"Here you go, Brent. An early present from me. And be sure you stay on my nice list."
"What do you say to Santa?"
"T-thank you..."
"Hohoho! The pleasure's all mine. Have a very merry Christmas!"
Brent and his mother slipped away through the back of the grotto, Santa waving them off with a beaming smile. As the door closed, he slumped in his seat and dragged his hands down his face with an elongated groan. "Just one more week, Scott," he grumbled to himself. "One more week and you won't have to hohoho for another year..."
Scott had lived a long, hard, mundane life. He was born out of wedlock to a couple whose relationship was already on the rocks before feeling obligated to wed, with constant bickering and anger. Yet neither of them treated him with respect, only coldness and distance. He didn't achieve much in school, didn't even make it to college. He married early, giving up his lofty dreams to work in a mundane office job so he could provide for his wife and kids. And even then, his wife cheated on him with his best friend, kicking him to the curb. As his kids grew and moved onto greener pastures, he eventually found himself a lonesome retiree.
However, despite all of this pain, Scott had manged to keep a chipper and positive outlook. Even when he was a child, he always put the needs of other people before his own. He spent countless hours volunteering at charity events and blood drives. Soup kitchens and beach cleanings. He deemed everyone else's needs to be more important than his own. Always smiling as his own world crashed down around him.
Which was why Christmas was such an important holiday for Scott. It was a time for sharing, for togetherness, for bonding. The only light in his life now was Christmas time, when he could put his large stature and bushy beard to good use posing as Santa in the nearby mall. However, it was getting harder and harder to portray the big guy. Longer days, longer hours, and more and more families trying to get their kids to see him. Plus, he was only getting on in years. Maybe he was getting too old to play Santa. For the first time in his twelve years, Scott was glad it was almost Christmas Eve, and he could have a good long rest back in his own home. Alone...
"Are you ready, Santa?" A chipper young elf helper asked, bringing him back to his senses.
Scott pulled himself up in his seat, getting into Santa mode, and nodded. "Bring the next one in."
The elf went outside, and he could hear her shrill, overly perky voice trying to hype up the next family like her life depended on it. Eventually, the doors swung open and a boy stepped through. He looked to be around 8 or 9 years old with dark, messy hair and a pale complexion. While he was wearing a festive sweatshirt lined with presents and Christmas trees, he didn't seem particularly excited to be in the same presence as Santa like the other children Scott had met throughout the day. The boy kept his hands in his pockets, and a stoic expression on his face. Even more peculiar, he entered the grotto alone. Usually children wouldn't be allowed in without an accompanying adult, it was part of the code of conduct. Yet the doors slammed shut behind him and the two locked eyes for an awkward moment.
Looking to clear the air, Scott chortled and patted his knee. "Don't be shy, I won't bite!"
The boy glanced at him with a curious expression, sighed, and slunk over to Scott. He sat down on the edge of his knee and looked up at him. "Hello Santa..." he uttered with sardonic bite. There was always one troublemaker...
Trying not to let the kid's disdain get to him, Scott chuckled "It's lovely to meet you. And what's your name?"
"You don't know already?"
"While I do have my list, and check it twice, I'm still an old man. My memory's not what it used to be, you see. So remind me."
"Nicky," he mumbled before abruptly adding, "And yes, I have been nice this year."
Not that nice with that kind of wit, Scott thought. Still, a couple more minutes and he'd he out of his hair. He pressed on. "And what would you like for Christmas this year?"
Nicky stroked the tip of his chin, then said "Whatever it is you want."
"I just want to spread good cheer around the world, ohohoho! And that includes your cheer. So Nicky, what would you like?"
"Like I said. I want what you want." His lips creased into a slight smile. "So if you could have anything in the world, no matter how impossible, what would you like for Christmas, Scott?"
A chill blew through the air. Did he hear him correctly? Was he being pranked. "Excuse...What did...I'm not..."
"I know it can be difficult, Scott, but look deep into your heart and ask yourself. What do you most desire?"
