Chapter 13 (Patreon)

While Pam had been going through her struggles, Chad endured his combination of mental and physical struggles. Watching his wife withdraw into herself day by day was slowly killing him inside. He had accepted his place as a dependent and powerless household member, but this was more than just a matter of stature for him. He could do something about this, but he was afraid that voicing his concerns would push Pam over the edge. It was apparent that she was fighting a losing battle, even without Anna continually pointing it out to him. When Pam mentioned she was going out for the night, he was left alone again with his stepdaughter. It had been his idea since Victoria was keeping Bram, and in a way, he viewed his time with Anna as a strange form of penance for his weakness and inability to move past his fears.

Anna had steadily increased the level of pain, discomfort, and humiliation in their playtime together. He saw the correlation between these acts and the question she asked every day. Had he talked to Pam yet? And every day, his answer remained the same: not yet. As awful as the torments were, he knew that Anna only did them because she was worried about her mother. Knowing this, he couldn't bring himself to be angry at her over it. It didn't mean that he enjoyed it, but he could endure it as long as he knew it was a labor of love. Twisted and demented as those acts may have been, she did it mainly to force him to communicate.

Anna had confirmed it after a particularly grueling afternoon where she'd used him as a sweat rag. The experience had been one of the worst to date, and it had left his body more sore than usual, not to mention obliterated his sense of smell. After she cleaned him up, she asked him if he understood why she was doing these things. Part of him had thought it was because she enjoyed it, and when he voiced that, she didn't deny it. Finally, however, she explained that as much as she disliked him, she hated seeing her mother so distant and affected by the growing disconnect in their relationship. "If you want me to treat you like a man, then act like one and talk to her," she'd said coldly.

Her words had stung, but he couldn't deny the truth in them. Moreover, there was a genuine concern for her mother in her voice. Weirdly, she was trying to push him to be the husband that Pam needed and deserved. The look in her eye almost made him feel like she wanted it for him too. But, strange as it was, he knew Anna was right. She may have been going about it roughly, but she seemed to be acting out of worry for her mother's wellbeing. He promised her that he would find the will to talk with Pam, and in turn, she promised him that she'd give him a break if he did.

The evening when Pam went out and left him alone with Anna had been quite different from their usual time together. He'd mentally prepared himself for Anna's usual games, but to his surprise, Anna merely set him down on her nightstand before opening the drawer and rooting around in it. Part of him thought she would pull out something to torture him with, but instead, she pulled out an old framed photo. She held it up to him and asked, "Do you know what this is?"

He stared at the billboard-sized picture frame and studied it for a moment. A younger version of Pam stood beside an older man with shaggy blonde hair and a goatee, and a small bundle rested in Pam's arms. He couldn't quite place it, but he felt as though he'd seen the man somewhere before. Then, he shook his head after a moment, "I'm not sure. That's your mom, and I'm guessing you as a baby, but I don't think that's anyone related to Pam."

Anna pointed at the man in the picture as she explained, "That's my real dad, that's Robert. Do you know why I'm so hard on you, Chad? It's because of assholes like my dad and their damage to good people. My dad promised my mom that he would be with her until the end, but he left when I was eight. He wrecked my mom's life by breaking a promise and leaving her alone. You think I hate you because you're with my mom, right?"

"I don't think you hate me anymore," he replied, "Dislike, yeah, but not hate. Originally, I thought that was the case, but the more time we've spent together, I realize that you're worried I will hurt your mom as your dad did."

"Pretty smart for a bug," Anna said with a smirk before her face fell, and she put the photo face down on her bed, "That's exactly what has me worried. Every guy I've met, dated, or interacted with has always become a sleaze or a dirtbag. Bram has been the exception, but the more time I spend with you, the more I realize that maybe you're halfway decent. You're pathetic, dorky, weak, and dense, but you seem to give a shit about me, mom, and Victoria."

"Not sure if I should be insulted or not," he said.

"Let me finish, bug-boy!" Anna snapped before sighing, "My point is that maybe you're not a total douche. If it weren't because you're hurting my mom because you're scared, then maybe I could even go so far as to say I kind of like you. However, since you seem too thick-headed to get the message, I figured I'd try a different approach. I am coming to you as your stepdaughter right now, and I'm tired of seeing my mom fall back into how she was when Robert left. I don't care if it hurts or you're afraid it'll jeopardize things between you and her, but I care about my mom. So if you care as much as you say you do, you'll suck it up and have this talk with her. Please do it for her, but I'm only going to say this once, do it for me. If you care about us, you'll do this one thing."

Chad observed Anna as she spoke. Her face shifted from annoyed to almost pleading midway through. At that moment, he saw her as a vulnerable little girl rather than the tormentress he'd come to know. Instead, she was coming to him as a concerned daughter. Seeing her like this caused something inside of him to click. "Anna," he said as he stood up to walk closer to the edge of the nightstand, "I don't want to make your mom suffer. But, I won't keep letting my fears keep getting the best of me. I swear to you, I will talk with your mother tonight."

She stared at him for a moment, studying him for any signs of deceit or dishonesty. Chad did his best to stand his ground and keep from flinching under her stony gaze. Finally, she closed her eyes, sighed, and gave him a ghost of a smile, "For your sake, you better keep that promise," she said before opening her eyes and giving him a severe look, "I mean it, Chad, if you think I've been hard on you so far, then break your word and see what happens. I'll make you beg to go back between my toes."

He knew she wasn't joking, and he visibly shuddered as he wondered how she could increase his torment. He looked her in the eyes as he said, "I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Don't worry; I'm done putting this off."

She chuckled at him, "Funny. I almost believe you when you say that," she paused to hold out her hand, "Come here and hop on."

