Chapter 1- Homecoming

Lori sat stretched out in her first class recliner, thoroughly satisfied to be returning home in comfort and elegance. After her event management company took an extended break during the pandemic, she had to jump at the opportunity to get back on the horse, when her boss said she could fly out to Italy for an event for a fashion circuit's reopening. The flight over was less than desirable, as the budget seats were too constricting for her large figure, none helped by too much time at home with take out and the stress of being out of work. Not to mention, the chaos that broke out in her marriage.

She loved her husband Sam more than anything, but the constant proximity to him was driving her out of her mind. She found herself hating not only his breathing but the pattern in which he blinked, of which she had never had time to notice when they were in their routine of working, dining, and sleeping. They used to relax on the weekends. Maybe go on a hike, which despite being pretty heavy, Lori always enjoyed. Sam was almost comically average size compared to herself. She always felt a smile creep up when she saw pictures of them together and his fingers precariously set on her large belly or a roll on her side. Her being an inch or so taller never helped with the dwarfing effect her proximity produced.

But, Lori had been larger than almost everyone for her whole life, though she blamed the pandemic for pushing her from curvy to undeniably fat. Sam didn't seem to be opposed to a single change. He told her that he found her attractive, and his lusty behavior was convincing enough. She was comfortable in her new shape, but had full intention of losing the extra weight eventually.

He certainly didn't pull back on his cooking or baking habits that he got into in his extra free time. He’d spend all day baking. Lori always thought he must be the most inefficient baker she'd ever seen, because the finished product, though mouth watering, always seemed to be lacking in quantity for the time spent. This was until she caught him shoveling half a dozen cookies fresh out the oven into his mouth, causing him to chew rapidly and his mouth to gape open to ventilate the heat of the desserts. She passed by the kitchen entryway, giving him the clearly needed privacy for the moment. He was always a big eater and a hopeless slave to his sweet tooth. When they started dating, every date ended with dessert or an additional stop at a creamery. She thought it had been his courting ritual, but it quickly became obvious it was for his own need for sweets. If she would never gain weight like him, she'd be as indulgent as he was.

She was excited to see him again, after a month of being away. She found distance did make the heart grow fonder, as clichéas it was. There issues had been resolved before her departure. Yet the time apart seemed to forge their love further in her mind. She kinda wanted to see that occasional hard blink he did, as if ridding his mind of an unpleasant memory. They texted everyday, but she didn't have time to video call as much with the different time zones, like they had done previously when she traveled. Sam had all the time in the world, as he was given the option to keep his engineering job as a remote position. He was elated to be offered such an opportunity, not missing his long commute via New York public transportation. Lori thought she might even miss taking the grimey subway back home, though the elite trains of Milan were certainly better. However, she admitted she couldn't find a single bacon egg and cheese that hit like the ones from her favorite cart.

When she got back to New York she made sure to stop and grab two for them both close to their apartment. She took a deep breath on her brownstone step before putting her key in. She pushed the door open and announced her arrival with a dramatic, “I'm home!” But she was greeted with no hug and kiss. She called out his name, slightly annoyed. It was noon, and he should have certainly been up, even on a Sunday. She listened and heard the unmistakable aggressive snoring of Sam in the bedroom. She lugged her suitcase up the stairs with the sandwiches artfully balanced in her other hand. She knocked the ajar door open with the bag and located her husband immediately. Her hand fell from the handle, causing it to topple over.

Sam lay in the center of their king sized bed shirtless and in his boxer briefs. Lori was truly stunned by the sight. Her eyes couldn't leave the sloping paunch that had appeared on his once flat abdomen in her absence. She quietly moved around the room to get a better look. She thought maybe it was his side sleeping angle and the contortion was making an illusion of heft. But staring at his upper body made it more clear. He was bigger. His belly button was a dark line squished by the weight of his belly, which she noticed had little red stretch marks on the sides. A little double chin rested over his adorably poised loose fist. She felt a little huff-like laugh escape her chest.