Scott gulped and looked around for his holiday helpers. Why hadn't they stepped in yet? But there was nobody else in the room. No elves, no photographer, just him and the boy. Outside the frosted windows, the usual hustle and bustle of the mall was replaced with an inky darkness.
Suddenly, Nicky placed a hand on Scott's chest, causing him to momentarily relax and shut his eyes. He felt a powerful energy spread through his body, seeking answers. "I want..." He mumbled, half aware he was even speaking aloud. "I want a second chance...to redo it all...with love and support..."
Scott's eyes snapped open again. He wasn't sure what had happened but he didn't want to spend another second with this creepy child. Speaking of, Nicky was grinning from ear to ear. "A delightful wish, and very well earned," he said as he pulled a tiny gift box out of his jeans pocket. "You've lived a life filled with pain and regret, but it hasn't hardened your heart. You took that pain and turned it into support for everyone else. But nobody has supported you in return. I'm here to change that." With that, he opened the gift box, a tiny puff of smoke popped out. Nothing happened.
Nevertheless, Scott was unnerved by the way the boy was talking. "You're a...fascinating boy...Let me give you an early Christmas gift and you can get back to your family." He reached down the side of his seat and into the sack of cheap tchotchkes every kid got as a farewell gift. As he fumbled about, he felt a peculiar sensation. His left knee was aching, as if somebody was piling weights onto it. He glanced back to see Nicky still perched on his lap. He had a mischievous grin, the look of someone up to no good. Was he always such a big boy, Scott wondered as he finally nabbed a candy cane striped package and shoved it into his hands. "Here you go, Nicky. And if you keep being a good boy, I might see you again very soon."
"I'm sure you will, Scott," Nicky said with a smile. His voice cracked on the last word. "I'm sure you will..." His voice was suddenly low in timbre, far deeper than a child's voice should be. Nicky stepped up, his feet suddenly touching the ground, and Scott gasped. He had grown taller. His clothes were tight and tiny against his gangly limbs.
"Wh-what... Who..."
"Don't worry, Scott. This is all a part of your wish."
Scott stared at the kid with increased wonder. Could he even be considered a kid at this point? He was growing bigger by the second, and looked to be in the midst of puberty. He stood stoic, a small grin on his face. Whatever was happening, he wasn't scared at all.
Scott stroked his beard anxiously. He had to be having a nightmare of sorts. He noticed with increased agitation that his beard felt different, a little shorter than usual. Worried, he turned to the tree next to him and stared at his reflection in the baubles. His beard usually brushed against his collarbone, a length that he'd grown and cultivated over many years. Now, it had shortened by a couple inches. Even more peculiar, it looked like its wintery sheen was being stained by oil as black hairs poked through its snowy defences. He'd been white haired for more than a decade by this point. How could his original hair colour be coming back? Also, he couldn't place it but he looked healthier. His skin appeared more taut, his rugged skin returning to its former glory. And he didn't just look healthier, he felt a subtle burst of energy run throughout his body. It was like he was being rejuvenated. Could it be, was his wish actually coming true?
"Is this some sort of new-fangled prank you're pulling? I don't appreciate being- AH!" Scott yelped as he looked back to Nicky, unprepared for what he was witnessing.
Nicky only raised an eyebrow, that peculiar smirk still stuck to his face. It was clearly evident that he'd gone through more changes of his own. He was no longer a child, or even a teenager. There was a full grown man standing by the Christmas tree, almost completely naked save for a very tight pair of underwear. He had a short, scruffy beard covering his cheeks, alongside a healthy bushel of hairs sprouting across his firm chest and sturdy torso. But instead of examining his own changing body, Nicky was completely unconcerned. Instead, he kept his eyes on Scott, as if breaking his gaze would disrupt the exchanging years between the pair.
"What the fu...heck is happening to you? To us??"
"There's no need to worry," Nicky replied in a calm manner. The rumble of his deeper voice seemed to put Scott at ease for just a moment. "For your wish to work, there has to be an equal exchange. That's all."