He did as he was told and walked over to her hand. He climbed aboard and held on while she shifted him around to put him on her bed while she stuffed the picture frame back into her nightstand. "So, what do you have in store for tonight?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"First off, lose the attitude," she said as she sat back, "Second, I thought you could use a little break after yesterday. Consider it as me taking your word for once, but I'm not kidding when I tell you that you'll regret it if you wuss out again."

"I believe you, and I won't," he said as he tried to find a safe place to sit down on her bed, "Thanks, Anna, it means a lot that you're doing this."

She rolled her eyes and scooped him up with her hand, "You're gonna get stepped on or pinned down there, dumbass," she said as she moved him over to one of her pillows, "Honestly, it's a miracle you've survived this long at your size. Don't mention it, just stay where I can see you. Do you want me to grab one of your comics?"

He laughed at her rude yet thoughtful demeanor. She was rough with him, but he had to admit that she was good at keeping him safe when she wanted to. It was almost frightening how she could put him through so much torture yet keep him somehow safe and intact. "Actually, would you mind if we just talked and maybe watched something on TV?" he asked.

"For someone so small, you're a big chatterbox, you know that?" she said as she leaned back and sighed, "Fine, I guess."

"How have things been going at school?" he asked as he leaned back to get comfortable, "Last time we talked, you mentioned a guy you had your eye on. Have there been any developments?"

"You're honestly asking about my sex life?" Anna deadpanned.

"What?! No!" he exclaimed, "That's not-I just wanted to know if he's taken an interest in you or not!"

She cracked a smile, "Chill out, I'm joking," she said with a laugh, "You can barely talk about your own sex life with your wife, so I doubt you have the balls to ask me about mine. Not that it matters, but that guy ended up screwing one of my teammates while stringing me along."

His expression softened, and he stood up to walk over to her hand. He stumbled as he traversed the pillow; he still hadn't gotten used to walking on surfaces like this. Then, finally, he put his hand on the top of one of her fingers and said, "I'm sorry, Anna. I wish I could say that not every guy is like that, but too many are. Not all of us are two-timers, but too many are, and they give the rest of us a bad name."

She glanced down at him, rolled her eyes, and surprised him by moving her other hand over and gently patting his head. It was a little demeaning, but given his size, it was the closest thing anyone could do to offer appreciation or affection without jeopardizing his safety. "I'm just sick of being disappointed by guys, you know?" she sighed, "I guess that's another reason I keep pushing and punishing you. Believe it or not, I do want to believe you're a decent guy. The problem is I've seen too many guys talk a good game and then fuck over the people they claim to care about."

"I'm not going to let you down, Anna," he promised, "I love your mom too much to do that, and even if you don't like me, you're still my stepdaughter, and I care about you."

"I want to believe you, but I'm not gonna lie, you've still got a lot to prove," she said, "I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt tonight, but that doesn't mean everything is fine. I'll still have my eye on you, and if you screw up, I'll be sure to make you regret it."

"Can you stop threatening me for the night?" he asked before sighing, "Anna, I get it. You're protective of your mother, that is fine and understandable, but you don't have to keep reminding me of what you'll do. Trust me on this, I know what you're capable of, and I know what you'll do if I hurt your mom.

She stared at him before sighing, "Fine. I'll lay off for the night. I did tell you I'd give you a break, and I'm not someone who breaks their word."

"Thank you," he said, "So, outside of the guy who turned out to be a jerk, have any new developments at school?"

He watched her face turn a shade of red that he hadn't seen before. It was a rare sight to see Anna blush. Given her candid nature with everything, he honestly didn't think she had a shameful bone in her body. What in the world could have her embarrassed? She looked away as she spoke, "N-nothing really that I want to talk about."

A stutter and blush were two things he never thought he'd see from her. Then, his curiosity peaked; he stepped back and tried to subtly offer, "I'm not going to press, but I want you to know that you can tell me anything. I swear, I won't judge or make fun of you."

She glanced over at him and leaned her head back, "Ugh, times like this, I can see where Bram gets his stupid personality," she groaned before looking down at him, "Fine, but if you laugh, then you're going back between my toes until mom gets home!"

That felt more normal; he was used to her defensive and snappy attitude by now. He sat down and said, "I'm not going to laugh, I promise. What's on your mind?"

"Okay, so this all started after I found out that that douchebag was playing me," she said, bringing her knees up to her chest, "My friend, Jessica, found out about it and saw how upset I was. She's on the team with the rest of the girls and me, and she found me in the locker room that afternoon… I was pretty upset. I ditched class because I couldn't look at the guy. Jessica...she came in, and we got to talking. She's had about the same luck with guys as me, and we just sat there and talked for like an hour. Then...she...Chad, I swear if you laugh, I will step on you!"

"I'm not going to laugh!" he yelled, knowing that the look on her face meant she had every intention to follow through with her threat.

She sighed and quietly said, "She...kissed me."

He had to admit; he wasn't expecting that. Out of everything he imagined Anna saying, that was the last thing he had considered. Now he could see why she was so defensive, but he couldn't just say nothing. So he chose his following words as carefully as possible: "Okay, so is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she glared at him, and he quickly added, "I'm just asking a simple question! I don't mean anything bad by it!"

She dropped her glare and heaved another sigh, "I know, but the thing is, I'm not sure. I never really considered girls before, but...it felt kind of nice. I just don't know if it's because I was upset about douchebag or if I might like her too. It's confusing, weird, and I don't know what to think."

Chad was quiet for a minute while he considered what to say. This was his chance to be a father to Anna, and he didn't want to mess it up by saying the wrong thing. "Well," he started as he stood up, "Love is weird, Anna. I'm not saying you're in love with this girl, don't misunderstand me, but when it comes to matters of the heart, things are usually pretty confusing and overwhelming. Maybe it was because you were hurting, but let me ask you this: have you thought about her since then? Romantically, I mean."

