Of Mice and Gingerbread (Patreon)

Please enjoy this holiday bonus chapter! Chronologically, it would take place after the McCallum's return from Dave's wedding, but we haven't tied up that plotline quite yet so, we'll just have to suspend belief - call it the magic of Christmas! ;)

I'd also like to thank everyone for their support over the years. Thank you for coming along on this journey! I hope everyone has had a great holiday season so far and enjoy a Happy New Year!

- Khal & Ghost

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Christmas time was always a special time in the McCallum household. Despite all the changes in their life over the past year, it was a time that meant the world to Chad. It was a time of togetherness, merriment, and traditions that helped tie him and his family together—decorating the tree, building gingerbread houses, and spending time together as a family. Admittedly, the shrinking virus had thrown quite a substantial wrench in his usual plans. Still, Chad wouldn’t let his inferior size deter him from making memories and bringing his family together. It was something that they needed now more than ever.

It had taken some convincing on his part with Pam to get her on board with his plan, but she agreed that the best thing they could do was try to regain some sense of normalcy in their household. With Pam in agreement, their first task was decorating the Christmas tree. Six days before Christmas, Pam, Anna, and Victoria brought home a tree for their living room along with the boxes of ornaments. The tree was a perfect representation of their blended family. The ornaments spread along the branches were from all three kids' childhoods, significant life events, and a few from when they'd come together. The tree itself showed off the histories of both families and showcased a new shared one that was being created.

Decorating had gone as well as it could have, all things considered. Admittedly, neither Chad nor Bram could do much to help. Opening boxes was the closest they could come, but their process was far slower than the girls. A cheeky comment from Bram to Anna landed him a spot on one of the branches midway through without anyone other than Chad being the wiser. Sadly, Chad's attempt to scold Anna earned him a place beside his son. Anna had been quick and precise with her handiwork, slipping a hook through the back of their shirts and dangling them off one of the branches. So, they hung limply and watched as the women finished decorating that afternoon. It hadn't been the worst thing either of them had endured, but it wasn't exactly what Chad had in mind when he suggested this little bonding activity.

After twenty minutes, the women had finished decorating the tree. Anna retrieved the two of them and silently warned them from blabbing with a stern look. Bram wasn't too happy about it, but Chad took it in stride. He focused more on admiring the tree and what they'd accomplished, they being the women in the house. The colorful lights, the shared ornaments, the garland, and the star on top looked perfect to him. If he had to literally hang around while they finished, it was a small price to pay. Seeing a touch of the holiday spirit back in their house brought a smile to his face.

It was a day later when Bram found himself in need of some sibling advice. Victoria had gone out with Pam, Rose, and Chad to shop for gifts and stocking stuffers, so that meant he was left with Anna. Ordinarily, it wouldn't have been his first pick for advice, but it was about a certain someone he'd been admiring. Victoria probably would have suggested talking to Anna, considering it was about Peyton. His confidence was still shaken after everything he'd been through, but Bram hadn't completely given up hope with his crush. With that hope in mind, he decided to try to get her a gift. The problem was that he wasn't sure what to get her.

“So, what do you want exactly?” Anna asked, sitting on her bed, “Ideas, suggestions, or are you asking me to buy it for you?”

“All of the above, I guess,” Bram replied, sitting between Anna's legs, “I usually get some Christmas money from gran, so I can pay you back. What can I get her?”

Anna tilted her head back in thought. “Well, she's kind of a nerd like you,” she said, “You two like a lot of the same stuff, so maybe a game or something?”

“Gran usually only gives like fifty bucks,” Bram sighed, “I'll still be short on cash.”

“You're short in general,” Anna teased before smirking, “But you can pay me back another way. I can talk to her and see what she wants, but it'll cost you, little bro.”

Bram didn't like the sound of this, but he knew Anna wouldn't do anything to actually hurt him on purpose. “Cost me what exactly?” Bram asked.

“It's been a while since I've gotten to have some fun, and Jessica is visiting her aunt this week,” Anna answered, smirking at Bram.

“I don't like where this is going,” Bram admitted.

“Relax, dork, I'm not talking about anything sexual,” Anna scoffed, “God, you are such a perv sometimes.”