That's all? Scott couldn't believe any of this was real. He squirmed in his seat as the exchange continued. He felt warm in his costume, as intense heat rolled down him. He didn't want to remove his clothes, he was still Santa regardless of whatever trip he was on. But it was just the two of them, and technically they were both adults as Nicky looked as if he was already pushing thirty. The new man had already abandoned his clothes, and for good reason.
Reluctantly, Scott opened up his coat, then unbuttoned his vest and shirt, sighing as the cool breeze hit his bare chest. He rubbed a hand over his body in wonder. His white chest hair had returned to its original dark hue. He hadn't seen it like that since he was in his forties. Even more astounding was how his large belly, always a signature of Santa, had reduced in size. It no longer shook like a bowl of jelly when he laughed, now just a miniscule curve to his figure. He looked at his reflection again, seeing a man many many years younger than he once was, and still getting younger. His beard had shortened again, now prickling at the base of his neck and looking like a salt and pepper dream. While underneath his hat, his hairline was returning to its former glory as thousands of strands burst through what had been a barren landscape for many years. As he looked closer, he could see his grey hairs vanishing, returning to their natural black.
He looked back to Nicky who was now entering middle age himself, yet still he didn't seem to react. His hair was looking thinner and it was beginning to turn grey at the sides. His beard had suddenly blossomed, looking full and fluffy with white streaks staining its darker complexity. He had even begun to get a pot belly, his slim figure a thing of the past. Scott stared at the man before him in awe, he couldn't believe that he used to be a child mere minutes ago. They could have been the same age at this point. But as he watched, the man's beard was rapidly overtaken by more and more grey hairs, as did his thinning hair. His stomach inflated further outwards, while his bloated pecs sagged down toward his belly. It appeared there was no stopping his march towards seniority. As he saw Nicky's life put on fast forward, Scott realised something. They weren't just exchanging years, Nicky looked set to become a whole new Santa! Scott was shocked, the kid had so much life to live and he was giving it all up to become a mall Santa? All to give him a second chance...
It was alarming how fast the changes were occurring. As Scott was so focussed on Nicky's drastically altered appearance, he hadn't noticed what was happening to him. He had regressed back further into his thirties, and was still getting younger. His beard was merely half an inch short and shrinking by the minute. It had also regained its glorious black sheen, as had the hair on his head as it grew out to a volume he hadn't possessed in decades. That stubborn fat surrounding his flabby torso was starting to melt away, flattening his stomach and exposing muscles he didn't even know he had. It was difficult to be upset about such a rejuvenation, but it felt unearned. Not while Nicky was packing on the pounds and going grey as a hound.
"Shouldn't we sit down and actually talk about this?" Scott asked with heavy concern. "Don't you want to stay young? Time is so precious, and I've lived my life, a very long life indeed. I don't really need to do it all again!"
"You're having some doubts, I can understand," Nicky sighed. His voice had taken on a hollow bass, deep enough to rattle your bones, but with an indescribable warmth underneath it. "You just have to trust me. I know what I'm doing, and we can't reverse the exchange. Don't worry, It won't be long now."
Scott jumped up from his seat, his pants barely being held up by his ridiculously large belt. He couldn't just sit down and accept it. He had to be in his twenties now, and looked younger than ever. His beard was a thing of the past, nothing more than stubble across his supple skin. Even his body hair had receded, only a sparse coverage still existed across his chest. He had gained a strong body, stronger than he ever had at this age. But it wasn't fair for Nicky, who already looked old enough to play Santa with his receding, white hair and bushy beard combo. Maybe he couldn't make Nicky take back those lost years, but maybe he could convince the older man to stop while they still could.
"Maybe we can't reverse it, but couldn't we just stop things here? I'm a young hunk, you're an old fogey. I just think maybe it'll benefit the both of us to call it quits here."