She bit her lip and looked away as she answered, "I've thought about that kiss a lot, and I've been asking myself if I might be a lesbian… or even if I'm bisexual. The more I think about it, the more worked up and confused I get. Jessica is smart, funny, pretty, and she's always there for me whenever I need her. So maybe I do like her, and I'm just scared," she paused to let out a light chuckle, "How fucking ironic is that? Here I am criticizing and threatening you because you're scared to talk to mom, and I'm too chicken even to face the possibility that I might be gay."

He smiled and walked back over to her hand. He put both hands on it and gave it a gentle pat, "You're talking about two different things here," he said, "With me, it's a matter of my fears hurting my relationship and your mother. You're talking about something completely different. This is a new feeling and development for you, which can be a terrifying thing. There's a lot to consider. There's nothing wrong with being afraid of something this new, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking the time to figure yourself out. Maybe you like girls, maybe you like boys, maybe you like both. I can tell you this, whatever the case may be, your mom, me, and everyone in this house will support you. We all want the same thing, for you to be happy. Whether you like Jessica or not, I know whoever you end up with will be lucky to have you."

She scrutinized him before closing her eyes and smiling, "Times like this, I can see why mom loves you," she said, "You're a cheesy little dork, but I can tell you mean what you say."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he beamed.

"You would," she said, "Alright, why don't you pick out something to watch? Enjoy this while it lasts because you'll be back to being my toy tomorrow. If you break your promise to talk to mom, you'll be-"

"Begging to be your toy, I got it!" he cut her off, "I know, Anna. You don't have to keep driving that home."

"Smart-ass," she grumbled, "Pick something before I change my mind and use you as a foot scrubber again."

He could tell that it was an empty threat this time. Her promise to make him suffer, though, was all too real. However, she was right. This was a rare break that he wouldn't often get at his size. Whether he was with Anna or not, it was inevitable that he would deal with a precarious or hazardous predicament. Anna may have been the most aware of him, but her delight in his degrading positions made his time with her just as dangerous. However, he was still safer with her than whenever the other women misplaced him. Her ill intentions were at least carried out with careful precision. Whenever he was lost amongst the feet, breasts, debris, or butts of the rest of the household, they were always oblivious to his plight. He'd lost count of the times he'd nearly been squashed by the odd body part or ordinary objects around the house.

In the end, he chose to watch a Marvel movie with Anna. Antman and The Wasp was one that Anna hadn't seen yet, and it seemed fitting given his stature and position in the house. Anna seemed to enjoy it, and they would occasionally talk about the movie, her school life, and even, to Chad's surprise, his first date with Pam. It was a rare occasion for him to have time with Anna that didn't involve her degrading, humiliating, or berating him in some form or fashion. She was a good kid. He just wished that more of his time with her could be like this. He had been surprised when Pam knocked on the door before coming in. She was sober and seemed pleasantly surprised at seeing him and Anna sitting together and getting along. She gently scooped him up before excusing them both and thanking Anna for taking care of him while she was away.

Anna smiled at her mother and shot a quick, pointed look at Chad in her hand. He caught it and did his best to acknowledge what she meant with a nod. Pam walked out without a word, but while Chad could tell she was relieved that he was okay, he could almost sense something else coming from his wife. There was an anxiousness of sorts radiating off of her. Her expression was blank, something unusual for Pam. Even in the frazzled state she'd been in over the last few weeks, she usually wore her heart on her sleeve. It gave him a sense of unease and apprehension about what was to come. Uncertainty was something that he hated, now more than ever. All he could do was wait and see what was going to happen.

They walked into the room, and Pam closed the door behind them. She walked over to their bed and took a seat on the edge. She carefully put her hands, and Chad, in her lap, looked down at him with concern and hesitation. Finally, she spoke before he could even open his mouth, "Chad, honey, we need to talk about the night that...that I used you, and everything that's happened since then, okay?"

He wasn't sure if this was a good thing, but he'd given Anna his word that he would do this. At least he wasn't having to worry about breaching the subject with her this way. He took a deep breath to ready himself for the discussion about to take place, "Alright, Pam, I agree. So, let's talk."

"Good, I'll go first," she said before pausing to take a deep breath to steel herself, "I want to start by apologizing. I was drunk, foolish, and selfish. I...I missed being close to you, and I let my wants get the better of me."

He wanted to tell her it was okay, that she didn't need to worry, but there was one question that had been burning in his mind since that night. This wasn't a time to hold back anything. It was a time for discussion. So, he asked the one thing he had wanted to know, "Why, Pam? Please understand, I'm not angry about what happened. I just want to know why you thought that was a good idea or why you didn't try to talk to me about it before it got to that point?"

"I don't know!" she snapped before looking away, her eyes shimmering with a few stray tears pulling at their corners and her voice cracking as she continued, "Up until that night, I hadn't even considered doing that with you. The girls and I had drinks, and Sophie started talking about a guy she'd found. She said that they fooled around with him and that he enjoyed it. I admit I wasn't sure about it, and I was scared, but the more I listened, the more I thought it might have been something worth exploring. Then we just kept drinking, and before I knew it, all I could think about was how much I missed having you inside of me. The more I drank, the more I thought about it, and by the end, it was all that was on my mind."

So it had been a matter of want for her. A simple desire to be close that had been spurred on alcohol and encouragement from a friend. The events were still traumatic, but at least he now knew that they were fueled by longing rather than ill intent. He sighed and chuckled, "Of course it was Sophie."

"She didn't tell me to do that to you, Chad," Pam clarified, "She just said that it might help bring you out of the funk you'd been in. Even before that night, you had been growing distant. She told the rest of the girls and me that it might help, but I needed to be careful not to hurt you if I did it. I was, I am, stressed and overwhelmed by everything. Victoria and Anna are at each other's throats, Bram's shrunk like you, and I've felt like I've been losing my husband!" she paused to take a deep and shaky breath, "Chad, tell me the truth. Did something happen before that night? Is Victoria right about Anna? Has she been mistreating you?"