“What am I supposed to think when you bring up your girlfriend, the fact that she's gone, and the word fun?!” Bram exclaimed.

“Alright, I'll grant you this one,” Anna shrugged, “That one, I can kind of see why you'd go there. Nah, you're not my type, bug-boy. However, there's something to be said about getting one of you dweebs to do what I say. So, since I'm a nice girl, I'll let you pick which you would rather do. You can either rub my feet, and I expect you to do a damn good job, or you can spend some time cushioning my butt.”

“You're joking,” Bram scoffed, “You said it wasn't anything sexual!”

“If you're talking about being a cushion, I'm keeping my pajama pants on, dumbass,” Anna explained, “I'm not risking you getting overexcited or anything. Besides, you could get stuck if I took them off.”

“I could get crushed under you!” Bram shouted, surprised Anna didn't see that possibility, “You're like a freaking building compared to me!”

“One, watch your tone,” Anna reprimanded him, “I'm not gonna tell you twice. Two, I'm smarter than you give me credit for. You'll be fine if you don't move too much or do anything stupid. Of course, you can always just rub my feet. Fair warning, they've been awfully sweaty today, and I haven't showered yet.”

Bram grimaced, “That seemed like info I didn't need.”

“Again, I'm being fair and giving you a heads up on things,” Anna pointed out, “I'll also point out that I could just do both if I wanted to, but I'm giving you the chance to say no.”

Bram bit his lip and looked down. Anna was wearing flannel fleece pajamas today. She hadn't been bothered to change since she woke up. Her feet were bare, and her hair was tied back in a bun. “Promise you'll figure out what she wants and help me,” Bram said, wanting to be sure he wasn't getting the short end of the stick.

“Have I ever lied to you?” Anna asked, rolling her eyes when he shot her a look, “Okay, have I ever broken my word?”

“No,” Bram sighed.

“I'll figure something out, and I'll buy it and help you wrap it,” Anna assured him, “I swear, I wouldn't back out of this.”

“Fine, I'll rub your feet,” Bram sighed, choosing the lesser of the two evils.

“Awe, someone doesn't wanna be a butt bugg,” Anna teased, mock pouting as she extended her legs, “Your choice, little brother, but I expect you to give it everything you've got.”

“It's gonna take everything I've got to rub a couple of billboards,” Bram grumbled as he walked towards her feet.

“What was that?” Anna asked, having only caught the tone in his voice.

“Nothing!” Bram shouted, not wanting to upset Anna when he was about to be at her mercy.

Anna leaned back and relaxed as Bram finished his walk. It had been too long since she'd had someone pamper her like this. She and Jessica often took turns with their fun, but her girlfriend had been gone for a week. Besides, there was something to be said about having a tiny working hard to please her. It was fun, exciting, and more than a little exhilarating. However, she'd refrained from indulging in this as often because of how both Chad and Bram had been lately. The truth was that she didn't see either of them as true perverts anymore, not after everything they'd said and done. They were both still dorky little guys but were good guys who genuinely cared about her and the rest of the family. That didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun without hurting them, though.

Bram sighed to himself as he approached Anna's left foot. It wouldn't take much for her to squash him into oblivion with it, but he trusted Anna not to do that. It felt almost stupid to think that, but she'd proven herself a woman of her word. Exactly how far she would be willing to push things was still a mystery. He hoped that his efforts would be good enough to satisfy her. Bram reminded himself that he was doing this for his crush, a chance at getting into her good graces and that this was little more than a transaction. It didn't diminish the humiliating act, but seeing it as a means to an end made it somewhat bearable.

One of the things that Bram had discovered at his height was the potency of different things. In this case, it was the distinct odor of sweat and feet. The smell was thick, sour, and pungent. While it wasn't the worst he'd experienced, it was far from pleasant. Anna hadn't lied about her feet being sweaty, much to his chagrin. They were clammy to the touch and more than a little slick. If he weren't careful, he'd wind up slipping face-first into her sole. Bram did his best to find a rhythm and begin his enormous task. Ignoring the slight dampness of Anna's feet, he pressed his hands into her sole and began kneading it as best he could. It was doubtful she would even feel it, but this was what she wanted. Judging by the look of things, he would be at this for a while.