Nicky reached past Scott to grab the pair of glasses he'd discarded and put them on, the lenses magnified the crows feet that were etching into his weathered skin, which only added to the deep creases across his enlarged forehead. He stroked his dense, white beard in consideration. If he really was aiming for Santa, he already looked the part and then some. His stomach had swollen to a large, round ball that seemed to defy gravity, and almost every hair on his body had turned a brilliant shade of white that almost glowed in the dim grotto. Eventually, he shook his head. "I'm afraid there's no stopping. This isn't just your wish. It's a single cog in a larger mechanism, doing its part to make many dreams come true. You did say you wanted a second chance, and you wouldn't be able to achieve that as a young man. This is the only way."
Scott nodded solemnly. Nicky was right, if he truly wanted a second chance, the earlier he could begin the better. And while he couldn't quite understand what Nicky's intentions were, he could reluctantly respect the older man's decision. With that revelation, a pulse of energy shook out from the two men. Scott's eyes widened as the room suddenly began to expand around him. He held onto his pants as they grew increasingly baggy while he began to regress through his teen years. What was left of his body hair receded back into his body, its disappearance sparking a rapid weight and height loss. Down, down, down he went as his costume enveloped him entirely. He yelped, his voice cracking as his hat slid down his smaller head and covered his face.
The weird feelings gradually came to a halt. It was done. Scott beat away soft piles of fabric until he felt a large hand reach in and remove the hat covering his head. He popped out of the overgrown suit and stared up at the fat, old man that loomed over him. Nicky helped him to his feet, while Scott marvelled at just how much bigger everything looked. Was he always this small as a boy? The only thing that shrunk with him, he noted, were his underwear. But he couldn't go anywhere without some proper clothes. Reading his mind, Nicky cleared his throat and said "I'm gonna need that suit, thank you." He pointed to an area behind one of the Christmas trees in the room. "I left you some clothes over there."
Scott followed Nicky's gesture towards one of the large Christmas trees in the room. Underneath the tree was a small pile of clothes, the same ones that Nicky had worn into the grotto. Scott wasted no time putting on the jeans, white shirt, and festive sweater. They fit him like a glove, a fact that made him a little giddy. He stared at his little hands, no longer blemished with age spots and callouses. His arms no longer hairy and lined with blue veins. Everything seemed so different at his shorter height, larger and more imposing. He stared at one of the oversized baubles in the tree, at his distorted reflection. A tiny, rounded face with no beard, a full head of hair, and no wrinkles. It all felt like a wild dream of sorts. He still couldn't believe it was real.
Once Scott had put on his clothes, he stepped out from behind the Christmas tree and stopped in mid-stride. Nicky had put on his old costume and stood in the middle of the room, his soft smile buried within his beautiful, white beard. "Holey moley," Scott uttered, awestruck. Everything about the way Nicky looked struck a nostalgic tone in his mind, resonating throughout and unlocking memories from years past. He couldn't help but feel a little excited. To his younger mind, it really was like seeing Santa!
Scott rushed up to the large man with glee. "Wow... You look incredible! You look just like Santa Claus!" He circled the old man with a slow whistle. "Even the costume is amazing, it doesn't even look like my one..."
"It's the same outfit, I just made a few adjustments," Nicky said with a hearty chuckle before sitting down in his seat. He patted his lap, and Scott jumped onto his knee, enraptured by the jolly old man. "I'm glad you think I look the part. I do have some big shoes to fill, after all."
"Yeah, big shoes..." Scott felt a pang of sadness again. Nicky looked so happy to be Santa, and yet he could help but feel like he had drawn the short end of the straw. "I just... I don't think... I mean..."
"Scott, how many times do I have to explain this?" Nicky exclaimed. "You were such a good boy this year, this decade, this entire life of yours. But you've suffered great pain and struggles throughout. You more than deserve the opportunity to have a second chance."
"But I have no parents, no friends, no real life outside of this room as a child..." Scott hadn't thought that far ahead. What was the point of a second chance without someone to enjoy it with. Then he looked at Nicky, he looked old, out of shape. Even his eyes had a sense of boundless wisdom shimmering behind his glasses. It didn't feel fair... "I don't think I can be happy with a second chance knowing you gave up your life for me."