“It finally all caught up to that little string bean,” she muttered. She had a mischievous thought, and smiled. She placed the wrapped sandwich inches from his face and giggled as she watched his face twitch and his eyes slowly open, first noticing the sandwich and then Lori herself. He sat up and grinned at her.

“Babe, you're home!” He hopped up and threw his arms around her. He smelled freshly showered with his masculine shampoo still going strong under her cheek. “I must have fallen asleep before I managed to get dressed. Are you early?”

“Right on time Sammy,” she said, kissing him.

“I missed you a lot.” He looked her over, beaming at her, like he was making up for lost time and missed looks.

“Missed you too, my love,” she said tussling his hair that could be cut, but was bringing back his old shaggy high school style, which she always loved. He brushed the almost bangs out of his face. “But I've missed these too,” she said, holding up the sandwich.

“I thought Italy had the best food,” he said smugly, pulling her onto the bed, being sure to pick up his sandwich. Lori didn't want to make a comment on how he seemed to find plenty good to eat right at home, but was wondering if he'd say anything himself. It wasn't like she was judging him hard. She was fat. How hypocritical could she be? But she had never seen him with more than an alcohol induced bloat, so it was shocking more than anything. He had to notice it himself.

“They have great food. Don't get me wrong, but it's much healthier. Nothing greasy really, not like here,” she took a bite and sighed at the heavenly flavors.

“You do look like you lost weight,” he said, chomping greedily into his sandwich. Lori felt like she was being bated. She was sure she had gained weight based on how her jeans were replaced by all dresses in the last week, but accepted the perception by her husband. “Tell me all the juicy stories,” he said excitedly. She told him about the near disaster caused by an intern and a fabulous ball she got to attend. Sam listened intently, and when he finished his food, she couldn't help but notice him licking at his butter sheened lips and his tongue searching for stray morsels in his molars.

She finished and saw the longing look in his eyes at the last bite, reminding her of a dog who foolishly hoped for a sample. “Delicious,” she sighed.

“Absolutely! Thanks for including me Babe.”

“Don't want my husband wasting away on me,” she said cheekily, getting up to change into sweatpants and a tee shirt. She could feel him staring at the back of her head and turned to see him, looking slightly guilty. Her eyes couldn't help but drift to the little chubby belly that rested in his lap.

“I know,” he said, a little less upbeat than he'd been. Lori looked at him sympathetically.

“Sammy,” she said lovingly.

“I put on a couple,” he said, pinching his belly. “I'll be back to my old self soon. I promise.”

“Don't act like it's a crime, Sam.” She took his hand and put it on her own stomach, which he instinctively squeezed in between his fingers. He kissed her and ran his hands over her, one hand gripping her round butt.

“You just make it look so good Lori,” he said, pressing his erection into her thigh. She was putty in his hands from there.

They redressed, and Lori watched Sam decide on sweatpants himself after fighting a pair of jeans for a minute. They watched TV in bed snuggling, and Lori felt more relaxed than she had been in weeks. At some point Sam leaned over to his nightstand drawer and pulled out a tupperware container of baked cookies. He placed them on his lap and started mechanically sending them to his mouth. “Bedside cookies?” she questioned, giggling. He shrugged with a smile.

“Just made them yesterday,” he offered. “Guess it's where my belly came from.”

“Can't blame you. They're fantastic Sammy.” She kissed him and let her hand rest on his belly and pressed her head into his chest, which felt more cushioned too. Sam was a little tense at first but she rubbed little circles on his belly and he seemed to relax. He was a little cute like that, she guessed.

“Is it sad to admit I didn't even notice until last week?”

“Huh?” she asked, pulling herself from the series she was sucked into.

“My silly pudge,” he said. She knew what it felt like to be resentful toward her body and didn't want Sam diving into that sector over 10 temporary pounds or so.

