This year’s winter tradition would be different than the one they had in the past because the adults talked it over and they decided unanimously to break one rule. It’s an arbitrary rule one of their descendants made that held no actual weights. The rule was made to save the family from unforeseen embarrassment. Seeing that they could not wait until Dylan is 18, the adults made a plan.
The adults asked Chris, a recent addition to the adult’s table, to spend one more year in the children’s table while they sneak in Dylan’s clothes to the gift rack for adults. Chris didn’t bother protesting since the adults paid him to hush his yappers. And besides, Chris liked being a child. Christmas is his only chance at playing with his younger cousins, much to his parent’s humiliation at wishing for a more mature-oriented son.
During the gift exchange for the children’s table, Dylan already had his suspicions on why no one got Chris’s clothes and why nobody got his. It was probably an oversight from the adults that he did not bother asking about. He’s way too busy mulling at the fact that he’s 6-year-old and wearing only superhero underwear and crocs. It’s embarrassing falling from such great grace. He was a football player with muscle he curated over the months with an extreme regimen. If it weren’t for his father’s insistence, he’d be at his boyfriend’s house cuddling by the fire. But he’s stuck here with noodle arms and a pouty face. At least he is cute, though. He’ll give himself that.
When the children’s table finished exchanging their clothes, it was time for the adults. And of course, every adult was excited since this year’s exchange would be the start of the most exciting swaps. One by one, the adults grabbed their similar colored presents wishing that they’d get Dylan’s clothes, except for the newcomers who are reluctant at picking but nevertheless, chose their pick. Why would anyone not want to turn in Dylan? He’s young but stronger than half the men in their family. And surely he did not get the signature early-baldness an eighth of their family has. Anyone would pay anything just to be the family sweetheart that the adults are willing to break the rule imposed by their ancestors.
The adults ripped the gift wrappers in a haste and wish that the result of their gamble would be theirs. Most were disappointed but none were as oblivious as Drew who managed to get a black jockstrap. All eyes darted to Drew who got embarrassed at the sudden attention to him.
“I fucking knew it,” Arthur said Drew, “The adults were planning something since nobody is that happy unwrapping their present last year. I should have seen it but anyway, congrats. You will like who you will be Drew.”
“I am confused. Who did I pick? Why is everyone looking at me?”
“Don’t worry, you’ll see.”
On the other side of the table, Dylan protested at seeing that familiar Jockstrap. His boyfriend gave it to him and he didn’t remember packing it for a gift. Why the hell would he even pack it in the first place? That jockstrap is only reserved to Blake and Blake only. He clearly remembers packing a T-Shirt and a pair of jeans, not a jockstrap. If there’s anyone at fault, he knew it’s his father. Now he realized why his father is too ecstatic to go on his trip that he forced Dylan to cancel his winter vacation with Blake just so they can keep family traditions. He this annual event since four years ago when he got conscious of his body. His cousins would always eat way too many carbs when they get a spin on his body. And not to mention, what his cousin Arthur did last year. The pictures are still fresh in his mind. And now, all the misfortune in the world must fell upon him when his Jockstrap, his special one, somehow got into Arthur’s boyfriend. Fuck it all, Dylan said in his now childish voice.
And as for Drew, since he picked what every adult in the table wished for, he got to go first. The adults may be sad that they did not get the jockstrap and they lost their bets to a newcomer, at least having a newbie get into the body of who they yearned for would be entertaining. With trembling fingers and a head full of questions, the adults pushed Drew inside the bathroom with only a simple instruction that he already realized from the children, “Wear the clothes”.
Wearing someone’s jockstrap is not only embarrassing but way too unhygienic. And from the smell alone, Drew knew that the Jockstrap hasn’t been washed for weeks. If it was washed at all since it was bought years ago. Nevertheless, he won’t be able to leave this bathroom until he wore it. And he doesn’t want to see his sorry sod of a reflection at the obsidian stone mirror anyway.
Drew undressed all of his clothes, even though he only needs to undress his undergarments, and wore the jockstrap. It is a direct attack on his confidence when the jockstrap did not fit on him. It did not even touch the outer boundaries of his hips. How big is this Dylan guy anyway? Just as Drew was busy thinking the attack on his manhood, he did not realize that his skin was folding in itself and growing larger. His hips broadened and so did his chest. His arms grew bulkier and as a result, gained weight. Drew would notice the weight change if his strength did not grow proportionally to his size. And before Drew could even get a single notion of what is happening, the jockstrap fit snuggly to his groin and hips. Way too snuggly, for that matter.
On the corner of Drew’s eyes, he saw a stranger in the mysterious stone in the wall. He looked around and swore that it’s only him in the bathroom. He looked back at the stone and realized that the reflection was mimicking his movements. Dylan wasn’t stupid. He knew what happened, it happened to the children so it is safe to assume that the same thing happened to him.