"Ah ah ah," Nicky replied, pressing a gloved finger against Scott's lips. "You think I'd be so foolish as to not think this through well in advance?? This isn't my first rodeo, and I'm sure it won't be the last."
Before Scott could press further, there was a sudden flash of light that filled the room, followed by a cacophony of sound. The photographer was stood by his camera, two elves were behind him guarding the door. The harsh mall lights illuminated the crowds of families waiting outside the frosted windows. The photographer looked up and growled "Smile for the camera, kid.""
Scott looked back to Santa, the sudden reappearance of everyone having left him bewildered. Nicky only gave him that mischievous smile and said "How's about a big smile for your dads."
"My...my what?" Scott's eyes flicked to the side, where he noticed two men watching from the side-lines. The younger man was slim and tattooed with a manicured stubble and an undercut. The older man had a big beard and bigger belly, his bald head gleaming under the stage lights. Each man had an arm around the other, big smiles on their faces.
Scott was stunned. He hadn't seen these men before in his life. And yet, he knew him. They were his parents. His dad and his papa. They had shown nothing but unconditional love and support from the day he was born. A loving couple who knew what it was like to be mistreated and would never allow the same of their son. Scott looked back to Nicky, who nodded with a soft, knowing smile. Scott sniffled, tears sprung to his eyes, and he let out a shuddering wail.
The two men quickly sprung to action, rushing past the photographer who grumbled at the intrusion. "Oh Scotty, sweetie!" the younger man cried as he rushed over to him, scooping him off of Santa's leg. Meanwhile, the older man took Nicky aside and struck up a small conversation with hushed tones. "Don't worry baby, we're right here."
Scott wiped his nose and smiled up at the concerned man. His worried father. "I'm sorry, dad. I guess I got a little overwhelmed about... About meeting Santa."
"So you're not upset?"
"Of course not, it's Santa!" Scott beamed up at his dad, and then over to his papa who was stroking his beard and laughing at a joke he shared with Nicky. He didn't really know them, and yet they were his family. The loving, supportive family he wished he could have had when growing up. And now he had that chance, a second chance to reach for his dreams. He looked over to the photographer, then said "Actually, do you think we could all have a photo together? It's not the same being the only one there."
Together, Scott and his dads piled into the shot, Nicky stood behind them with his hands on each of the men's shoulders. Each of them smiling, knowing that everything was going to turn out fine. But before they could leave, Nicky chuckled heartily and placed a warm hand on Scott's shoulder. "You can't leave without your gifts!" He quickly procured three presents, each wrapped in glorious gold paper. He handed one each to the dads, then knelt down to Scott. He leant close and whispered "Hand-picked just for you. Enjoy your second chance." Scott stared at the gift in his hands, then up at Nicky. "And have a Merry Christmas, hohoho!"
"Merry Christmas to you too, Santa." Scott grinned and gave one last hug to Nicky, making sure to squeeze tight to let him know how much he appreciated everything he had done. Then they parted ways, Scott following his dads towards the exit, already unwrapping his gift. It looked far more eloquent, and felt heavier than the cheap tat he had been giving out as Santa. As he pulled away the shimmering paper, he gasped aloud. It was a dark wooden box polished to perfection, decorated with hand painted snowflakes. Inside, there were paintbrushes and pencils of multiple sizes, along with a small sketchbook. Underneath the sketchbook was a note handwritten in cursive.
Follow Your Dreams
S.C.
Tears welled up at the corners of his eyes. Scott was an avid artist when he was younger, constantly doodling to his heart's content. He often dreamt of following a career in art and animation, yet those dreams were dashed at a young age, sadly abandoning his hobbies to the wayside. He always wished he could have explored his artistic endeavours but he never told anyone. All except for one person, as part of his Christmas list every year as a young boy. Scott glanced back into the grotto, taking one last look at Nicky. It couldn't be... The man gave him a wink, the air sparkling around him, just as the door closed.
Damn another banger. I love a good age swap.
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