Belly Rubs

Chapter 1

The rain hit the windows with considerable force. It was fairly stormy outside and the drops of water that kept falling from the grey, overcast sky kept getting blown against the storefront of the small convenience store by the raucous gusts of wind sweeping across the almost deserted streets. Most sane people didn't venture out in weather like this, but Ken hadn't really had a choice. He'd been feeling a bit under the weather for a few days already, but now his fledgeling cold was starting to become a full fledged flu. So, despite feeling pretty ill, he had decided to brave the elements and head outside to buy some paracetamol, cough syrup and throat drops.
The gentle -ding dong- indicating a new customer had entered hadn't even finished playing entirely by the time the middle aged man had slammed the store door shut again already.
"Ugh, this weather is the worst," he grumbled ,mostly to himself, as rain drops fell from his dark blonde hair and his forehead onto his coat and then the doormat. He coughed loudly and wiped his face with the sleeve of his coat.
"Only walked like two hundred meters from my car and still got soaked! Brr."
He looked around with his rain covered glasses and produced a pack of tissues to dry them. As he was doing so, Ken realized that he wasn't very familiar with this store. It was a bit out of the way, but since it was after closing time for most regular shops, he had been forced to take the detour.
He identified the cashier's booth to the left of the entrance and walked over. As he got closer, he saw it was operated by a woman who seemed to be somewhere in her early thirties. She had long brown hair, sightly chubby cheeks and a nose tip that arced ever so slightly upwards, which gave her a bit of a feisty appearance. She wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but she'd done a good job with her makeup, which, sadly, not many got to bear witness to, since the store was almost deserted, save for two customers on the other side of the store.
She looked bored as she absentmindedly ate a few crisps from a little bag in front of her as Ken walked up to the booth. He couldn't help but notice she had a small, but clearly pronounced potbelly which jutted out forward just beyond her breasts. Probably the result of a sedentary job in which she rarely had to leave the booth and always had snacks available.
Ken coughed softly to get her attention, which had previously been on the TV to her side. Unfortunately this lead to a much larger, wheezing coughing fit, which left Ken feeling like he almost coughed up a lung.
"Are you alright sir?" the cashier asked, boredom replaced by mild concern as she eyed the coughing, dripping man in front of her.
Ken sniffled and nodded.
"Absolutely peachy. Never *cough* better," he managed with a wry smile and blew his nose in a tissue.
"You look like you should be in bed," the cashier said matter of factly, "You don't look too hot..."
"Hey thanks," Ken smirked, "that's just what I needed; a put down while I'm out sick to get meds."
To her credit, the cashier actually blushed at that and seemed genuinely embarrassed.
"Oh no, I didn't mean to say you're not good-looking or anything -in fact you're fairly handsome- I just meant-"
Ken laughed and coughed again.
"It's fine, I know what you meant," he said with a wink, which made the blush on the cashier's cheeks turn from rosy to bright red.
"Could you tell me where to find the cough syrup, throat pastilles and paracetamol please?"
"Over there," she pointed out a corner on the far side of the store that read "Medicine".
"Well, except for the cough syrup, which we keep in here," she added with a smile, gesturing to the shelves on the wall behind her, which contained various more expensive items.
"Alright, be right back."

Ken returned a minute or two later with some generic throat pastilles, three boxes of paracetamol and two cartons of orange juice.
He had to wait a moment when he got back, because there was another customer at the counter. Even though he could feel his temperature went up since he walked into the store and his temples had started to throb something fierce, Ken couldn't help but find himself staring at the bulge of the cashier's belly while he waited. He'd always had a thing for more full-figured women and he couldn't help but wonder what she'd look like if she put on some more weight.
"Hello? Can I help you?"
The cashier's voice cut through the fantasy like a knife and Ken realized he'd been daydreaming while staring at her curves so intently that he'd completely missed the other customer leaving.
He snapped out of his daydream and back into reality with an apologetic cough and a sheepish smile while he put his items into the slot. When his eyes met hers, he noticed she had a bemused smile on her face.
"Found everything you were looking for?" the brown haired girl asked as she scanned the items.
"Oh yes, and more," Ken replied with a smile. The young woman visibly perked up when she heard that.
"Oh? So you like curvy women?" she said teasingly with a smile and turned to face him. Ken laughed.
"Er... I meant the orange juice," he chuckled, coughed loudly, paused and then added: "But yes, I most certainly do."
"Well then," she said in an intrigued tone, "maybe you should come by here again once you're not about to collapse anymore."
"Maybe I should," Ken agreed, as he steadied himself on the counter. Apparently the little shopping trip had taken more out of him than he realized, because he suddenly felt his legs went unsteady underneath him and he struggled to remain standing.
"You need immediate bed rest," the cashier decided, "you're pale as a sheet and you look like you could topple over at any moment."
"Yes, nurse," Ken replied weakly, mustering a faint smile, "How much do I owe you?"
"Ten seventy, unless you need a bag?"
"I'm good, thanks. I'm Ken by the way."
"Paula, she replied with a warm smile.
Ken fumbled around with his wallet for a moment, paid and smiled back.
"Absolute pleasure, Paula," Ken said as he received his items.
"Likewise, Ken," Paula said sweetly, "Drive safely now!"
"I'll try," Ken replied with a faint nod, before pocketing his items and venturing back outside.
The rain had let up slightly during his visit, so getting to his car turned out to be easier than Ken has anticipated previously, something he was quite thankful for as he slumped into the seat of his car.
As he drove off, he suddenly realized he'd forgotten to get the cough syrup, but he felt too worn out to go back for it.
"I'll go back for it tomorrow or something," he said to himself, "Will be a good excuse to see Paula again anyway," he added with a smile, before focussing his feverish attention back on the road in front of him.

Dystopian Reality, 18 Jan 2026