Yet again, the opportunity to expose Anna and her antics presented him. He hated lying to his wife, especially given the open and honest conversation they were currently having, but he couldn't bring himself to speak up about Anna, not after the progress he felt that they'd made. Finally, however, he could be honest about his feelings toward her. He stood up in the palm of Pam's hand and looked up at her, "Pam, Anna hasn't done anything to knowingly hurt me. She can be rough around the edges, and she certainly isn't my biggest fan, but she's not done anything that you need to worry about. Yes, Anna can be a handful, but she does better keep up with me than anybody. Even tonight, she moved me up to her pillow because she was worried she might crush me. She might not like me, but she's been careful to keep a watchful eye on me."

She studied him for a minute before tentatively asking, "If she hasn't done anything to you, what changed, Chad? What happened that had you so scared and so on edge?"

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" he asked and sat down with a sigh when she shook her head, "Well, I could say the obvious and tell you my shrinking, but that's only the short answer—when I first shrank, shrunk? Hmm, not important. I tried to act like everything was normal and fine. Sure, I was the size of a small insect, but I kept acting like I was still the man of the house. Maybe in some ways, I still am, but shortly after we got back home, I realized how much had truly changed. It wasn't anything anyone did or didn't do. It was the day I went to work with Victoria. I did my best to keep myself together, but I quickly found out that my position in life had changed dramatically."

"It started when I got myself stuck in the register. When I was alone in the dark, surrounded by pennies bigger than me, my mind wandered. I'd been fortunate up to that point that the only close calls I'd had, had been with you all, but what would happen to me if someone else got a hold of me? The reports on the news of men affected by this virus being tortured, abused, used, and killed all started playing through my mind. What if Victoria hadn't found me? What if she'd accidentally given me to someone along with their change? Even if that person found me, what would they do to me? But, more importantly, what could I do to stop them? It's been said that the mind is a funny thing. I found out that day just how true that saying is."

"I kept having this anxiety build up in me as time went on. I kept having these awful thoughts of what kind of terrible fate might await me in the hands of a total stranger. Worse than that, I couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of me never seeing you or the kids again. When Victoria finally found me, I did my best to put those thoughts out of my mind. It didn't matter how hard I tried, though those images were already in the back of my mind. I thought I'd be fine once I got home and got some sleep, but I had terrible dreams that night. You, Anna, Victoria, and even my mom tortured me in various ways. Crushing me, stomping on me, ripping me limb from limb, eating me, and every time I thought I was done, I relived a new kind of hell. Finally, when I awoke, I couldn't get those nightmares out of my head. I know that none of you would do something like that to me, but fear is a funny thing."

"Chad, I had no idea," she said, gently stroking his back with her other hand, "Why didn't you say something?"

It was the first time since that fateful night that he didn't feel a need to pull away from her touch. Instead, he found himself leaning into the soothing sensation. He hadn't lied to her. He just hadn't told her the whole truth about that day. His dreams had indeed been haunted by vivid visions of terrible and gruesome fates. He shook his head as he admitted a truth both to himself and her, "I thought that it would eventually pass, or that maybe I could deal with it on my own. I never realized how worried it was making you and everyone else. I guess I thought it was something I needed to overcome on my own; there's not much I can do these days."

"Chad, honey, you don't need to do these things on your own," she said softly, "You're not alone in this, and nothing you could ever do or say would burden me or any of us. If I'd have known that was what you were afraid of, I never would have dared to try something like what I did with you."

He smiled and laughed to lighten the mood, "Come on, Pam, we both know you're wild when you drink. It's one of the things I love about you."

He immediately regretted his attempt at humor when he saw her face drop further, "I could have killed you, Chad, and at that moment, I never even considered that! God, I'm such an idiot. Can you ever forgive me for what I did?"

Looking up at his titan of a wife and seeing her tear up the way she was, broke his little heart. He stood up in her palm, walked over to her thumb, and did the only thing he could at his size: he wrapped his arms around it in an attempt to hug her. She felt his small gesture and gave him a sad smile. "Pam," he started, breaking their awkward embrace, "There's nothing you could ever do that would make me not want to be with you. There's nothing you can do that I can't forgive. I love you, and I always will. Do you mind if I ask what made you decide to have this talk?"

His words were the final straw that caused the dam to break with Pam. The tears she'd been holding back spilled over and ran down her beautiful face. Then, slowly, gently, she cupped her hands around his body and brought him to her chest. It was the best that either could manage given their size differences, but it was still the tender embrace they'd needed for some time now. "Chad," she said as her voice hitched, "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

She brought her hands and him away from her chest as he said, "Hey, there's no reason to cry. Honestly, I'm the lucky one here. A nerd like me usually only dreams about finding a woman as perfect and gorgeous as you."

That did it. His lighthearted attitude had finally managed to break through the sorrow surrounding her for weeks. Finally, she found herself genuinely smiling and laughing. "Even in the face of all this, you're still trying to make me laugh," she paused to shift him to one hand and wipe away the stray tears that rolled down her cheeks, "I found a support group online for women who've been affected by this new pandemic. I went there because I didn't know where else to turn, but the women there were so kind and welcoming to me. I couldn't help myself, and I ended up opening up about everything."

"I told them about how much I've been worried about you, about Anna, about Bram, and how I've been slowly slipping back into that negative mentality where everything is my fault. When Robert left, I blamed myself for the failure of our marriage, and by the time tonight rolled around, I had already realized that my actions that night with you had put our relationship in jeopardy. Jody and those women gave me the push I needed to sit down and have this talk with you. There was a girl at the meeting tonight, she reminded me a lot of Anna if things had gone differently, and she was the one who spoke up after I shared. This young woman had such an awful experience and did some questionable things, but she still went out of her way to try to convince me that there was still hope as long as I at least tried to talk to you."

