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"Welcome to your new home," I remember Mom saying as I looked up at her, confused as to how I should react to her words but mostly happy all the same. Every year leading up to that point I had been an orphan; I'd never known my parents, where I came from, or even what they named me. My name was assigned by the orphanage. Not that I dislike it; Morty isn't a bad name.

Anyway, around me were my new family members; a family of raccoons. While I was happy to have been adopted and excited at the prospect of living with these people, there was still an edge; they were still strangers. I remember taking strange solace in the fact that we were all the same species. At least, I thought that at the time.

"Thanks," I said perhaps a bit more dryly than I meant. It was a cool mid-day in December, only about two weeks before Christmas. It'd been snowing fairly consistently in the days before so there was a nice coating of snow on the ground. I always enjoyed the aesthetic of snow covering everything, and I think having found a home on a day like that only made me more fond. After we got into the house they showed me to my room.

"We're going to have you and Luke sleep in the same room," Mom said to me before opening the door and adding: "After a while. First we want to help you get... accustomed to living with us and so you'll be sleeping here. It's a little smaller than we'd like but... but hopefully it'll be okay as a temporary arrangement."

"We'll get your stuff in here and work on making Luke's room ready for you to move in with him," Dad said. I notice that Luke is mostly quiet, staring on into the room and avoiding my gaze.

I didn't outright mind, but I'd later find out that they kept me in that room for a very different reason than the one they admitted to at first. I don't actually remember much from the rest of that evening, but I do remember waking up early in the morning and smelling breakfast. Making my way out of my room I'd follow the smell down the well-lit hallway that led to a flight of stairs overlooking the front door. On my way past I check Luke's room and confirm that he'd already woken up... and so, hesitantly, I traversed the stairs down to the entryway and turned left to enter the kitchen. Soon as I turn into the room I see Dad sitting there, which caused me to stop... mostly out of discomfort for the new setting.

"Good morning, Morty," Dad said, motioning for me to walk in, which I do. He has a plate in front of him and in the middle of the table are small containers of food. I didn't notice them at first but as I walked towards the table I noticed two small figures on the surface. In front of them both are their own, smaller plates and when I finally look at one I notice who they are: Mom and Luke... they're micros.

"We thought this might be a bit much to show you last night so we decided to wait for today," Mom said as soon as my eyes settled on her. She stood up and turned to face me while Luke remained sitting. I settled down in the chair nearest to Dad, which placed me only a foot or two away from Luke and Mom.

"You're... micros?" I asked, moving my hand towards them. To her credit, Mom didn't budge a single inch.

"Go ahead," she said gently, which left me brave enough to lift her from the table a few inches after wrapping my fingers about her torso. Now, this was not the first time I'd handled micros in the past. In fact, I'd handled quite a few. The orphanage had a number of... 'pets' that they kept around. Later I'd come to find out that they were homeless micros that'd volunteered for the job in exchange for housing and food. I regularly picked up and played around with them throughout my life and through them I learned how to handle micros. This was different, though. I can only imagine how nervous she and Dad were that morning. I could've... well, her life was in my hand. Literally.

"So.. you have those... things," I recall saying as I moved my hand back down to place Mom on the table next to Luke again. While she brushed her fur down Dad turned his head to me.

"Yes, they wear cloakers," he said calmly. "It's important to us that you know since you're part of our family now. It's also important that you recognize that she is still your mother and he is still your brother no matter which size you find them at. It's not that we don't trust you... but it's important that you understand what's expected of you when it comes to their natural height."

"You're not a micro?" I asked Dad, who shook his head.

"No," he states shortly afterwards. "Mom and Luke are the only two here. You understand that you have to be respectful of them, right Morty?"

"Yea," I said before curiously reaching out to pet at Luke. He lets me but the look on his face sours a little. I see Mom rub a paw over one of her ears; in retrospect she probably really wanted to tell me to stop but I didn't realize at the time. "I understand." I pulled my finger back and grinned a little inwardly. It'd be just like at the orphanage except I wouldn't have to share.

"Well, good," Dad said. "We'll talk more about it later. For now just keep it in mind. If you want some breakfast then the plates are over there," he points at a low cabinet. "And help yourself to anything on the table."

