Mark sat in the sofa by the hearth leaning on his his sleeping boyfriend, Dave. Shadows danced in the old fashioned living room, cast by the crackling fire, a few candles, and the soft twinkling lights of the Christmas tree.

He drained the last of his bottle of 'Jakes's Holiday Brew' and glanced across the room where his college buddies, Ross and Nate, were snoring softly, their athletic bodies snuggled together in the love-seat.

Rich food, several drinks, and holiday cheer had finally taken their toll. Mark smirked proudly. The four of them had been working for days to pull off Mark's first 'traditional' Christmas Eve feast. The old house had been packed with relatives and old friends from all day. After an early dessert the other guests had hit the road, hoping to get home before the forecasted blizzard struck. Mark could already hear the house creak and groan as the winds increased.

He yawned and set the bottle down silently and gave the fire a good poking. No sense waking everyone up just to chase them off to cold drafty bedrooms. They all looked comfortable enough right here. He tiptoed around the creakiest of floorboards and snuck down the hall to get some blankets from the linen closet.

When Mark returned to the living room, the roaring fire flashed brightly and blew into the room as a gust of wind rushed down the chimney. It lasted only a moment but it ruined his night vision.

A soft whisper caught him by surprise, "Good, I was hoping you were still awake."

Mark blinked and held a hand up to block out the light from the fireplace and saw standing next to the hearth a twenty-something man, tall and slender. He was wearing red denim jeans and a red leather jacket lined with white lambs wool at the cuffs and collar. The man stepped forward and offered a hand, whispering, "Mark, right? I'm Kris."

Mark shook the strong hand and stepped to the side a little to get a better look at the intruder. His eyes noticed the muscular neck, the rosy high cheekbones, the coppery red hair and emerald green eyes. He whispered back in amazement, "Kris, as in Kringle?"

Kris nodded back silently and grinned, his eyes twinkling in the firelight. He quickly looked at the other three boys and then made the universal hand gesture for 'drink.'

Mark pointed a thumb over his shoulder and turned to lead Kris through the house to the kitchen. Kris followed carefully, stepping where Mark did to avoid creakiest floorboards.

Mark grabbed two more of the holiday brews from the old refrigerator and popped the caps off. He passed one to Kris. Kris tapped his bottle against Mark's in a silent toast before taking a long sip.

"Ahh, thanks," he looked around for a moment and then back at Mark. "You know, this isn't the first time you caught me doing my rounds."

Mark nearly choked on his beer and sputtered, "What?"

Kris lowered his bottle and grabbed Mark by his flannel shirt, pulling him close for a deep kiss. Mark didn't even want to resist, and kissed back eagerly. He could taste clove cigarettes on Kris's breath, gingerbread, as well as the beer.

As they kissed the memory came flooding back to him. It was a year ago. They'd done a lot more than just kiss. He remembered seeing a tattoo just under Kris's belly button, a small sprig of mistletoe done with green and black ink. There was another right at the small of his back, a pair of holly leaves done with green and black and some berries in bright red.

Kris broke the kiss and looked into Mark's eyes to make sure he remembered. "Ah, but you're 'with' someone this year, yes?"

Mark gasped and nodded, almost regretfully. "Yes, his name is Dave, we've been together since..."

"Since Christmas day last year, when he knocked on your door." He chuckled softly and explained, "The old 'Flat tire. Can I use your phone?' gambit. Works like a charm."

Mark looked at Kris suspiciously. "Um, thank you?"

"You're welcome!" he laughed and messed up Mark's hair. "However, believe it or not, you were his present, not the other way around."

Kris reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and extracted an envelope. He opened it and pulled out a handwritten letter, and read it aloud:

"Dear Santa, blah blah blah, true love, blah blah, handsome, funny, creative, a little kinky, blah blah. Thanks ever so much, all the best, Davey"

He folded the letter and handed it shoved it back in his pocket. "He's always signed them 'Davey'. Good kid. Notice he didn't mention 'loyal' or 'faithful.' Dave would have ended up with someone else if he had."

Mark opened his mouth to object but Kris laughed, "I'm just kidding, honest. That thing with the Nordy's sales guy in the dressing, back in June? Didn't count."

"It didn't?"

Kris shook his head and scratched behind an ear quietly.

"Why not... ?"