He smiled and said, "If this girl reminded you of Anna, she must have been pretty special. It's funny you say that, in a way. Anna has been pushing me to talk to you for weeks now. She's been worried about you. She may not care for me, but she loves you more than anything or anyone else."

Pam sniffled and let out another shaky breath, "I was afraid that she might have been getting worried," she said, "Anna caught the brunt of the fallout from my marriage with Robert. She grew up too fast because of my depression, and it's because of that time in my life that she has such a troubled outlook on men."

He nodded, "She told me about that tonight," he said as he sat back down, "One good thing about this virus has been that it's allowed her and I to get closer. Of course, she can still scare the crap out of me, but she's opened up to me more at this size than ever before. She might be abrasive, but it's all because she's worried about me hurting you."

That brought another smile to her face, "That's a relief to hear. I know how much she worries about me, but it's good to know that she's not taking out those worries and frustrations on you and Bram."

"You and Victoria have nothing to worry about," he said, "If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have had the nerve to have such an open and honest discussion with you. I won't lie, sometimes she plays some games that can be a little frightening, but she is always careful to make sure nothing happens to me. She's also been letting me indulge in reading, and she's been talking with Bram about his campaign."

"He mentioned wanting to do a family night with Dungeons and Dragons, but I've been so out of it that it barely registered with me," she admitted quietly before asking, "So, he's managed to talk, Anna into playing?"

"He did," he replied with a smile, "I was surprised, but she accepted pretty easily. They've been working together on her character off and on. I don't think she'll ever say it out loud, but I think she's a little excited about it. I told him I would join if everyone else in the house did."

Pam's eyes lit up at the prospect of everyone being together for a change. It brought a smile to his face seeing that familiar and magnificent sparkle return to her eyes. "Oh, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed as she stood up and accidentally gave him a dose of vertigo, "Sorry, hon, it's just been a while since I've felt some genuine excitement. If you and Anna are in, then I'll certainly join!"

He laughed and shook off minor nausea that washed through him, "Don't worry about it, Pam. I'm just glad to see you smiling again. Alright, then I guess we're playing. I'm pretty sure he can get Victoria on board pretty easily. We just have to wait for him to get everything ready."

"So…" she trailed off, her demeanor shifting back to unease and uncertainty as she sat back down and returned her hands to her lap, "Where do we go from here?"

"I suppose that it's best if we try to pick up where we left off and move forward," he said before asking a question he almost didn't want an answer to, "I've been wondering something. Did you...did you enjoy what we did that night?"

She bit her lip and looked away for a moment as she prepared an honest answer, "It wasn't so much something we did together as it was something I did to you, but...yes, I did enjoy it. I feel guilty and awful saying that, but it felt so good having you down there, but don't worry, I won't force you into something like that again. Why do you ask?"

He wasn't entirely sure himself behind the reasoning, but maybe some part of him wanted to please her. He'd always had something of a penchant for making her happy. His fears of death and drowning amid her womanhood were still glaringly apparent and gripping, but then so was his desire to give her the world as best he could. Before clearing it, he swallowed the lump in his throat, "I was just curious. Being used as a human dildo isn't exactly high on my list of things I want, but maybe we could try to experiment with it in the future. Not you using me, of course, but if Sophie and her man can do it without him getting hurt, maybe we can too. I'm not saying let's dive in tonight, no pun intended, but I think it might be something we can try together."

"Chad, are you sure about this?" she asked, "I don't want to risk hurting you or losing you. I honestly don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

"I trust you," he replied, "I think that maybe we can make this work if we're careful. Of course, we might need to sit down with Sophie and her boyfriend, but I think it's worth a shot. I don't want to deny you something that you want."

She stared at him in disbelief before nodding, "If you're sure, I can call Sophie later this week. You'll tell me if it's too much, right?"

"You have my word," he said.

"Alright then," she said, "I don't suppose you'd like to try to cuddle for a bit before bed, would you?"

"That sounds nice," he replied, "After everything that's happened, and all this seriousness, I think that might be just what we need. I love you, Pam."

She carefully brought her hands to her lips and gave him a gentle kiss that covered his entire body in her lipstick, "I love you too, Chad," she said as she stood up and moved over to the bed to lay with him."

They laid together, husband and wife, in a one-sided embrace that they had needed. It felt like a new beginning for the two of them. Finally, their fears were put to rest. They both held out hope for a better and brighter future moving forward. There were still many unknowns about their future, but at least now they knew they could face it together. They'd spent weeks enduring a personal hell of their creation, and now, finally, they could each see the light at the end of the tunnel. While the cure for this virus was still nowhere in sight, they could take solace because they could, and would, face these unknowns together.

*        *        *        *

Bram sat with his legs dangling from Victoria's nightstand. It had been an exciting couple of days for him. Since he'd talked with Anna, things had taken a slight turn for the better. Surprisingly, Anna had started asking more questions about the game's rules and what she could and couldn't do within it. It was a surprise for him, but it was also a welcome distraction from his plight. Even if most of her questions revolved around what she could do if she found a small person, it was still refreshing and surprising. He'd given her a website to research and select her skills, equipment, and other key items that she seemed genuinely interested in. If she weren't so threatening, he might have teased her for her sudden enthusiasm, but he didn't want to risk getting on her bad side.