His assessment proved to be an accurate one. It took Bram nearly twenty minutes to make sufficient headway on Anna's first foot. The fact that there was still another one to go and that he was barely halfway through this one only made him groan internally. However, he was smart enough to keep it to himself. It wasn't worth risking upsetting Anna by complaining and exacerbating the issue. Hopefully, she'd be patient enough to let him finish. That was also assuming he'd have enough time to finish before everyone got home. At the rate he was going, Bram wasn't entirely sure that would happen.

Anna let out a contented sigh while Bram worked his little hands. It wasn't the best massage she'd ever had, but there was something to be said about the feeling of power that she got. It was taking him forever, though; she knew it wouldn't be long before their family got home. She didn't mind taking matters into her own hands, but she knew she'd need to clarify what was happening to Bram. After everything he'd been through, she couldn't subject him to something unexpected without a little warning. Even if it wasn't the holidays, she simply wasn't that cruel anymore.

“Alright, bug-boy, change of plans,” Anna said, “You're doing fine, but you're taking. If you want something done right, do it yourself. So, come here.”

“Woah, what?!” Bram exclaimed as Anna reached for him, “Hold on a minute, I'm doing my best!”

“Yeah, I know, which is why I'm not gonna punish you,” Anna replied, carefully scopping him up, “Look, we're gonna speed this up a little bit. It's only as bad as you make it, Bram. My advice is to try to keep your mouth shut, and don't you dare bite me.”

“Anna, wait!” Bram shouted as she rolled him around in her hand, “What are you doing?!”

“Or, you know, keep talking and keep your mouth open, whatever you want,” Anna shrugged, purposefully glossing over his question.

Bram didn't have to wonder what was going on for very long. Anna repositioned him in her hand and pushed him against the sole of her foot. She was forceful and rough, but he assumed she was holding back some. Again, it didn't make his situation any more enjoyable, but he knew it could have been worse. Anna dragged him up and down her foot, making it a point to apply a little more pressure without hurting him whenever possible. The first thing Bram realized was that he should have heeded her advice, and the first few moments of his torturous position netted him a mouthful of sweat and grime. His mouth was filled with a bitter and acrid taste, but he shut it the second Anna pulled him away. This was not what he'd signed up for and agreed to.

In a matter of seconds, Bram had gone from massaging to massager for Anna. She rubbed him quickly and fiercely along her foot, and he made a note to make sure that she kept her word for this. It was humiliating to a degree he hadn't experienced in quite some time. Shamefully, some distant part of his mind worked against him, though. He didn't enjoy the firsthand glimpse at her feet, but he tried to picture Anna as Peyton to combat it. It turned out to be a slight mistake on his part. He closed his eyes as Anna threaded him through her toes and finished her left foot. An image of Peyton holding him and treating him like this sprang to mind, and a sense of shame hit him as he realized It was almost exciting. Bram began to wonder if he might have had a screw knocked loose at some point.

The process was long, arduous, and grueling as Anna worked his body through her toes. She finished shortly enough, but it felt like an eternity to Bram. It was only made worse by the fact that she wasn't through yet. It began anew with Bram being mashed against her heel. It didn't help that Anna was practically ignoring his very existence, treating him more like an object than a person. Whether it was meant to degrade him further or was just her focusing, he couldn't say. Yet, for reasons he couldn't explain, it was shamefully stirring something in him. Envisioning his titanic crush treating him this way was equally humiliating and exciting. Not for the first time, Bram wondered what was wrong with him. He tried not to think too much about it as Anna continued using him.

Another ten minutes passed before Anna finally pulled him away from her feet for good. “That wasn't so bad, was it?” she asked with a smug smirk.

“No, it was awful,” Bram pouted.

“Awe, come on, I bet you were imagining me as Peyton, weren't you?” Anna teased, unknowingly hitting the nail on the head, “Does little Bram wish his crush would use him as a personal massager?”

Bram's cheeks burned as Anna's teasing hit closer to home than he would have liked. “Just promise me you'll find out what she wants and help me,” he said.

“I promised you, and I won't let you down,” Anna assured him, scooting off the bed, “Let's get you cleaned up before everyone gets home.”