“Give yourself a break Sammy,” she said, kissing his shoulder. “You're not 18 anymore. It's fine to fluctuate. Sometimes you don't notice.” He seemed to be comforted by her words.

“I appreciate you being understanding. I think I was just getting into bad habits with you gone. Maybe filling a void.”

“And not a tiny one,” she joked. He playfully sucked his teeth.

“Not that I need you to be, by the way. But pizza slices did a pretty good job. Betty Crocker packages too.”

“The pizza in Italy is nothing to write home about. That's for sure.” Sam was in disbelief, and he became wrapped up in hearing about every Italian food that was better in New York. She was happy to distract him from his worries.

They ended up walking down the street to a pizza spot and got 2 broad slices each. They sat on a bench-like edge of a bank building and enjoyed the people watching, an activity they both missed greatly when stuffed up in the house. Sam finished his slices first and Lori offered him her crust, which he accepted eagerly. It was a little funny to her how much more ravenous he was. He finished the donated food and was left smacking his lips, clearly searching for more. Lori could tell that he was holding back, especially when the woman behind the counter asked if he had wanted 3 slices, in a tone too familiar for a first time customer. He turned a little red and batted her offer away quickly. She didn't want him to feel so weird about it, and worried she was giving him stress by just being around.

“You know what would be perfect?” She asked, nudging him.

“What's that Lore?”

“Some ice cream, like old times,” she smiled in his direction. He perked right up, as if she read his mind.

“You know me so well.”

They went further down the block to an ice cream place with soft serve. Lori ordered a vanilla cone and Sam sprung for a peanut butter and fudge sundae with chocolate and vanilla. He looked absolutely ecstatic when he set it in front of him at the table, after seamlessly deeming the booths too restricting for his wife. Lori was appreciative that he was alway considering things like that. He never wanted her to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. She felt the same for him. It was precisely why she offered to make the secondary stop. She knew his appetite was kicking his ass just by the look in his eye, and she didn't want him left wanting.

He dug in enthusiastically, and she felt a surge of joy. But in quick reflection, she questioned if it was weird to feel that way. She wondered whether Sam had ever thought that about her. She wasn't particularly overzealous when it came to food, but she had never been one to shy away from enjoying it. She was sure Sam liked that she had soft curves, and even more since she was a bit heavier.

She had always admired him for his ability to stay so slim. He wasn't big on working out or anything crazy, but he had a flat stomach. Lori couldn't even imagine what that was like. She glanced down and her hooded sweatshirt couldn't hide the round honey pot that sat before her. She was thankful Sam continued to worship her. She figured she would do the same for him, but she was confident he was getting this binge out of his system. He'd want to wear his jeans again sometime. She looked up at him and wondered if that was true, because he was nearly moaning into his dessert.

She giggled and he looked up at her as if he had forgotten she was there. “You're gonna drip,” he said, pointing his spoon at her hand. She looked at her cone and swiftly swirled her tongue around the base. She caught Sam's eye mid lick and had to stop and swallow before laughing out loud.

“Don't look at me like that when I do that,” she squealed. Sam shrugged.

“How about you don't look like that when you do and I'll not look at all.” She finished clearing the melty ice cream with a wink.

“I missed you so much,” he said, stuffing a bite in his mouth.

“Some things you can't do yourself,” she said cockily, drawing a rosey color onto his cheeks.

“You're brutal,” he chuckled. Sam prepared his plan to besiege the bowl of all it was worth, and executed it. Lori finished her cone shortly after, finding herself slightly distracted by his own display. They left the store and headed home, their walk very reminiscent of their past dates.

When Lori dragged her audibly stuffed husband upstairs, she gently pushed him onto the bed and stood over him. His puffed up belly now doming over him under his zip up sweater. His hands grabbed at his stomach to stop it from sloshing from the impact. “Sorry,” she cringed. He smiled and sighed, moaning slightly. “Were you always this moaney when you ate too much?”

