章 51: Gifts and Reflections
Soren also took the opportunity to visit Bucky a few times at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret hospital, where Bucky was being held under their supervision.
Bucky was kept in a reinforced, solitary room.
His metal arm was fitted with an energy-absorbing device, limiting the special functions of his enhanced arm so it could only perform basic tasks like gripping.
Since Hydra's brainwashing had been deeply ingrained, S.H.I.E.L.D. was still working on a way to completely undo the effects, which meant they weren't easing up on their control over him just yet.
During this time, Bucky also regained his memories several times.
When he was fully conscious, the first question he asked was, "Where is Steve?"
Everyone exchanged glances.
No one dared to tell him that the brave soldier he had followed all his life had given his life for his country more than seventy years ago.
Where is Captain America?
He is in history books about World War II, in yellowed, worn-out rare commemorative stamps, on the photo walls of the Captain America Memorial Museum, in the awe-inspiring adventure stories told by the older generation, and in the dismissive laughs of the younger generation.
And where is Steve Rogers?
He is under the glaciers of the Arctic, in the scratched silver locket, and on a train that never returns, traveling through endless snowstorms.
That train, even after more than seventy years, has not yet arrived.
...
A few days before Christmas Eve, Soren received several gifts from friends and family.
Renee and Charlie sent him a box of the Ultimate Collector's Edition Lego Death Star II model.
Soren was so thrilled that he immediately spent several sleepless days building it.
Tony gave him a complete set of non-radioactive element specimens from the periodic table, which Soren proudly displayed in his collection room, covering an entire wall.
As for Batman, Soren felt he might have been manipulated—he sincerely apologized to Batman for his careless entry into Gotham and, to make amends, he had Professor X send Batman the latest Kevlar fiber material and Transformer models for the Robins.
But, Soren didn't receive any gift from Batman!
Batman is so cold, so unfeeling, and so unreasonable!
However, he did receive a gift from Professor X: a black and yellow spandex X-Men uniform.
Ever since that day when Professor X accidentally glimpsed some fan fiction about himself and Magneto in Soren's mind, he had become very interested in it and had asked several times to delve deeper into their imagined romance.
Soren agreed with a great sense of embarrassment.
It was so awkward.
It felt like being publicly shamed.
He had only been curious and had briefly looked at a couple of popular fan fictions on the star net.
Who knew he would now have to face the real deal?
Soren was deeply ashamed.
Professor X said: "I have special electronic reading skills (^_^)v"
Clark sent a pair of red woolen gloves that he had knitted himself, with Soren's initials "S.H." crocheted onto them.
Clearly, this skill came straight from Martha.
Kryptonian knitting skills are not great, but Earth's knitting skills are fantastic!
Clark must be an old Kryptonian craftsman.
Soren's eyes sparkled as he held the gloves, pressing them against his face and feeling the soft, warm wool.
He didn't want to put them on just yet.
These are the gloves Clark made for him!
He thought happily.
It felt like sweetness was flowing into his heart.
His heart felt like a dried apricot soaked in honey—sweet and rich.
He wanted to show off this precious gift to everyone he knew.
He wanted to hold the gloves high and tell everyone, "Look, these are the gloves Clark made for me! I'm now friends with Clark!"
Soren's face was flushed with joy.
He sniffed the gloves like a little puppy, hoping to catch a whiff of the comforting, dry wheat smell that reminded him of Clark.
He hugged the gloves, rolled around on the floor, and then realized how silly he was being.
He quickly slapped his face with the back of his hand, composed himself, and neatly folded the gloves before putting them into his small suitcase.
He couldn't wait.
After Christmas in New York, he was going to hurry back to Smallville!
On Christmas Eve, it started snowing gently in New York.
The fire in the fireplace roared warmly.
Renee and Charlie danced a slow duet in the living room to soft Christmas symphonies.
Soren, wearing his cozy Christmas cashmere sweater, sat by the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, deep in thought as he wrote a letter to Clark, explaining why the main characters in the new episode of *Stargate SG* needed to investigate the Pegasus galaxy.
Outside, the snow fell quietly and gently.
Thick curtains blocked out the cold, but a sudden breeze made the tassels on the curtains brush lightly against Soren's hand.
He looked up at the window but only saw the thickening snow and bushes covered in white.
Everything seemed normal.
He tilted his head, bit the cap of his fountain pen, and continued to write his letter.
The night was calm, joyful, and peaceful.
Everyone was happily fast asleep under the twinkling lights of Christmas Eve.
...
After the Christmas holiday, the Hargreaves family returned to Smallville.
As soon as Soren got home, he eagerly went to find Clark to hang out.
He noticed that Clark was actually wearing the Christmas gift Soren had given him—a pair of old-fashioned black-framed glasses.
Soren had seen these glasses by chance while shopping, and they looked exactly like the pair Clark wore, with no difference at all.
Without hesitation, Soren bought them and gave them to Clark as a Christmas gift.
At first, Clark was a bit puzzled about why Soren had given him a pair of glasses.
But when he realized that wearing them made the girls in town stop staring at his face, he quickly understood their purpose.
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