The rest of the day passed without much of an incident. Chad and the others returned home with bags of gifts and supplies for another activity not long after Anna had washed Bram. Pam made it a point to keep the kids away from several gifts, and Chad rode with Victoria into the kitchen. They'd bought the supplies needed for their next family activity: building a gingerbread house. It was a simple, if mildly tedious, thing that Chad enjoyed doing with his kids. Anna was a little less enthusiastic about it, but she agreed to participate. Pam thought it was a lovely idea that would bring everyone closer together.

The following day, Chad and Pam spent some quality time together. Anna left to spend time with some of her teammates, and Bram was spending time with Victoria, working on the next part of their campaign. That left Chad with some much-needed time alone with his wife. While they didn't use it for intimacy, they shared their thoughts, feelings, and more with one another. It was good to be able to sit down and talk every once in a while. Their chats had become infrequent and brief with everything happening lately, and it was important that they found time to talk with each other and share what was going on. The holidays could be stressful enough without the virus, but their talks helped ease their burden and minds. It also provided them with an opportunity for their next family outing.

It was decided that building gingerbread houses could wait another day and that they'd go out for a drive the following evening. One of Pam's favorite things about the holidays was the Christmas lights and displays around town. Blow-ups, lights, decorations, and more reminded her of when she was a child and the joy she felt. She and Anna had done it together for years, and Chad used to do it with Bram and Victoria. It was one of the few times all three kids shared the same excitement as they piled into the car. Pam volunteered to drive, Anna took the passenger seat, and Victoria sat in the back with Bram nestled in her hand near the window that evening as the sunset. They'd also invited Rose along, and she sat behind Pam with Chad in her hand.

Everything started out fine. The drive went smoothly, and the first neighborhood was a sight to see. Twinkling colorful lights lined the roofs or wrapped around the trees, festive displays lined the yards, and multiple inflatables were all present. After last year's events, it was good to see people trying to bring some cheer. Chad guessed it was another way to restore some normalcy for some of these folks. Whether it was because they had family or friends that had shrunk or because they wanted to spread some spirit, he couldn't say. Whatever the case may have been, it warmed his little heart. The excitement on the kids' faces was also a refreshing change. Victoria and Bram kept focused on the displays, and even Anna's face lit up more than once.

It was around the time they turned into the next neighborhood that things took a bit of a turn. Pam cut the wheel too hard, and Chad fell from his perch on Rose's hand. Unbeknownst to him, Bram also fell from Victoria's hand. The two of them landed with a slight bounce on the car seat before rolling to two precarious positions. Rose leaned forward to point out something to Pam and Anna, but Victoria kept still and watched. Chad rolled backward and tried to get to his feet. Unfortunately, Rose was returning to her seat and still hadn't noticed that her son was missing. The twinkling lights coming through the car windows were eclipsed by Rose's colossal ass coming down. Her leggings gave some leeway of cushion, but they didn't help the crushing weight bearing down on his body.

Like the rest of the women in the car, Rose had opted to wear winter leggings and a long-sleeved shirt tonight. Hers were red and white, and her top was thick white fur. To Chad, all he could see was darkness as his mother sat on him. By some miracle, if he could call it that, he somehow found himself in the seam of her leggings. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than being crushed under a cheek. The smell was rather melodious for him, but he hadn't been near many asses that smelled great. Of course, Rose's health-conscious diet probably wasn't helping things; she wasn't a particularly gassy woman, but he'd walked through more than one lingering cloud. He counted himself lucky that he wasn't getting a firsthand experience with her intestinal fortitude.

While a gas-free session was a silver lining, Chad was still trapped beneath his mother. Rose remained blissfully unaware of her son's whereabouts, assuming he was still in her hand. The slightest twist and movement dragged Chad's body along the seam of Rose's ass. It wasn't what he'd envisioned when he'd pitched the idea to everyone. Spending a car ride beneath his mother was far from the top of his list of wants. She lifted up to point something out to everyone, and Chad tried to seize the opportunity to flee. Sadly, his window was far too short, and he received another powerful crash landing as Rose sat back down. The sudden drop was painful and disorienting, but it was enough to keep him in place. Obviously, running wasn't an option tonight. His only movements were mild struggles in hopes of getting noticed and the various times he was dragged closer to Rose's crack.