He still worried about his father, but he had no choice other than to trust the two of them. He swore that he could handle whatever she dished out, and she claimed that she wasn't doing anything to hurt him. Of course, he doubted the latter, but his father rarely seemed to come out with any injuries. Although even if he did, there wasn't anything he could do to stop Anna. The truth was that both he and his father were powerless in the face of any of the family's whims, good or bad. It was a sad fact, but one he had come to accept as a harsh reality. He'd even learned that sometimes good intentions could spell disaster at his size. In a twisted sort of way, it was funny how often he was reminded of the saying: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

He was waiting for Victoria to finish washing up and changing from work. Before the day he'd brought his campaign idea up to Anna, his sister had been distant and short with him. He had found himself on the receiving end of her misplaced anger and frustrations more than once. Whether it be something as small as being squeezed upon being picked up or something as significant as nearly having his bones dislocated or broken while she tried to help him, he had begun to feel wary of her. Still, he knew that it was mainly due to her stress levels being supremely elevated. However, that day she'd come home, and it was as though she were a different person. She'd expressed her regret in the form of a pleading apology. Since then, she'd been going out of her way to accommodate him. Honestly, it was beginning to make him feel a little guilty. The last thing he wanted was to put her out or add to her growing anxieties.

He heard the door open and looked up to see her walking in wearing little more than a towel to cover her bare body. His face flushed as he forced himself to look away. Seeing his sister, or any woman for that matter, at this size, stirred something in him he couldn't quite understand, something both shameful and slightly exciting. Still, this was his sister, and he didn't want to view her in that light if he could help it. Thankfully, she hadn't seemed to notice his lingering looks or beet-red cheeks yet, and if she had, she hadn't mentioned it. "What is wrong with me?" he asked himself as he found a spot on the floor to stare at.

"You say something, Bram?" Victoria asked as she finished drying off and started rooting through her drawers.

"N-no!" he called out.

He kept his eyes downcast while she got dressed, and he heard the bedspreads creek as she sat down on it. He looked up to see her wearing a baggy baby blue t-shirt and little more than a pair of panties beneath it. Before addressing him, she smiled at him, "So, you said you had something you wanted to run by me?"

In his hormone-fueled haze, he'd almost forgotten, but hearing Victoria speak helped to jog his memory. He shook off his stupor, stood up, and walked to the edge of the nightstand closest to his sister, "Yeah, I wanted to see if you might be interested in doing a family D&D session. I've got a new concept I'm working on that dad and Anna have agreed to join in. Well, dad said he'd only do it if everyone participated."

"I don't know, Bram," Victoria replied, "I'm not saying no, but I have no experience with Dungeons and Dragons."

"That's okay, neither does Anna or dad," he said, "I can walk you all through the character creation, mechanics, and gameplay without an issue. I don't plan on doing it right away, so we've got time to cover everything."

"And you already convinced Anna?" she asked.

"Shocking, right?" he laughed, "She wasn't on board at first, but she said she was willing to give it a try. She's already got some of her basics figured out, and she's been asking questions regularly to figure out what she can and can't do. So, how about it? Want to give it a shot?"

She wasn't sure. Looking down at her little brother, she could see that this meant a lot to him. She didn't want to disappoint him, and she still felt as though she owed something to him for how she'd treated him in the past. If Anna was willing to try it, then she could at least do the same. She smiled and nodded, "If you're willing to walk me through everything, why not?"

"Awesome!" he exclaimed, practically jumping for joy from his little perch, "Now, I have one more favor to ask. Normally, I'd go through and write out most of the details for the campaign, character sheets, maps, and everything else necessary to run a good session, but that's not exactly something I can do at my size. So would you be willing to help me with that?"

"Won't that be kind of cheating for me to know stuff like that?" she asked.

"Not necessarily," he replied before explaining, "You'll know the maps, enemies, and possible plans, but the players' decisions can alter a session. You'll know the stats of enemies and area layouts, but there are some things that I can just keep in my head. Plus, if you help me with it, you'll better understand the game itself!"

"If you say so," she said with a smile, "Alright, is Pam going to join?"

"I mentioned it to her, but she's been really out of it lately," he replied, "I don't know if she's just been tired or what, but I'm pretty sure she'll be on board if everyone else joins in. She's all about family bonding, and I think she'll jump in with everything that's happened."

Victoria thought about telling her little brother about just why Pam had seemed so off and distant, but she decided that it wasn't her place to say anything. "You've got a point," she said, remembering all the times Pam had practically jumped at an opportunity for everyone to get together and get along, "Alright, where do we start?"

"We'll start small by starting with your character and play style," he answered, his enthusiasm rising by the second, "Once we get that figured out, we can start on the character sheets. So, what do you want to be?"

*        *        *        *

The month following that conversation and Pam's first night at her support group had been a period of turning for the McCallum family in different ways. Bram had found himself growing more eager and excited over his family's decision to join his campaign. Still, he'd also begun wondering about his curiosity regarding the strange attraction he felt towards the women in his household. The more time ticked by, the more he was almost fascinated by their movements and bodies. It was odd, and he didn't understand it, but no matter how many times he told himself that they were his family, he still couldn't shake the unusual desire to explore them. When he'd first shrunk and gotten himself in his predicament with Victoria and Rose, he had been equally terrified and repulsed. Then the dreams started shortly after that.

The first night had been a strange recreation of his time trapped within a shoe. The toes in front of him pinned him down and kneaded his body without mercy. The smell of sweat and moisture within those lime green socks seemed so real, but he remembered thinking that whoever the foot belonged to knew he was there. It was almost like they were deliberately trying to roll his little body beneath their toes and feet. Then, just when it felt like his body would give out, the smelly pressure surrounding him was gone. Light flooded his chamber, and he felt relief at the thought of being discovered, but the last thing he saw before waking was a wicked grin on a woman he couldn't place. She had been familiar in a way, yet somehow unknown at the same time. He'd woken up in a panic, but what really startled him was his erection that morning. It was unexplainable and intimidating to a degree, but he tried to ignore it the best he could.

Time went by, and the dreams became more and more frequent. The scenario was different, but the result was always the same: discovery before waking to another bout of morning wood. Sometimes he dreamt he was swimming in a valley of cleavage. Other times he was exploring the back of a sleeping giantess. He told himself it was his hormones playing into the new reality he was facing, but while that may have been true, he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe there was something more to this. His fascination and rising fixation continued climbing to new heights, and with every passing day, he found his glances lasting longer and becoming more frequent. He wished he had some way of looking into this new development or even talking to someone. However, that would mean bringing it up to someone in his household at his size. The mere thought of anyone learning about this petrified him to no end.

