lives depended on it. A sigh of relief meant another brick had joined the tower's roof; a groan and laughter meant the structure had collapsed, and the loser had to fulfill a wish.
A grand spruce reigned over the expansive hall of the old Wayne estate. Its stately branches tried to inspire a festive mood in Bruce—who, as the grown son of the late Wayne couple, no longer considered the celebration reason enough for a mansion-filling party.
As his best (and perhaps only) friend, I couldn't tolerate such a dismissive attitude toward the wonders of New Year's, so I took it upon myself to make him appreciate the magic of the holiday. Some might call it selfish, but my intentions are pure. Well—also, he's Batman! Trolling the Dark Knight is sacred. He can't hide from me, escape, or run away…
After all, I am the terror that flies on the wings of the night! I am the gum stuck to your shoe! I am the stain that never washes out! My black cloak flutters in the night! Let's go, everyone! Maybe I should really consider changing my superhero nickname from "The Intellectual" to "Darkwing Duck."
In any case, tonight I had to celebrate in style, and I promised myself that everyone would get in on the fun—not just our bat. Including his arrogant son, who once dreamed of inheriting his grandfather Ra's al Ghul's throne, but was currently hanging red socks over the fireplace.
He was supposed to have done this before Christmas, but had refused, so now, an hour before midnight, he rushed to finish the job.
"Damian, honey, how's it going?" I went over to check on Wayne Jr. "Wow, you're doing great. Don't forget to hang up the cards: 'Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.'"
"Damn... Why am I doing this?!" The future Robin was annoyed, almost shouting. "Why should I listen to your moralizing and take part in all this nonsense? And most of all, how did you get me to do this? Hypnosis?!"
"Listen, I'll tell you something," I whispered, leaning in, "just don't take this the wrong way… Sometimes it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."
"Ah, shut up!" Damian snapped. "Who do you think you are?! What gives you the right to boss me around?"
"I'm your mentor, helping you find the right path for your heart, caught up in darkness. Until you embrace the light side, I'll always be with you, my young Padawan," I said, letting wisdom flow, and summed up "So remember: stealing is wrong—but borrowing your neighbor's Wi-Fi is okay."
"What nonsense are you spouting? Don't lecture me—I'm the heir to my father's multi-billion dollar company and soon-to-be head of the League of Shadows! I know what's best for me!" Damian insisted, nose in the air.
"That's exactly the problem. You assume everything will turn out exactly that way. But remember, life isn't so simple. No one knows what the future holds. You may think your path is laid out for you, because your parents paved the way—but what if that path suddenly ends? What then? Most people stand at the edge, clueless and helpless. They can only either step off and fall into the abyss, or turn and carve out their own way. Few dare to do that—few succeed. Others, following a well-worn route, sneak glances at new possibilities, another horizon calling to them. But they're used to putting everything off: tomorrow I'll do it, tomorrow I'll start, tomorrow I'll learn… But guess what, Damian? 'Today' was once 'tomorrow.' So don't rely on inheritance; earn everything yourself. If it doesn't work out, so be it! As a Wayne, you'll never be poor—you'll just have a bruised ego, and honestly, that wouldn't hurt you."
"Hrr, shut up! You think I'm arrogant? Maybe. But I have my reasons!"
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Thanks for reading, I was reading a Harry Potter fanfiction on p@treon and I uploaded chapter of that here by mistake 😭 😭