Across the backseat, Bram was dealing with his own set of issues. While Victoria hadn't moved to put him in the same position as his father, that didn't mean he was necessarily safe. He'd landed on the seat and tumbled back until he hit a wall of fabric that was unseemingly warm to the touch. He pushed himself up and realized exactly where he was and why there was a slight warmth. Bram had landed between Victoria's legs, and he'd been stopped at the base of her crotch. Her pink leggings were lined with fleece, but he doubted that was the sole source of heat, given where he was. Twin walls of monolithic thighs rested on both sides. He was trapped unless he dared to climb, but then he risked falling into the floorboard and getting stepped on. He'd also spent enough time around feet this week for his liking.

Perhaps he should have been thankful that this wasn't an arousing situation for his sister, but instead, all he could focus on was how close to her womanhood he was. The barrier between himself and it was present, but it didn't take away from the fact that he stood before it. His hormone-riddled mind tried to play tricks on him. It took everything he had to remind himself that this was his sister, not a stranger or his crush. Much like with Anna the other day, his little mind wandered to thoughts of being between Peyton's thighs. It was a possible dream for him, depending on her treatment of him, but the reality remained present in the back of his mind. Even so, the faint smell of Victoria's flower wafting around him was causing a strain on him.

The question was how he was supposed to get himself out. He was nearly a sensitive area, but he knew causing any sort of stir was a risk that could end poorly. How would it look for him to be found practically fondling Victoria's pussy outside her clothes? The answer didn't sit well with him, so he opted to try beating against her thighs instead. Bram sounded his fists against Victoria's thighs in hopes of eliciting some sort of reaction to be discovered. Regrettably, it had an undesired consequence; at least, that was what he assumed. Whether Victoria felt him or was simply looking out the window, she closed her legs together. The walls of her thighs collided and smashed Bram between them. It wasn't enough to cause any harm, but she was unconsciously squeezing the life out of him. He was sandwiched between her thighs as she took in the sights in the neighborhood.

When Victoria relaxed again, Bram felt drained and rolled back after hitting the seat. He once again found himself resting on his side against her covered flower. His plan was blown, and he lay still and tried to figure out another idea. The scent around him continued to permeate the air and cloud his thoughts. Between it and his growing exhaustion, his mind returned to thoughts of Peyton sitting above him. Once more, Bram shook off the images and reminded himself that this was his sister. It took everything he had to claw his way back to his feet. Being this small was difficult enough without having to wrestle with hormones and the thoughts they brought. There had to be something he could do to get himself discovered.

As he got to his feet, Victoria shifted again, and her legs closed around him again. This particular time was rougher than the last. He'd made his way towards her mid-thigh previously, but this time, he was still directly in front of her crotch. It meant that he was now being pressed firmly against Victoria's pants and the barrier they provided. His face was pressed against the seam of those leggings, and it was closer than he'd ever hoped to be to his sister. All he could do was wait and hope he'd be found and freed soon.

It took the entirety of the car ride for either of them to be found. Rose and Victoria had assumed that both were safe and sound, but when they pulled back into the driveway, they discovered two missing tinies. A brief moment of panic occurred, but it was overshadowed by a bit of laughter and joking when they found the two men. After ensuring they were fine, the teasing ensued. Anna remarked about how they were a couple of idiotic perverts, Victoria blushing at the thought of where her brother had been, having felt a mild tingling between her legs, and Rose reminding Chad that he was fortunate she had been in the car with the rest of the family. All in all, it could have been worse, but both Bram and Chad were glad it was over.

The next day, Anna left early in the morning to pick up something for Bram. Rose, Victoria, and Pam began working on getting everything ready for the gingerbread houses. Bram and Chad helped how they could, carrying smaller things and accessories whenever possible. Bram explained to his father that Anna was getting a gift he wanted to give Peyton and that he'd already paid her for it. The other women happened to overhear and remarked about how sweet it was. Victoria even suggested inviting her over for a small gift exchange tonight. It was a custom for them to open one gift the night before Christmas anyway, and Chad seemed to think it was a good idea.

