Bad Habits | Chapter 5 | A Voice of Reason

[Content Warning: This story will include SSBHM weight gain, queer sex, messy eating, drug use, romanticizing abusive relationships, immobility, and extreme obesity related health issues.]

Bad Habits

Chapter 5: A Voice of Reason

Dylan stands over a boiling pot of water. It’s rare that he cooks because processed fast food satisfies Oliver’s need for both taste and high calories that make him hungry again hours later. However, it’s a special treat when Dylan cooks for Oliver to show how much he cares. Dylan takes long, dry spaghetti noodles and breaks them into the pot of water. Then, he moves on to storing the meat sauce he made while waiting for the water to boil. Oliver enters the room yawning, his belly pushing out of his shirt and spilling over his waistband. 

Dylan asks him, “Did you have a nice nap?”

“I did. It helped all those double cheeseburgers digest. My tummy woke up before I did and rumbled to the smell of this delicious dinner,” Oliver says. 

“Give it 12 more minutes and the pound of pasta is all yours.”

“You treat me so well, even if I won’t be able to eat all of it,” purrs Oliver as he wraps his arms around Dylan from behind. He kisses Dylan’s neck. They sway back and forth for a few minutes before Oliver gets tired from standing. He walks into the living room and sits back in his recliner. 

When the spaghetti is finished, Dylan glops giant servings in a giant bowl for his growing lover. He sprinkles half a container of parmesan cheese on top. Dylan brings the family size meal to his lover. Oliver digs in without hesitation. While Oliver eats, he moans.

“It’s almost been a full year since I turned you into my pig,” laughs Dylan. Oliver just lets out another moan while shoving more pasta in his face. Dylan continues, “While you were napping, Josh called me. He told me that he will be in town for a few days visiting Mom and Dad. I told him to stop by later for a couple of drinks. I hope that’s okay.”

Oliver looks up from his bowl, spaghetti puffing out his cheeks and some of the noodles hangs down his chin. He speaks with his mouth full so his words mumble “Josh is in town?” Oliver chews quickly and swallows. “Hell yeah, I can’t believe it’s been that long. We haven’t talked in months.”

“Should we, uh, tell him about us?” asks Dylan, secretly wanting the answer to be no. He walks over to the fridge, opens it, and pulls out some chopped vegetables for himself.

“He’ll figure it out. If you don’t tell him, he’ll be suspicious,” Oliver says between bites of pasta. 

“Look, I love my brother, but he has a tendency to overreact. He’s totally cool with gay people. I’m just worried he won’t react well. His best friend and his brother.”

“Im sure he’d love to have me as a brother-in-law,” flirts Oliver. Dylan rolls his eyes playfully. 

“Fine, you can tell him we are dating, but it’s all on you.”

After a week of waiting Dylan opens the door, excited to see his little brother again.  Dylan embraces his brother. “Josh!” excitedly shouts Dylan. 

“Hey! How have you been, big bro?” Josh laughs while he brother squeezes him in a hug. “I’ve been fine. Come on in. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

“Wait, why are you answering the door to Oliver’s apartment? Why are we meeting here, anyway?” asks Josh, suspicious as he walks into the living room.

His question goes unanswered. “Joshy! Let me bring you a beer!” Oliver’s voice echos from the kitchen to the living room. Josh walks over to a black recliner in the living room and sits down, excited to see his best friend. 

Oliver enters the room with three beers. Josh doesn’t recognize him at first thinking another guest is drinking with them at Oliver’s apartment. He has the same hair and same voice. Through the belly hanging overhanging Oliver’s belt loops Josh realizes his friend is now fat. “Holy shit,” Josh mumbles under his breath.

“I’m so glad you could make it and see my apartment. I’m so glad you’re back in town for a couple of days and could drink with us.”

Josh stares at Oliver sheepishly. He is he supposed to respond to his friend when he is much too shocked? How could Oliver have let himself go that much in one year? How much does he weigh? It had to be at least a 125 pound gain. How is it even possible? Oliver’s size stuns Josh, but he keeps his questions to himself. 

The trio make some small talk about the weather and a new restaurant in town. Their insignificant conversations go on for about twenty minutes as they take turns sipping their beers and exchanging stories. Josh zones out several times when Oliver speaks. He stares at Oliver’s gut that keeps peeking out from under his tight shirt: bright red stretch marks poke out. 

Josh is disgusted and gets a bad feeling in his gut. He doesn’t want to be rude, but clearly his friend is going through some kind of phase or metabolic issue. That much weight in about 343 is not only unhealthy, it’s almost not humanly possible without some sort of exceptional trigger. Then, he remembers his brother. A sinking feeling hits the bottom of his stomach; he suspects that Dylan preys on Oliver’s weakness. Did Dylan somehow do this to Oliver? He pushes the thought away. Dylan leaves the room briefly, but brings another round of beer for everyone while Josh is lost in thought. 