At the time, Dad's words seemed so clear and obvious. I could respect Mom and Luke even if they were micros. I wouldn't be mean to them. My definition of respect would be put to the test several times throughout my life and even now I struggle with it at times. The first test came only a week or so after I'd arrived. I'd been introduced to my new school only a couple days after moving in with my new family and Luke is older than me so while we took the same bus to school we weren't in the same classes and I only saw him occasionally in the halls of our middle school. Over the course of that week I noticed that Luke was pretty talkative... at least with the group of people I always saw him hanging around. I hadn't noticed it at the time because I hadn't made the connection yet but they were all micros too. Needless to say, I wondered why he never talked to me and decided to try and find out.

To this day Luke still has the small blue-purple mohawk and purplish streaks in his fur that he had back then. They're the first thing I noticed about him when we met. Again they're the first thing I notice when I enter his room one Friday afternoon after school before Mom and Dad had returned from work.

"Luke?" I called out, catching him sitting there on his bed playing a video game.

"What?" He asked, eyes twisting to peer at me.

"Can I play?" I asked, walking into the room now which apparently put him off-ease; he shifts on his bed and his muzzle snaps to face me.

"No... it's a single player game. Sorry," he said, eyes remaining locked on me. I didn't mind his attention so much and kept walking in but the closer I got the more antsy he seemed. Eventually he put his controller down and stood up.

"Morty, I'm busy. Leave," he said, standing in front of me. I didn't know how old Luke was at the time but I did know that he was two grades above me. I assumed he was probably fourteen or so. Despite this fact we were about the same height.

"You're just playing a game," I responded, arms crossed and eyes staring at him judgmentally.

"It's my room," he said. "Why do you want to play? Don't you have something else to do?" He asked.

"No," I said. In all honesty I'd been kind of holing up in my room or hanging out in the living room with Mom or Dad up to that point. I had homework to do and they didn't seem to mind having me around. Nothing to do that night, though. "I'm done with all my work and I don't really wanna watch TV."

He glared at me for a moment; I'll never forget the look he gave. I don't know where it came from but it's like I'd wronged him somehow.

"You mad at me or something?" I asked suddenly, maybe catching him off-guard as the glare broke, his ears wilted somewhat and he turned to sit down on his bed again.

"Fine," he said. "But just a few games, okay?" His head turned to me again to confirm, eyes giving a weary glance.

'Finally', I thought to myself as I walk over to his bed and jump onto it, sitting next to my older brother. "I thought you said it was a single-player game."

He doesn't respond to that. Instead he just passed me the controller and restarted so that we could go into two-player mode. I held the controller, staring at the buttons and admiring it-- I'd played video games before but it was a rare treat at the orphanage. That and I was coming to terms with the fact that I could... well theoretically play the console anytime I wanted as long as I could convince Luke. One day we'd be sleeping in the same room and it'd be harder for him to stop me.

"So when do I get to sleep in here with you?" I asked.

"I dunno," was his softly muttered reply.

"What do they have t'do to get it ready for me to move in?" I asked, looking around the room. There's plenty of space... I didn't rightfully see how it would be hard to just put my stuff in there immediately instead of waiting.

"I dunno," he responded again, starting the game right after. I ran out of things to say and just sat there playing the game with him. It was dead quiet except for the sound effects of us running through the level beating up enemies.

"So how long have you had a cloaker?" I asked after a while. I noticed him tense visibly but don't ask why.

"Uh... since I was young," he responded.

"Ahh"

"Is this your favorite game?" I asked.

"No," was his response.

Things went quiet again and I began to become a bit annoyed. I wondered why he's being so quiet and why he kept giving me those short answers.

"Will you take your cloaker off for me?" I asked suddenly. I wasn't entirely dense as a kid even if that was probably just about the worst thing I could've said... so I did follow with something like: "I've held micros before. I know how to hold one." It doesn't really seem help the reaction he has. I just remember the game pausing and him quickly becoming defensive.

"Why would you ask something like that?"

"It's just a question. Come on, just for a little bit?" I pressed.

"No! Get out of my room," he muttered, fingers visibly balling up around the little golden ring on his finger.

"I didn't even do anything! I was just asking a question, Luke... we didn't finish the game either."

"I'm not playing anymore and it's -my- room so if I want you to leave then you have to leave," he growls, standing up.

"I wasn't saying you had t--" I stop at the look in his eyes-- the look of dislike. Why didn't he like me? Whatever thoughts I had about what it'd be like to be in a family were definitely not what I was getting. I left him in his room and went back to my own to sit and wait for our parents to return. It's not that Mom and Dad hadn't been friendly, it's just that I didn't feel like I was really part of this family; they were all still strangers and we'd been together for a whole week! I guess when you're young time seems to go more slowly than when you're old. Now I had to deal with the fact that my 'brother' didn't like me all that much and, to be honest, I kinda just wanted to go back to the orphanage. If nothing else, I had friends there.