"Oh, what the heck, you won't remember this tomorrow anyway. Your buddy Dave was banging that same guy later on the same day. He bought your birthday present from him afterwards. You both felt so guilty afterwards. I think it actually brought you closer together, ironically."

Mark covered his mouth to keep from laughing too loudly, "Aw, come on please let me remember this later?"

Kris shook his head. "Nope. Sorry, against the rules and all."

Mark decided not to press his luck and changed the topic. "So, you got another letter from Dave this year?"

Kris nodded and took a swig. "He sent it at the end of November. The boy is as regular as clockwork."

"So, what'd he ask for?"

Kris pulled another envelope out of his jacket pocket and waved it at Mark. "Not a thing. It's just a thank you letter." He set the envelope down on the counter.

Mark frowned thoughtful. "So, you're here to deliver a gift for Ross or Nathan?"

"No, not really. Though their rather non-specific wish for 'happiness, fun and contentment' will certainly be coming to them this year."

Mark blinked in confusion. "So that leaves me then. But I don't remember writing you anything this year!"

Kris smirked playfully, "Ah... but you did."

Mark wracked his brains trying to remember and then suddenly did, "But wait! I never sent the letter! I didn't even print it up! Oh crap, I think I might have been stoned when I wrote it too."

Kris nodded, and grabbed Mark's belt. "I'm sure you were, it was almost incoherent! You realize, of course, you don't have to actually send me the letter. You don't even have to write it down or type it. I'll know anyway." He undid Mark's belt and snapped it out of the loops. "Do you remember what you wished for?"

Mark began to sweat nervously and in a very small voice answered, "yes." He felt Kris unbutton his pants and unzip the fly, he began back-peddling. "It would be so nice! But it would ruin everything! Please, don't do this!"

Kris shushed Mark. "Mark, just relax and trust me." Kris slid his hands to the sides of Mark's hips and pushed his pants and boxers down gently. They slipped over Mark's rounded ass and then fell to the floor softly.

Mark gasped and could feel the drafty kitchen air tingling against his bare legs. His half-hard cock twitched irritably in the chill. Though he had socks on, he could also feel the cold kitchen tile under his bare feet as well. He looked over his shoulder and saw them, a new pair of hind legs!

He whimpered in mixed pleasure and fear, wriggling his new toes. "They're beautiful! But my family will think I'm a freak! They'll never understand and I'll lose my job too!" He ran his hands along his lower back and his new hind ass murmuring as the temptation to keep them grew stronger, "It's worth it. So what if I have to leave town, I'll just have to find some way to manage."

Kris squatted and inspected Mark's front and rear cocks. "They're a little bigger. You'll find you've got some control over that when you put your mind to it. Now watch..." Kris grabbed Mark's boxers and stood up, dragging them up Mark's legs, until they were tugging up against the narrow stretch of new torso between his front and rear legs. "Focus on having two legs."

Mark closed his eyes and did. Suddenly he felt the elastic sliding up over his ass, and he knew he only had two legs again.

Kris smoothed out the elastic "The trick is focusing on how you will want to look when you're getting dressed or undressed. Now you try it." He took a step back.

Mark pushed the wasteband down over his hips again, focusing on four legs, and suddenly they were back. Then he focused on four legs when he pulled his boxers back up, and felt the elastic snap over his long lower back. He looked down and saw that he was wearing four legged boxers. He could feel both his cocks nestled comfortably in the soft fabric. "Awesome!"

Kris grinned. "Now try me."

Mark didn't understand at first but then grinned and grabbed for Kris's belt. He unhooked the big square silver clasp and undid Kris's wide black belt. Once it was dangling open, he unbuttoned Kris's red jeans and slid them down down over the boy's muscular ass, noticing, just like last year, Kris wasn't wearing underwear.

He focused on Kris having four legs and suddenly there they were. He could see that the holly tattoo had moved down Kris's lower back to just over his rear ass. "You look incredible." He paused to inspect the coppery pubic hair and the thick front and rear cocks.

Mark glanced up into Kris's face, "Do you have time to... play?" remembering last year Kris had explained his 'special arrangement' with Father Time. One that involved a private Hawaiian beach house for the months between the holidays for when Father Time was neither an infant nor a geezer.