Dylan breathed. 1. 2. 3. He remembered the breathing exercise his yoga teacher told him. 1. 2. 3. Inhale then exhale. 1. 2. 3. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Dylan screamed in a voice, unlike his previous one. Outside the bathroom door, the adults chuckled. Half of the new blood their family brings in always screams when they transform.
Dylan got out flushed and sweaty from what he experienced in the bathroom. He expected prying eyes when he left the bathroom. Instead, he got applause from the family. Some even hooted him. After the clap, they chanted in unison - “Flex! Flex! Flex!”
“Do what Arthur did last year!” Uncle Alf said proceeding with a whistle.
Drew looked at Andrew who stood on a chair and did imaginary flexes with his arms. From then on, Drew remembered the ridiculous poses he’d often catch him doing in the bathroom. Now he knows where he got them.
With a heavy heart and an even heavier lack of humility, Drew flexed his biceps like the ones in that New Spice Deodorant Commercial. He stretched his back and bulked up his core muscles. He did more poses that he made up a few themselves. Flexing in this body flows naturally like a river. If it were not for the looming unfamiliarity in his bones, he’d be enjoying the erotic tightness of his muscle and groin. Of fuck, he thought the jockstrap would hold but doing poses must have scratched his dick and stimulated it. His dick grew that it nearly peeked out. Some of the adults saw it and hooted in response, some even bending to get a closer look. Drew stopped flexing and ran over to his boyfriend.
“Hello there, Drew. Or should I say, sexy,” Arthur said with those annoying sexy eyes. Drew looked down and he saw that Arthur was already getting hard. Damn. Does anyone have control in their family? Are they this horny? Children are watching for Jiminy’s sake. Thousands of thoughts swirled on Drew’s mind but one stuck out,
“Where the hell is this guy’s clothes?”
“Oh, we don’t get them until everyone has finished swapping. You better sit by the fire while everyone is doing their turn. And wish me luck because I don’t know whose basketball clothes are these. I’m betting on Kyle,” Arthur pointed to a tall redhead sitting on the far side of the house. “Or this might be Joseph’s” Arthur led his finger to a plump teen no older than Arthur who’s busy gorging on the leftovers than join the rest of the family in the following swaps. “Please let it be Kyle,” Andrew wished.
Drew wished so too.
Swaps in the adult table are usually more eventful than those from the Children’s table. The adults roared in excitement when their bets went into their favor. Men would cheer if they swapped with a woman whilst the other way were none too happy. Aunt Frida made a scene when swapped with Oscar’s body, a brusque Mexican guy who Arthur called a softie.
“I’d show this guy’s dick if there are no children here,” She said in his new hoarse voice. The adults roared into laughter and clinks of their liquors.
Then what they were waiting for finally happened. It Arthur’s turn and he’s reluctant at going inside the bathroom. There’s fear in his heart that is evident by how much he’s trembling. Nevertheless, he has experienced this tradition for 15 years now and he knows there’s no backing from this (Except for their Uncle Joshua who swapped with Aunt Denise, whom he hates vehemently that he tried to escape at the tiny latch above the bathroom which is long sealed by now).
While the silence of the swap was happening, Drew was approached by a kid he recognized as the one the real Dylan got turned into. There’s pout on his face and an even angrier look when their eyes met.
“Look, I want to get things clear. Please take care of my body. I have a boyfriend back home who’s my gym buddy and personal trainer. He’ll kill me if I get back with two fewer abs and muffin for hips. You know what I mean, right?”
Of course, he knew. Other than being his 24-hour boyfriend, Arthur works at the gym. Not as a trainer but eh… as a cashier. Nevertheless, their paths would cross on Drew’s way to his Yoga session. This is a perfect time for Arthur to comment on Drew’s improving physique or when he slips and gains a few pounds.
“Point of reminder, don’t eat Aunt Jenna’s fruit cakes. Not only are they high in carbs but you won’t stop eating them if you start. Apply sunscreen every day - there’s one in my suitcase. I may not have early-baldness but I have sensitive skin. Arthur has it too right?”
Sure, Arthur turns pink when exposed to sunlight. It’s cute if he weren’t dying from the heat.
“And lastly, don’t you ever dare let Arthur touch my body. Not after what he did last year.”
“What did Arthur do last year?”
“He posted a picture of my dick, my ass, and my face - my FACE! - on Tinder and Grindr. The family thinks it's a simple joke but I don’t. It’s a good thing my boyfriend did not see it or I’ll never see the last of it. So, I think Andrew is finished. Who do you reckon he swapped with?”
There was a mist on the bathroom door that wasn’t before. From the mist, out came a figure that looked like