He considered talking with Anna about his growing obsession, but he wasn't sure that was a good idea or not. How would he even breach the subject with her? As time continued onward, he found his concern for his father being met with another feeling he couldn't describe: envy. At first, he denied it, and he told himself that he wished to spare his father whatever torments Anna was unleashing on him. However, he spent wondering just what she was doing to him grew exponentially day by day. Shameful though it was, he had to face reality: he wanted to know what it felt like more than anything. As often as he and his father had been misplaced, he couldn't shake the bewilderment at being deliberately toyed with. There was no denying that Anna was the most watchful and vigilant of the household, and that meant that anything she did to his father was wholeheartedly intentional. Whether it was from malice or not, time and again, he saw his father come out unscathed for the most part.

Unable to disclose his budding desires and secrets, he resolved to take risks and explore the full extent of his family's observational skills. It was a gambit, but given how many times he and his father ended up in compromising situations, it would be easy to play off as a simple accident. He started small by hitching a ride on Victoria's shoulder and planning a dive into her shirt. Shameful and humiliating, it was a sure-fire way for him to test and satisfy his fascination. Part of him hoped that this would disprove his growing fear of this developing fixation.

Victoria had been ferrying him back and forth from his room to hers while gathering the necessary supplies for the game night, so getting away with riding on her shoulder was as simple as giving her a list of things to grab. Of course, it would take both hands and multiple trips, but she had been happy to accommodate him. It meant he was guaranteed a spot on her shoulder and ample time within her bosom when he inevitably fell.

He could still remember that morning as though it were yesterday. Cups had closed early that Sunday and Victoria had come home wearing simple jeans and a maroon blouse. The cut on it had been low enough to captivate him, and he remembered wondering just how the fabric might feel against his minuscule frame. He'd given her the list, and she'd promptly placed him on her shoulder for the ride. It was strange how something as simple as the material of her top could feel exciting and comforting. He'd held on for the first trip, clinging to strands of her hair that fell past her shoulders whenever he felt like he might fall. He wanted it to be believable, but he was somewhat afraid of taking the plunge. After all, this was his sister, and viewing her in such a light still felt wrong. When he looked down into the valley below, he dissociated her breasts from the person they belonged to. Watching them bounce with every subtle step was captivating and mesmerizing in ways his teenage mind could barely comprehend.

He let go of his inhibitions at that moment and caved to the desires of his hormone-fueled desires. He slid down with pinpoint accuracy and found himself buried within those pillowy mounds of flesh. The scent of her body wash, coconut and lavender, had been the first thing to hit him. The warmth radiating from her chest was surprising but not unbearable. The rhythmic beating of her heart provided a strange comfort, and from its pace, it was clear she hadn't noticed his disappearance. He slid down the crevasse to the bottom of her bra. Each step caused a slight bounce and jiggle of those mighty breasts on both sides. A faraway part of his mind had been concerned about getting crushed. However, it was drowned out by a state of arousal that crept in over every inch of his body. The disconnect between his sister and these magnificent mounds was solidified instantly. Being surrounded like this had him enthralled, and he could feel his body react on its own.

He was bounced from side to side, and a sudden twist of Victoria's body sent him headfirst into one of her breasts. The way the skin gave way at his light touch only further spurred him on. It was one of the most incredible feelings he had ever felt. His loins stirred to life as he felt his member twitch and stiffen below. He fell back, and his back was pressed into the soft flesh before he rolled upward as she bent over to grab something. His body fell first when he straightened up, and he wasn't prepared for what happened next. One of those powerful orbs fell atop his body. Pinned beneath the soft warmth and weight, he should have been worried about his survival, but instead, he found his excitement growing more. It defied all reason and rationale, but somehow that only made the situation more intriguing and enticing.

Being trapped beneath Victoria's breasts somehow fueled his hormone-induced adrenaline. Something about the feeling of helplessness that came with his predicament added an unexplainable thrill to it all. He could breathe, albeit with difficulty, and the air carried a muskier scent than his last resting place. Maybe it was pheromones causing a chemical reaction in his head, but somehow, the smell drove his young body wild. Then again, perhaps the almost taboo nature of where he was and what he was doing caused his mind and body to react the way they were. Whatever the case may have been, he knew that this was more than just a fleeting captivation. It was an impactful realization that would later fill him with more questions, but at that moment, he was washed away in a sea of unexplainable bliss.

He held out as long as he could, but the weight above him quickly became too much for him. Unable to free himself on his own, he wiggled about in hopes of getting noticed. It was a shame to give his place away, but all the enjoyment in the world wouldn't matter if he weren't alive to savor it. Still, the feeling of his entire body pressing and rubbing against that smooth and supple skin was almost enough for him to make a mess beyond that of his sweat. He was dangerously close to a climax when Victoria's hand-dug him out of his crushing hiding place. Caught in the haze of hormonal lust, that hand may as well have been the hand of God himself reaching down to pluck him from the recesses of his proverbial garden of Eden. However, the panicked and concerned look on her face broke the spell he was under, and he spent the better part of the following half-hour assuring her that he was fine.

Hours later, when he sat in his makeshift bed, the shame and humiliation had set in. He'd lost control of himself in the face of engaging in his fantasies, and in the course of that, he'd completely removed himself from the fact that it was his sister. He hoped that would have been enough to stave off any further indulgences, but he was sorely mistaken. The dissociation between those lovely and enticing body parts and who they belonged to only grew as time went on. His dreams continued, as did his attempts to get closer and explore all his opportunities had to offer. His only means of escaping his growing desires were throwing himself into planning out his family's campaign. He dedicated his time to working with Victoria to plan everything he could and create scenarios in his head to prevent her from discovering any surprise encounters along the way.