Kris nodded, "Sure, I have time. But I know Dave has been yearning for some virgin territory. Let him have the first shot at your new parts."

"I'll go wake him! We'll have a three way!"

Kris pulled his pants up and was suddenly wearing four legged red denim jeans. His red leather jacket tented up over his hindquarters. "No offense, but I'm looking forward to play-testing the next gift on my list before I deliver it."

Mark stood up and took a sip of his beer and then laughed suddenly, "Hold on! Does that mean you slept with me last year for... quality assurance?!"

Kris kissed him lightly. "How better to personally guarantee satisfaction?" He turned to return to the hearth his four legs strolling along gracefully.

"Kris! Wait! If I forget talking to you again, how will I remember I can do this change thing in the morning?"

Kris stopped. "You won't." He saw Mark's face fill with worry. "Not at first. It'll come back to you though."

Back in the living room, Kris put a finger aside his nose and vanished. The fire roared for a moment as a brief gust of wind sucked it up the chimney like a blow torch.

Mark felt himself getting sleepy and poked the fire again. He put a blanket over Nate and Ross, and unfolded the other as he went to sit down next to Dave.

His hind legs made sitting down awkward at first. It took him a few tries to find a comfortable position that allowed him to curl up against his boyfriend. He settled for something rather sphinx-like and spread the blanket over himself and Dave, snuggling closely against his boyfriend before falling deeply asleep.

Mark woke slowly to the smell of coffee. Dave was talking softly with Nate about the storm when Ross returned with 4 mugs of steaming java. He handed the cups out and pulled a piece of paper out from under his arm. "I found this by the coffee maker." He held up an envelope. "I'm sure it wasn't there last night when I finished cleaning up."

Nathan looked up. "What is it?"

Ross laughed, "A thank you letter to Santa, from 'Davey'."

Dave hopped up, nearly spilling his coffee and grabbed the letter. "What? Let me see that." He inspected it. "What the hell? I mailed this weeks ago!"

Mark rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "You still write Santa? That's sweet," and awkwardly climbed off the sofa, absent-mindedly stretching all four of his legs, he dug his hand into the front of his four legged boxers and scratched himself.

Three coffee cups hit the carpet messily as the other boys saw Mark's extra legs. Mark blinked obliviously, "What?!"

Wordlessly the three boys pointed at Mark's hind legs. He looked back over his shoulder and though he couldn't remember where they came from, they felt like the most natural thing in the world. His back feet were jammed into a pair of the ornamental Christmas stockings that had been hung by the fireplace. He laughed and looked at the other three helplessly.

The blizzard howled for two days. Mark and Dave spent the better part of the morning experimenting with Mark's new body. By the afternoon, he'd re-discovered the shape-changing trick and soon they were all romping about on four legs.

That night, Mark and Dave bundled up to go out for more firewood. Mark willed Dave the ability to shape change as he pulled a knit cap onto his boyfriend's head. Outside, he had Dave experiment. Dave pulled off a glove and saw, as he intended, that had a thumb on each side of his palm now. They kissed and began grabbing firewood, agreeing to secretly give them the shape-changing ability to Ross and Nathan before taking them to the airport.

Mark pulled his coat off for a second and willed himself four arms and put it back on, Dave copied him and they hauled in twice as much firewood.

A few days later at the airport, the two couples hugged goodbye. Ross and Nathan were already making plans for their next visit. Mark had given them two extra rows of abs as a present, something that wouldn't be too obvious that they could keep. Even so, the two boys looked miserable at having to be so far away from Mark's ability to give them extra arms and legs.

Dave and Mark waved as their friends boarded the plane and left, wondering how long it take for them to figure out they had the gift.

Mid-February, on Maui, young Timmy opened up another letter and read it to Kris. "Dear Santa: Thanks so much for the gift you gave Mark and Dave and us! -- Ross and Nate" He looked up at Kris, "What was that all about?"

Kris laughed and slapped his ass, and suddenly he was standing on four legs instead of two. "Oh, just a few more happy boytaurs."

Timmy year old eyes boggled. "Cool!!! Let me ride you!"

Kris frowned. "Timmy, your body won't be of 'legal' age until March, I don't care if no one else is around, it's not right."

Timmy rolled his eyes. "Duh! I mean 'ride' as in like horsey ride!"