"He's just nervous," Mom said to me when I asked her the next day while I sat at the table and she made dinner. "It's... he'll come around. It'll just take some time. You're new in our household and though we love you dearly... Luke has to get used to it just like you have to get used to it."

"But I don't have a problem with Luke," I responded.

"I'm sure he doesn't have a problem with ~you~..." she stops for a moment. "Keep it light... just talk to him a little. Eventually you'll be inseparable. I know it's hard to take the initiative but try not to get discouraged. I'll try to talk to him, too."

I don't entirely remember whether it was the 'initiative' thing that gave me the idea but somehow it got into my head that maybe Luke was just nervous because he thought I'd do bad things to him. He didn't want to be around me because he was nervous... and I got an idea for just how to fix that.

The morning after my talk with Mom I entered his room before he woke up, shutting the door behind me. Seconds later I'm hovering above him a bit; heart racing as I pull his covers back just enough that I could find his cloaker still around his finger. All I had to do was take it off and show him I could be gentle. Easy.

"Alright," I whispered. "Here we go..." I slipped the ring off and he seemed to disappear. The squeaking reveals he'd just shrunken down beneath his covers so I tug them backwards even further to find him panicking.

"Luke! Calm down! I'm not gonna hurt you" I whisper while his squeaky voice fills the room. Fearing that Mom and Dad might hear I reach down to grab him and succeed but as soon as I lift him from the bed he bites my finger.

"Ow!" I shouted, letting go of him and hearing the 'thump' of him hitting the floor; thankfully I wasn't standing all of the way up. I remember thinking he's alright since I noticed him running in my peripheral vision while I examined my finger. I also noticed him going for the door, which I know he can't open and yet it still pissed me off a bit. Why won't he just stop for a second?

"Mom! Dad! Help!" I heard him shout as he ran.

"Luke!" I whispered sharply before I walk after him, lifting a foot over to settle it in his path so that he's forced to dodge around it-- which he tried to do except all I do is slide it forward so that he's thrown backwards by my toes.

"Mom!" He shouted before I lifted my free foot above him. He tried to get up again but it was too late-- my foot pressed down on him and pinned him on his back. He kept shouting and screaming though, which further annoyed me. I'd have to come to terms with this feeling and learn to suppress it as I grew, but I still understand why I felt it. He was small, helpless, and yet he still struggled and screamed... I wasn't going to hurt him and I'd told him so but he's making all that noise. I don't wanna get in trouble so I press down hard enough that the air is forced from his lungs and he can't make noise anymore. He's a micro... what did he think was going to happen? I look down at him, his head surrounded on either side by my toes and his chest beneath the ball of my foot. From my viewpoint I saw his eyes clenched and light reflecting off of what I realized to be tears. The realization was enough to snap me out of whatever anger I'd felt. The whole point of this was to get his trust... not to lose it.

"I'm gonna lift my foot. Don't scream," I said to him before I let the weight up and reached down to grab him in my hand. His arms were pinned to his sides-- my fingers were enormous in comparison to his body. Micros were fragile and I knew that. I also knew just about how hard I could squeeze without breaking one.

He started to shout again but I squeezed him with my fingers, clenching my teeth a bit and waiting for him to run out of energy again. "Luke. Don't scream. I'm not gonna hurt you," I said even as I was likely bringing a fair amount of pain to him by clenching my fist. I loosened my grip again and he sucked down air, sobbing suddenly as tears freely streamed down his cheeks. There was no more shouting, though. I took him back to his bed and sat down, sighing in slight relief but now becoming worried that I'd ruined any chance of winning Luke's trust.

"Are you hurt?" I asked him, loosening my grip entirely but cupping him in my palms just in case he decided to try and run again. "I didn't wanna hurt you... you just kept screaming. Just... be quiet, okay?"

Again he didn't answer, I just heard him quietly sobbing to himself with his back pressed against my cupped fingers; eyes staring up at me with fear I'd instilled in him just moments ago. I pulled one hand away to start rubbing at his torso gently.