When Anna returned a few hours later, she was carrying a controller she'd bought for Peyton from Bram. A limited edition Spiderman web controller she'd had her eye on. It was perfect, and Bram couldn't have been happier with the result of his and Anna's secret arrangement. Anna had even managed to beat Bram to the punch on inviting Peyton over. She'd arrive sometime after four, meaning the six of them had ample time for their construction project. More than likely, they'd be finished shortly before Peyton arrived. Anna agreed to join in after she wrapped the gift she'd gotten for Bram to give Peyton.

What followed began as an enjoyable time for everyone. Anna worked beside Rose, who always seemed to bring out the best in her, while Pam and Vcitoria talked and worked together. Chad and Bram carried whatever was needed to whoever needed it as quickly as they could. To the two of them, it looked like an actual construction site for a new home for one of them. It was like looking up at a mansion made of sweets. The sweet smell of gingerbread and gumdrops was a nice and festive change from the night before. Ferrying the candies and other items was a lot of work, but it was worth it to see the finished result.

As their project neared completion, disaster reared its head once more. Chad was on one side of the house while Bram was on the other. The titans handling the finishing touches were busy talking and not paying attention as they worked. Both men were sprayed with icing along with the candy they'd been carrying, but that wasn't the worst part. Before they could pry themselves away from the candies, they were grabbed and stuck into the house as added decorations. Neither one knew what the other was experiencing, but they were stuck without a way out. Their hopes of being quickly located were dashed as the women continued their conversations and left the kitchen. They were stuck dangling in a sweet mixture as decorations on a house until someone noticed they were gone.

Seconds turned to minutes, minutes to an hour, and before long, there was a knock at the door. Neither Bram nor Chad had been found, but they'd already spotted the women looking for them. Pam and Victoria, primarily with Anna, had retreated to her room. Their best bet at being found was otherwise occupied, so that meant they could only dangle, wait, and hope against hope. Alas, their hopes went unheeded as they watched Pam and Victoria exit the kitchen again. Alone again, Chad and Bram sighed and tried to remain patient.

Peyton entered the kitchen sometime later with Anna and the others in tow. “So, you mean nobody knows where they're at?” Anna asked.

“No, I haven't seen them since we finished up in here,” Victoria admitted.

“They're not in the living room,” Rose sighed, “Where could those boys be?”

“I'm starting to get worried,” Pam shook her head.

“Why didn't someone come get me?” Anna asked.

“Does this happen a lot?” Peyton asked.

“Living with two dumbasses, yeah,” Anna sighed, surveying the kitchen, “Their superpower is getting themselves lost or in trouble.”

“Don't call them dumbasses,” Victoria chided, “Half the time, it's not their fault this happens.”

“It's more like seventy-thirty,” Anna countered, “I'll admit, sometimes it’s not their fault. They're only idiots, like, seventy percent of the time.”

“Anna,” Pam frowned, “If you're not going to help-”

“Mom, I'll find them,” Anna cut her off, “They might be little morons, but they're still family. Peyton, why don't you go ahead and have a seat, but watch your step.”

“Gotcha,” Peyton nodded, carefully walking to the table where the gingerbread house was sitting, “This is really cool. Did you guys buy this?”

“What?” Anna asked, looking over as she got down on her hands and knees, “Oh, nah, we made it earlier. Dork One and Dork Two were helping us. Chad's a bit of a nerd, but he's really into the Christmas spirit. It was actually kind of fun.”

“I wish my family and I did stuff like this,” Peyton admitted, looking over the craftsmanship, “All we do is sit around and watch TV half the time.”

“It's edible if you want to try it,” Rose said, looking along the countertops, “I'm sorry we don't have more ready right now, but we've been a little busy.”

“Yes, it's not like us to not have something ready for a guest,” Pam agreed, watching Anna.

“It's fine, I promise,” Peyton shrugged.

“Help yourself; we didn't let Gran add in any of her weird healthy stuff this time,” Victoria added.

“Hush,” Rose smiled, “It would taste better if I had.”

“Yeah, I'm gonna disagree with that, Rose; sorry,” Anna said.

The entire time that the women were chatting, Bram and Chad were struggling to be noticed. While the women were talking and searching, they remained unaware of the fact that the two of them were right under their noses. “Are you sure it's okay if I have a piece of this?” Peyton asked, “It looks like you all worked really hard on it.”

