chapter 6

When it came time for him to leave, Nathan wouldn't deny it, more than a small part of him wanted to stay. It was clear Craos didn't want him to leave, either, but he had work to get back to. He had a life (well, as much of a life as an academic had) and he had something eating habits he knew he had to kick.

"You're going to go on a diet, aren't you?" Craos asked sadly when he came to say goodbye.

"Well... it's either that or get a whole new wardrobe," he said. "I don't know, I'm not desperate to lose it all, just a little."

It's not like it was a big deal. He was just a little chunky, it wasn't like he'd turn heads but it was just so strange for him. Still, Craos looked sad as she kissed him goodbye.

The flight home was a strange one. Coming back to the village after a night in the woods was always weird but going back to recognisable civilsation was more dramatic. How could any of it been real? Had he really met a fae woman?

He wouldn't have believed it himself if it wasn't for the way his remaining pair of (formerly baggy) jeans dug into his waistline. The only clothes he had left that were at all comfortable were the ones she had made for him. Strangely enough, as soon as he got home and pulled them out of his suitcase, he realised that they looked remarkably more modern than before.

The tunic-like shirt had turned into a plain, off-white tshirt that looked like something he could buy in any store. The brown linen pants now looked much more fitted and mass-produced. He put them on and they still fit like they had before.

The next day he went out and bought a few new items of clothing. Nothing fancy, but he needed a few button-downs for work, as well at least one new pair of pants. He was a little dismayed to see that he now wore 38s.

Over the next few weeks, Nathan really did try to curb his eating but he couldn't help himself. He was always hungry and he missed Craos like crazy. It seemed like every time he thought of her, he reached for the nearest food.

It wasn't until his 38s started to feel a little snug that Nathan really started to worry. He joined the gym and started going a few times a week. It only made him hungrier.

One night, he all but snapped. He'd been eating so well for the few days leading up to the weekend but the moment he got home from the gym, something inside of him just gave in. He picked up the phone and made an order.

He showered quickly and got dressed in the only clean clothes he had: the pair of 38s that seemed to be mocking him every day he put them on and one of the button-downs he'd bought on his return home.

They were both tight; the button-down shirt was straining much worse than he'd expected. It reminded him of the shirt he'd worn in the forest before he'd left. It was all he had, so he just tucked it in and tried to forget about it.

A few minutes later, he heard a knock at the door. He breathed in, sucking in his belly and went to answer it. The delivery man handed him a large bag of food and Nathan paid him quickly. He knew he'd ordered enough for a small gathering but he didn't really plan on eating all of it... he just wanted a bit of everything.

He sat down on the couch, feeling the shirt stretch over his flesh as he breathed out. He looked down as he started to unpack the food on the coffee table. He could see his belly poking through the gaps between the buttons of his shirt. It gave him pause for just a moment. He knew he needed to cut back but he'd been trying so hard...

He lined up the food containers in front of him: noodles, black bean chicken, spring rolls, shredded beef, sticky ribs and egg fried rice. He tore into them at once, alternating between the different containers.

He let his mind drift to Craos and the tranquillity of the forest as he ate. He missed her so much but it was crazy. None of it even made sense. He couldn't even prove she was real.

He barely noticed as he emptied each container in succession. The first three went down easy but then he started to struggle. He dipped the spring rolls into some of the leftover sauce from the chicken and then started to work on the ribs.

They were covered in sauce and messy to eat but he didn't stop. His belly started to ache but that was the sensation he was chasing. He knew it was wrong but he needed to feel full, to feel the way she'd made him so many times. He was breathing hard by the time he started on the rice. His belly pressed hard against the tight confines of his shirt, sections of his newly acquired fat squeezing out from between his buttons.

He felt himself start to get hard as he ran his fingers down his body, rubbing circles into his stomach to try to relieve the pressure in some way. He knew it was ridiculous but he couldn't stop himself from finishing the rice.

As he scraped the last few forkfuls out of the container, Nathan heard a loud pop as his poor shirt finally gave up the ghost. He looked down and saw two buttons missing and his stuffed belly lurching through the gap.

The next day, he booked a flight back to Europe.