He'd spoken with Pam about joining, and she seemed to be the most enthused about the prospect of a family game night. Despite not knowing anything about the game's rules, she had been the easiest to convince. She even agreed to sit down with him on a weekend to plan out her character and his father's. With the players now on board, all that was left was finalizing details and setting the stage. Victoria had opted to go for a support route, and after some talk, they'd decided on making her a cleric. Details about her deity were still left, but they'd worked together to hammer out the finer details.

In contrast, Anna had chosen a rogue for her class. It was fitting given her personality, and while she hid it well, he could tell she was somewhat excited about the whole ordeal. Pam's one request about playing had been that everyone dress the part of their class. This had Bram even more excited about playing with his family. Costumes would take some time, but he could wait and continue to work in the meantime.

He debated on whether or not to bring up his new discovery about himself to Anna or not. He needed to talk to somebody about this, but he wasn't sure he had the nerve to do so again. He'd continued to find ways to explore confines, crevasses, and even cracks whenever the opportunity arose. Sometimes it was inadvertent, but others were deliberate attempts on his behalf. Regardless of whether they were intentional or not, he found himself enjoying the experience more and more every time. He wondered if this was how addicts felt while they searched for their fix. No matter how many times he told himself it was the last time, he still found himself daydreaming about the next encounter. He worried that it was getting out of hand, but could he really bring this up to someone? If he could, then Anna was most certainly his best bet. She might exploit his desires, but he knew she could keep a secret better than anyone in the house. It was just a matter of finding the nerve to bring it up that he was struggling with.

He found himself sitting on his usual perch on Victoria's nightstand one night, pondering his dilemma yet again. Victoria had gone to shower before bed, and he found himself giddy with excitement for her return. His dear sister was blissfully unaware of his thoughts, but the simple act of her returning and changing had become something of a show for him. Her movements were simple yet dynamic to him. There was an air of power and grace that this giantess carried. His fascination had long outweighed the shame of his thoughts with every bit of movement the others made. He was, quite literally, on the edge of his seat in anticipation of his beloved sister's return.

The door opened, and his breath caught in his throat as she walked in. Her hair was still dripping wet, and her towel barely went past her waist. She deftly kicked the door closed, bent her head, and began drying her hair with the one wrapped around her head. The way her breasts bounced behind that thin little cloth was maddeningly mesmerizing. How such a simple act could be so incredibly compelling was far beyond his understanding. He watched with unbridled interest and fascination as she walked over to her dresser and bent over to select her nightwear. Her towel crept upward and exposed those solid and smooth legs, and Bram felt his body begin to react in an all too familiar and shameful manner. He took a deep breath to combat the lustful thoughts welling up within him.

It was all too common these days for Victoria to forget that he was here, so this wasn't the first time he got to watch as she inadvertently exposed herself. She let the towel fall away and exposed her perfect backside to him. Those magnificent curves broke what little composure he had left in his tiny body. His face turned a brilliant shade of red as he watched her easily slip into a pair of purple silk panties and pull them up to cover her backside. His excitement was brought to a close at long last as she threw on a simple baggy gray t-shirt from their father's business. She glanced over at her nightstand and let out a nervous laugh, "Oh, sorry, Bram! I really need to start taking my clothes into the bathroom with me."

"I-it's alright," he stammered out as he lied, "I didn't even notice."

She flashed him a smile as she walked over to her bed and sat down, "Still, I'll try to remember to bring them with me next time. So, got anything you want to go over before bed?"

He knew she was referring to his campaign, but he also knew there was no way he could focus right now. He shook his head and slowly started to regain control over himself, "Not tonight. We can go over some more details tomorrow. I need to hammer out a few more things with Anna and dad about their characters first."

"That might be a little difficult tomorrow," Victoria said as she nestled herself into bed, "Dad is supposed to be going with Pam tomorrow to Lift, and Anna is supposed to be helping me before meeting up with Pam when I get off."

"Dad is going with Pam to the gym?" he asked, confused, "What's he going to do there?"

She shrugged, "Not sure, but Pam told me that she's been spearheading a new way to keep customers during the pandemic. They've been losing a lot of clients because most of the women have to keep an eye on their spouses, family, or significant others, so Pam had the idea to create an area for the men to wait while the women work out. So far, it's been going pretty well, and dad figured he would accompany her to see it for himself and give some feedback on it."

The thought of a myriad of women clad in workout attire, shuffling and bustling about, immediately threw Bram's mind into a full hormonal swing. He was pretty sure he knew what he would be dreaming about tonight. However, he shook it off as he realized, "Wait, so does that mean that I'm going to be spending the day with gran?" he asked, torn between excitement and dread.

"Yup," Victoria replied, "But don't worry, Dad said that because it's getting closer to the holidays, he usually shuts down the store early. So I'll be working a half-day, as long as there isn't a delivery, and I'll be back so we can work together on getting some more details finalized for my character and finishing up anything else."

"Alright, so I guess I can work with dad and Anna later," he said as he climbed into his bed, "Sounds good to me. Thanks, sis, for everything."

"Happy to help, little brother," she said with a smile as she reached over and switched the light off, "I'm actually pretty excited about all of this. I don't know if it's your excitement that's contagious or if it's because I've been so involved, but whatever the case, I'm glad you talked me into joining. Good night, Bram, love you."

He smiled as he laid his head down and replied, "Glad to hear it. Love you too, sis."

He drifted off to sleep, slightly envious of his father's opportunity tomorrow. He closed his eyes, and images of giantesses began filling his mind. He drifted off to sleep, wondering what tomorrow had in store. A day with his grandmother was always interesting, provided he could stay on her person. His dreams were filled with familiar sights and sound but with a tinge of his plans for his campaign. He slept soundly as he dreamt of a mixture of his fantasies, and his created world merged into a euphoric combination.