“It's there to be eaten, hon,” Pam assured her, “We have pictures, and we were going to have some tonight anyways. Go ahead, help yourself.”

Peyton shrugged and took that as all the consent she needed. She carefully reached over and broke off a piece of the roof for a snack. The piece she'd taken was the very one that Bram was stuck to. Bram shuddered despite his sticky situation as Peyton brought the piece he was trapped on to her lips. His personal hell and nightmare was happening again, but this time, it was Peyton at the root. His crush had no idea of his existence as she popped the piece into her mouth. Bram could do little more than struggle and scream as he was plunged into the wet confines of Peyton's mouth.

Once before, he'd been subjected to this hellish treatment from Sarah, but he had hoped to never again experience it again. The idea of being chewed up and swallowed by the girl he'd fantasized about was at the bottom of his wants. Stuck and scared, Bram screamed in hopes of getting discovered. Peyton chewed on a few pieces of the gingerbread, and her saliva slowly coated his little body. The only saving grace from this repulsive happening was that her saliva was breaking the hold the icing had on him. If he were lucky, which he was beginning to doubt, he'd be free before her pearly white teeth clamped down and killed him.

Bram's luck proved better than expected, and he managed to get himself free just as Peyton chomped another piece of the gingerbread. Gaining footing inside a mouth was easier said than done. Bram slipped along Peyton's tongue and nearly fell into her teeth. The wall of white behind him clamped down before he lost an arm, but he had to push himself away to put any distance between himself and them. This wasn't how he wanted to go out; he didn't want to die. He screamed again and tried to get free, but every step was met with slick resistance. He was losing hope at a rapid rate, and he fought back tears of desperation and terror. When Peyton swallowed a little bit she'd eaten, he thought he'd surely fall down her throat. He wrapped his arms around her tongue and squeezed tight while fighting back horrified sobs.

Peyton had been enjoying the sweet holiday treat when she felt something odd in her mouth. Ignoring it initially, she munched down a little more and swallowed what she could. When she felt something on her tongue that wasn't right, she frowned. What was in this thing? She thought she heard something, but she wasn't too sure. She didn't want to be rude, but something didn't feel right here. She tilted her head forward and spat out what was left of the candies and gingerbread into her hand. Her eyes widened as she spotted a tiny, terrified little man in her hand. She swallowed what was left in her mouth and stared down at who was in her hand. She recognized that full head of hair. That was Bram, no doubt about it.

“Uhm, guys,” Peyton cleared her throat, getting to her feet, “I think I found them.”

“What, where?” Anna asked, raising up and frowning as Peyton held Bram up.

“Check the house over here,” Peyton replied, walking over to the sink and checking on Bram, “Are you okay?”

“Oh, for the love of…” Anna groaned as she found Chad, “How stupid are you two?! How many times do I have to tell you to be careful?!”

“Anna, I don't think this was entirely their fault,” Victoria chimed in, helping to get her father off of the house, “We were all busy talking earlier, even you.”

“I-ugh, you're right,” Anna sighed, softening her tone, “Is Bram alright?”

Peyton had made it to the sink and let the water warm enough to rinse Bram off. “He's pretty freaked out,” Peyton answered as she carefully held Bram under the stream, “Can't say I blame him, though. I'd be pretty scared if I were in someone's mouth about to be eaten.”

“That could have been you, idiot!” Anna snapped at Chad, taking a deep breath when Pam and Rose gave her a stern look, “Okay, okay, I'll back off the insults. I just worry about them, okay? They're annoying little guys, but I do care about them.”

“I know you do,” Victoria said, “I know it's coming from a place of love, but I think they've been through enough for one night.”

“Yeah, you're right,” Anna sighed, handing Chad over to Pam, “Sorry about all that, and I'm sorry for losing track of both of you.”

Chad smiled despite the sticky mess covering him, “It's alright, just as long as everyone is okay. Pam, do you think you could get me cleaned up?”

“Sure, honey,” Pam smiled down at him before looking over at Peyton, “Peyton, are you okay with Bram?”

Peyton looked down at Bram, gently toweling him off and trying to get him to settle down. “I think so,” she said, “I've got him, and I won't let him out of my sight. Is that okay with you?”