"It's alright, Luke. I'm sorry... I really don't wanna hurt you. I just want..." I wanted to tell him that I wanted him to trust me and that all this was just to show him that I could be responsible enough with him at his natural height. Now, though, it seemed kinda silly to make that claim. I didn't even really want to give him his cloaker back because I figured he'd tell Mom and Dad and I'd get in trouble. Maybe they'd even take me back to the orphanage or something. The thought made me scared and soon I didn't know what to do.

"Don't tell Mom and Dad?" I asked him after a while.

"Why shouldn't I?" He finally squeaked, "Y-you snuck in here and took my cloaker! A-and then you nearly broke my ribs!"

"I didn't mean to!"

"Yea right! You stepped o.. on me..." he trembled before reaching up to rub over his eyes. "Give me my cloaker."

"Luke... promise, please?"

"Give it back, Morty," he said more forcefully. I started to curl my fingers again but something kept me from doing it. It was wrong. I shouldn't do it. I really wanted to do it... but I knew I shouldn't, so I didn't. I set him on the floor and reached to grab his cloaker before dropping it to the ground near him. As I got up and started to leave tears welled up in my eyes; I realized just how badly I'd screwed this up and the only thing I could think was that I'd be kicked out... surely they'd think they made a mistake bringing me into this house. Part of me wanted to grab Luke again but I resisted... I'd done enough damage.

I sat in my room and waited for the inevitable. They would come to my room appalled that I'd do that to their son and regret their decision. They'd call the orphanage up and I'd be driven back there to wait for another family to adopt me. Inwardly, I hoped it wouldn't be this kind of family... a normal family would be better. At least that's what I told myself to lessen the sting. While I waited I spent my time staring out at the snow-covered yard in back of the house, focusing on the people shovelling, driving, or playing in the white stuff. At the orphanage they always managed to get us all a small gift at Christmas. The best part, though, was playing outside. We'd make snow-castles with the micro volunteers or have snowball fights. I don't remember falling asleep there but I'm awoken when Dad comes into the room and shuts the door behind him. Here we go.

"You alright?" He asked, leaving me a little confused. I would think he'd be more worried about Luke than me.

"I don't think Luke likes me," I said.

"Well, he was pretty upset about what you did," responded Dad. I look up at him, ears wilted.

"I... just wanted him to trust me. I've held micros before... he doesn't have to be afraid."

"You remember what I said about respecting people, Morty?" Dad asked gently, picking me up and sitting on the bed before he sets me next to him.

"Yea," I responded.

"Well, what you did back there wasn't very respectful. If Luke wants to take his cloaker off for you then he has to do it himself. You can't make that choice for him. On top of that, if Luke tells you to put him down then you should put him down. Stepping on your brother is not okay and grabbing your brother without his permission is not okay."

I winced a little, giving a nod in response. "I... know," I said, ears feeling a bit hot. I know what I did was wrong but he just...

"I said I was sorry."

"I know. He's still shaken up about it. It's gonna be different for you here and we're going to do our best to help you get comfortable and feel like you're home. It might take some time, unfortunately, and we need you to be patient with us just as we're going to be patient with you. We'll make our mistakes, but we're still a family, right?"

"Yea," I responded, smiling a little.

"Good. Dinner is almost ready. We'll have to talk about this as a family but I wanted to come up and see how you were doing. We still love you and nothing will change that, Morty. But we're going to have to find a way to make certain this doesn't happen again."

"O-okay," I said before the larger raccoon squeezed me to his side. I hugged back. "I'll be down in a sec."

He gave a nod and ruffled between my ears. "Alright, don't take too long." He stood and walked out while I crawled back over to my window to watch the snow. I'd overreacted on all counts. I really owed Luke an apology.

I apologized to him in front of Mom and Dad that night and he did say he would try to be more open towards me in the future. I wanted to do a bit more, though. On Christmas Eve I approached Luke's room again, opening the door and peeking into it to find him on his computer.

"Luke?" I called out, getting his attention. He looked at me for a moment before sighing.

"Yea, come in," he said as he turned to me. "What's up?"

"I know I said sorry before but I wanted to give you something." I walked forward a little and pulled out a ring. It wasn't anything fancy but I'd cherished it ever since I won it in one of those cereal box-top things. It was a friendship ring that I hadn't given to anyone up to that point. I always figured I'd give it to my best friend... and even though I was far from it with Luke I guess I kinda looked at it as a promise. "It's a friendship ring," I said. "Not as cool as your cloaker but... well, I'm really sorry and I don't want you to dislike me. So... if you're okay with it... I'd like to give you the other half."

