Spa Deck 13

Chapter 1

"The Spa Deck"

When Cara boarded the Celestia Dream for a two-week cruise with her college friends, she was looking forward to sunshine, cocktails, and time away from the noise of her job and city life. It was supposed to be indulgent—but not too indulgent.

The first few days were typical cruise fare: buffet breakfasts, lounging by the pool, dance parties, and drinks with tiny umbrellas. But by the end of the first week, Cara began to notice something odd.

Everyone was… bigger.

Not dramatically, not overnight—but enough that even her closest friends were struggling to button their shorts. Most just laughed it off, chalking it up to vacation mode and midnight dessert bars. But something about it didn’t sit right with Cara. It wasn’t just overeating. The weight gain was oddly uniform—rounded cheeks, fuller bellies, slower steps. Like it was… intentional.

On a hunch, Cara started exploring the ship's lesser-known areas. She discovered something curious buried deep in the cruise app’s hidden menus: “Spa Deck 13 – Advanced Indulgence.” It wasn’t advertised in the brochures. Intrigued, she booked a consultation.

Spa Deck 13 was nothing like the main spa. Dimly lit, hushed, and luxurious. She was greeted by a calm, serene woman named Leila in a white uniform.

“We specialize in transformative rest,” Leila said smoothly. “We help clients disconnect from the outside world—and from hunger, worry, and effort. Many come to embrace their curves, their appetites, their softness. Would you like to try?”

Cara raised a skeptical brow. “You’re saying… people choose to gain weight? Here?”

Leila smiled gently. “It’s more common than you think.”

Something in Cara buzzed with curiosity. Maybe it was the cruise’s strange magic, or maybe it was just the freedom of being far from home, but she said, “Okay. Ten pounds. Just to see what it’s like.”

Leila nodded and handed her a sleek tablet. Cara signed without reading the fine print. The session would take four days in a sleep-like state, nourished by feeding tubes with a carefully crafted formula. When Cara awoke, she was groggy, full, and undeniably heavier.

Except—she hadn’t gained ten pounds. She had signed up for the 30-pound package.

She panicked at first, rushing to the mirror in the spa suite. Her face was rounder, her stomach softly curved under her robe, her thighs fuller. But as she dressed in the provided flowy clothes and caught sight of herself in the mirror again, her panic faded into… something else. Fascination. Warmth. Confidence. She looked soft, yes—but also radiant.

The attention came quickly.

On the lido deck, men she hadn’t spoken to all week suddenly struck up conversations. One, in particular, stood out: Phil, a tall, kind-eyed history teacher from Oregon. He wasn’t flashy, but he was easy to talk to. He noticed her—really noticed her. And not just her body, but how she lit up when she laughed, how thoughtful she was, how she paused to listen.

They spent the rest of the cruise inseparable.

By the time the ship docked, Phil had kissed her twice and suggested they keep things going. Cara returned home lighter in spirit, if not in body. A week later, she flew back out—not for Phil, but for Spa Deck 13. This time, she intentionally booked the 50-pound session.

When she reappeared in Phil’s life, plumper and glowing, he didn’t bat an eye—except to say, “You look happy.”

They moved in together within three months. Cara learned to love her new life—full of comfort, intimacy, and acceptance. Phil cooked for her every night, and she enjoyed every bite, every nap, every quiet evening wrapped in soft blankets and even softer arms.

By their wedding day, Cara had gained even more—another 40 pounds, give or take. She walked down the aisle in a custom-fitted gown, beaming, curves and all. Phil waited with tears in his eyes, holding her gaze like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

They didn’t care what anyone thought. Their story wasn’t about size—it was about freedom, about choosing what happiness looked like for them.

And they lived that way: fully, sweetly, and unapologetically.