Bram was still shaken, but he'd seen the regret and remorse in Peyton's eyes. Her soft tone and gentle touch were soothing his shot nerves. “Yeah, yeah, that sounds good to me,” he said.

The next hour was spent with the family and Peyton, talking and trying to regain some normalcy. It took a little while for Bram to calm down, but the genuine care and concern from everyone acted as a much-needed balm to his nerves. Peyton kept her word, and she held him close the entire time. Anna offered to take him, as did Victoria, but Bram declined in favor of staying close to his crush. At one point, Peyton took Chad to talk with him and allowed him to check on Bram. Like many of their family plans this season, this one had gone off the rails. However, they were fortunate that nobody had gotten seriously hurt.

“I got you something,” Bram said as everyone opened gifts and settled down.

“You didn't have to do that,” Peyton said with a small smile, “I didn't get you anything, so I don't really feel right.”

“You didn't eat me, so there's that,” Bram offered, pointing at the green and red wrapped gift sitting on the table.

“I'm really sorry about that,” Peyton said sheepishly, “If I'd known you were there, I wouldn't have done that.”

“I know, and you've taken care of me since then,” Bram said, patting her finger, “It's okay, I promise. I mean, it sucks that it happens, but it could have ended a lot worse. Will you open it, please?”

Anna overheard the exchange and decided to intervene. “Here, he's been dying to give it to you,” she said, handing the gift to Peyton.

The rest of the room carried on their conversations, but they subtly watched the pair out of the corner of their eyes. Peyton unwrapped the gift carefully to reveal a small box with a controller inside. Red and black web designs adorned it, and her face lit up at the sight of it. She'd set Bram down on the arm of the chair while she opened it. She stared down at it before placing it in her lap. Peyton could feel everyone watching her, even if they tried their hardest to hide it. Her nerves spiked, but she tried to ignore them. She gently picked Bram up and held him. She may not have gotten him a gift, but there was one thing she could do to repay his kindness. Peyton pushed her nervousness aside and brought Bram to her lips for a quick, tender kiss. It was brief, and her cheeks flushed from it, but it showed her gratitude.

Bram was taken by surprise by Peyton's uncharacteristic display of affection. He hadn't been expecting it, but he wouldn't complain about it. Titanic as she was to him, she looked adorable as she pulled him away. “Thank you,” she said, stroking his back with her thumbs, “I've been needing a new controller, and I wanted this one when it came out. I just wish I had something to give you.”

“Th-that was more than enough,” Bram swallowed, still mildly shocked by the sudden kiss, “Merry Christmas, Peyton.”

“Merry Christmas, Bram,” she smiled back.

Anna grinned and turned her attention back to her gift and the rest of her family. Victoria smiled as she went back to her new book. Pam looked down at Chad, “They're sweet together.”

“I'm glad to see the two of them together and happy,” Chad agreed, “I worry about him getting involved with someone, but she seems to be gentle with him. I can only hope that things work out for them.”

“That's all we can do. We hope for the best,” Pam said, “For all of them, not just Bram. As much as we'd like to be able to keep them safe and give them the best, we can't protect them forever.”

“Yeah, you're right,” Chad sighed, “That's why the holidays are so important to me. The older they get, the more independent they become. This is one of the few times of the year when we can still come together and feel like they're kids again. The silly little things still mean a lot to them and mean just as much to me.”

“I know, hon,” Pam smiled, “Things might not have gone exactly as planned, but I'm glad you talked me into doing them. Let's enjoy tonight and tomorrow while we have it.”

“Agreed,” Chad nodded, “The new year is right around the corner, and there's no telling what it has in store for us.”

“Whatever it is, we'll see it through together,” Pam assured him, “Merry Christmas, Chad.”

“There's no one I'd rather have beside me,” Chad smiled up at his wife, “Merry Christmas, Pam.”

`Despite the commotion, disruptions, and hiccups, the holidays turned out to be as special as ever. Chad watched the kids as they talked about their gifts and regarded Bram and Peyton with a look that reminded him of himself. Things might never return to normal, but this season was still as special as ever. It might have been different, but they'd made memories all the same. Pam was right, too; whatever next year held for their family, they'd see it through together. They'd grown closer over the last year in spite of everything, and there wasn't a doubt in Chad's mind that they'd grow closer as time went on.