I remember him staring at it for a long time, seeming to consider it as if it were some proposition that would change his life forever. Part of me believes he just waited to make it harder on me... as a kind of revenge for what I did to him. To this day he hasn't admitted that much.

"I don't hate you," Luke said as he took the other half, staring at it for a moment before he slips it onto the same finger we wore his cloaker on. After admiring it for a moment he looked to me again. "Wanna play a video game until Mom and Dad make us go to sleep?"

I grinned a little, nodding. "Sure." The next day was the first Christmas I'd spend with my new family and out of all the Christmases I'd experienced before it, it was of course the best. I do eventually learn why Luke was so antsy around me: he'd experienced the abuse someone my height can inflict on someone his height. When I learned that I tried to be more understanding and resolved to try and protect him however I could while at school. Eventually I did get to move into his room with him, which made me so happy. There'd be more struggles, more accidents, more shouting, more video games, fun, understanding, and love over the next ten years... but no matter what, my new family stuck by me just like I've stuck by them. I guess the point of making this journal entry is that it's Christmas Eve again and I've been in a reminiscing mood lately. Now we're both in college and--

"Hmm?" I shift my face around my laptop to see Luke stirring at my heel. I wiggle my toes in the air a little.

"Done napping already?" I ask.

"Not really, still pretty tired. Think I woke up 'cause I smelled those paws of yours," he says, staring up my sole while his little ring tail flicks behind him. "Why do you always put those near me when I sleep on your bed?"

"Just to tease you. Y'know my foot is three times longer than you are tall?"

"That just means you have big feet," he states with a smirk. "Don't let your size go to your head, though. I'm still the oldest; I have seniority."

"Yea?" I set my laptop aside and bring my feet together around him, pressing in to pin the smaller raccoon between the dark, warm soles. "What're your orders, then, senior 'coon?" I can feel him squirming between my feet. I love the feeling and though I think he likes it he always says he doesn't. I press them in against his form and smile, enjoying the squirming sensation.

"Just wait until I get my cloaker back!" he squeaks, flailing his little arms for a moment before relaxing and giving a soft sigh. "Damn you," he mutters, shifting his head to peer up at me. "One day I'm gonna turn the tables."

"I know," I respond, pulling my paws apart and allowing him to situate himself there between my pads.

"Let's go to bed," he says, peering up at my face now. "I'm tired and we have to be up for family stuff tomorrow. The drive home is already gonna take us long enough."

"Yea, alright," I say, closing my laptop while he reaches into his pocket-- no doubt for his cloaker. "Aww, don't put it back on," I say.

"Why? I wanna sleep."

"You can sleep with me. Pleeeease, Luke?" I ask, smiling down at him. "I won't roll over on you again, I promise. And it'll be just like our first Christmas together."

"You mean the one where you bullied me?" He asks with a smirk

"I... come on, you can't really still hold a grudge over that!"

"I can... but I don't," he responds, still wearing his grin. "...and fine," he relents. "I'll keep my cloaker off tonight." It's never hard to get him to do it. I'm -sure- he likes it. "But if you roll over on me I'm putting my cloaker on and tossing you onto the floor."

"It's a deal... and thank you," I say before stripping down to my boxers and setting his clothes aside for him. After night time rituals; brushing teeth and the like, I jump into the bed and pick him up, settling him on my chestfur. My fingers rest over his smaller body for a moment and I recall that night all those years ago. After we'd played video games he agreed to take his cloaker off voluntarily. I was more gentle with him than before and we wound up accidentally falling asleep with him on top of me. I can't say that that was the moment I felt I fully fit in... but I will say that it was the beginning of something I cherish to this day.

"You fell asleep on my bed that night and I was about to wake you up," Luke says suddenly. I twist my head to peer down at him again. "But I was tired and... you were comfy. That little cushion of pudge you have has always been nice to lie on."

I smirk and rub at my slight stomach a bit consciously. "Well I'm glad I make a good bed."

"A great bed, actually... and an awesome brother. Love you, Mort. See you in the morning," he says before yawning and curling up.

"Love you too, Luke," I say, giving his body another once over with my finger before I close my eyes to fall asleep. The next day would be filled with food, presents, and the family I'd come to get to know over the last decade. When I was younger I would wonder what my biological parents were doing, where they were, and if they ever though about me. As the years have passed I've thought less about it. They still come to mind on occasion but I no longer feel like I'm missing something. Christmas is my favorite holiday and the reason I like it so much is that it reminds me every year of the month I was given the best gift of them all: A family.