christmas · family reunion · force feeding · weight gain · traditional · domineering · gluttony · sports · coercive · transformation
The house looms against the gray December sky, warm light spilling from every window like honey. Inside, laughter and the roar of a football game mingle with the clatter of plates. You step through the door and the smell of roast turkey and cinnamon hits you. Every uncle, every cousin, every brother you've avoided for years is here—all of them broad, soft, and loud. Your cousin claps your shoulder, steering you past the buffet table. 'Come on, you, the game's on.' He gestures to the living room, where the men are packed on couches, plates piled high. Your new clothes already feel tight as you hesitate.