“I had to be. Right?” she shrugged and placed the heel of her hand just before the bulge in his sweats. Her finger tips rested at the little curve of his stomach, which surprised her neuro pathways. He squirmed a little, either from nervousness or excitement. She wasn't sure. “I don't think I'm gonna be of any use to you Babe.”

“It's been a dry month Sam. I can handle it. And I very unfairly teased you earlier,” she said, flicking her tongue at him.

“Very unfairly,” he repeated, fully under her spell. She pulled his sweatpants down to his thighs and his hips twisted.

Her mouth wrapped around him hungrily. She hadn't really considered or been aware of how badly she'd missed pleasing him. Especially when she had always thought oral sex was a chore. But him being extra excited to be with her combined with his somewhat adorable inability to do anything, was changing her tune.Their outing really did get him in the mood, and she couldn't deny his moaning had been making her stir, even if it was while he ate ice cream and from the aftermath of it. She inspected his belly with her hands, noticing how firm the curve was now. She was fairly sure the sundae was intended by the shop to be shared. It might have even said “perfect for two” in the description. Did Sam even notice? He definitely didn't care.

Thinking about it all, or just his auditory accompaniment, was getting her too ready to get on top. She also didn't want him useless in the flaccid way. She stripped naked and shucked his pants off. He looked a bit silly to still be in his sweatshirt and t-shirt. His legs were still very classic Sam average-lean, making his whole self look like a mostly eaten lollipop. She kept the review to herself though. He looked fine with whatever would get her on him soonest. She got up on top, feeling a fraction of a worry that she would hurt him, but the way he grabbed at her hips, begging her to be there, was all the reassurance she needed. She thrusted up and down with a flick of her hips and butt and was sure he was being transported elsewhere. She leaned forward and pinned his wrists down on the bed, a move they both loved.

“What did I even do, officer?” he just managed to get out. Lori giggled a little, always enjoying Sam's goofy and playful nature, including during sex. She wanted to play along but it was as if all her thoughts were in a mosh pit and every thought about his little weight gain was winning.

“I don't have to tell you the charges,” she tried to play it off. Now Sam was laughing through his pleasure.

“You actually do, though,” he joked. As far as Lori was concerned, he was most explicitly asking for it now, though regret was grabbing at her lips to stop her.

“Well Sammy, you ate too much, and clearly have been since I was gone. Don't bother denying it because all the evidence is right here.” she punctuated her remarks with a playful swat at his belly. After the split second rush she felt in teasing him she was horrified she had just killed the mood and would send Sam and his cock retreating into the brush like frightened rabbits. Her fear was washed away when Sam was obviously orgasming. Lori blinked hard and slid herself off, grabbing a paper towel off her night stand to wipe up. He busted from that?

Sam lay panting in bliss on the bed, his hands resting on his little belly. “You're too hot Lori. Fuck me,” he exclaimed. Lori's drive to finish evaporated with the arrival of her confusion and curiosity. What was that all about? Was Sam into teasing that much? She didn't mind it at all, especially if she didn't have to worry that he'd be hurt or anything. She cared about him and the other person was half, even if she took up a bigger half, of the intimate equation.

“So glad to be back, Sammy,”she said, climbing back onto the bed. He was straddling sleep, so she unzipped the hoodie and he half sat up and finished taking off his tops. He laid back with a satisfied sigh.

“How long do I get to keep you this time,” he said, nuzzling into her chest as she held him. She sighed.

“I gotta go in a few weeks, sadly. And will be gone a little longer.” She wished her job didn't take her away from him so much, but she truly loved what she did and with a bit more money, they'd be able to move into a nice house outside the city. It helped that Sam was a really good sport about it all.

“Well, better get all my cuddles in while I can.” His arms wrapped around her middle and she felt their bodies melt into each other. It really was great to be home.