Josh is either concerned or nosy. It’s probably both. He decides to test the waters. “I decided to sign up for a half marathon here in town for the tenth of November. It’s a weekend and shouldn’t be too hot or cold. I was hoping you’d be up for running with me,” Josh interjects awkwardly. 

“No thanks. I get enough cardio,” says Dylan with a grin. 

“Not you. I’m obviously talking to Oliver,” Josh responds.

Oliver puts his hand behind his head and gives an awkward smile. It’s been over a year since Oliver ran track. “I’m sorry, Josh. I’m just not all that interested anymore. It’s, like, why did I ever think that would be fun? I’m living how I want now.”

Oliver sits back on his sofa and takes a long drink of his beer. “Well, have you applied to any schools? We start back in two weeks,” Josh inquires.

“I’ll get back to it eventually. I’m only 19. I have plenty of time to make a decision on a college. I think I’d go slow and take a few community college courses or online courses if I was really that interested. I just want to go to a big, well known university. It’s the only way to get anywhere in life it seems. Everyone just looks down on the less prestigious schools. You know?”

“What about you?” he asks toward Dylan’s general direction. “Weren’t you supposed to go back to college once your GPA was fixed?”

“I’ll probably go back soon. I’m just making pretty decent money without a degree right now at the gym. They pay a living wage and I feel like the work experience is just as important as the education. I get on the job training and information that would be used in some of my classes. I’ll go back when I see a clear path to be promoted. My employer may even pay for my degree if I major in a Health and Human Performance track.”

Oliver notices that the dynamic of the trio is becoming loaded. Why is Josh asking so many unsettling questions? He wants to defuse the situation. “So, how is college going for you?” Oliver asks reluctantly. 

“Oh, well, I’ve been studying hard to become a teacher. It’s a really fun program and it is flexible enough to let me keep running cross country on my scholarship.”

Jealousy floods Oliver’s mind. He wanted that scholarship. Sure, his parents are wealthy enough to send him to college, but none of his top schools accepted him. Only the best got scholarships and a scholarship meant guaranteed spots on the cross country team. Not that it even matters now that Oliver keeps packing on lard like he is in some kind of weight gain competition. His dreams of being an athlete are over, unless he wants to take up sumo. 

“What have you been up to since you’re no longer interested in running or going to college?” Josh politely asks Oliver in return while thinking that the answer is food. 

“Nothing much really. Uh, kinda random, but I’ve been really interested in your brother because we’re dating,” slips Oliver with the intent of being slightly abrasive towards Josh’s feelings. Neither of them had told him despite being together since Josh left. Josh chokes a little on his beer and coughs.

“Oh,” whispers Josh after recollecting himself. He looks at Oliver and then at Dylan. He shyly says “congratulations.” Josh puts the puzzle together: Dylan is at Oliver’s all the time causing Oliver to gain weight. 

The silent air feels heavy. Josh looks blankly at his brother. Oliver is about to start panicking when Dylan gets up. He puts an empty beer bottle on the coffee table. “I’m going to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” he says with a smile. 

When Dylan is no longer in the room Josh whispers “Oliver, you’re not going to like me saying this, but you need to dump him.”

“What? No! He’s good to me. Why would you even say that?”

“He doesn’t have your best interests in mind,” Josh says before taking a sip of his beer.

“Wow. He said you might not take our relationship well. I thought I was your friend. Are you uncomfortable that your brother is fucking me? Do you hate queer people?”

“What? No. Oliver, you’ve been my best friend since childhood. You told me you’re queer. I support that. What I don’t support is you being with my brother. I’m trying to protect you.”

Oliver forcefully twists the beer bottle back and forth between his hands as a nervous tick. His heart races. What is Josh trying to insinuate? 

Oliver gives him a frown before Josh continues “Look at you. You want to tell me you’ve gained all this weight on your own? Some weight gain is probably inevitable, especially if you’ve stopped exercising and picked up some bad habits, but fuck dude! You’ve got a huge belly and tits now! He’s been providing nothing but junk food for you, am I right? He’s not who he seems to be. I love him, but he’s sick and needs help. Are you being abused?”

“Are you drunk already? What the fuck are you talking about, Josh?!” shouts Oliver.

“Shhh. We don’t have much time to talk privately. When I was younger I found his porn. It’s fucked up, Oliver. He jerks off to people who are sick and gross. He’s got a fat fetish. I’m pretty sure he’s also a feeder. He’s going to make you that way. It looks like he’s already started making you into his pig or whatever feeders call their victims. Don’t fall for his trap if he tries to feed you. You can get healthy and be normal. We can get through this together. He can do that to whoever he wants, but I don’t want him to hurt you. You’re my best friend.”

“So, fat people are gross and can’t enjoy their bodies, huh? Why are you being so malicious? Your brother has been so sweet to me and made me feel like I’m worth something. His kink really freaked me out at first, but it feels good to eat and be loved no matter my size.”

“That’s not what I mea- wait. You know!? You know and you’re still with him! You want to get fucking fat, I mean fatter, for him? Do you know how far he’s willing to go? You’re going to let him funnel feed you until you drown in shake or make you sniff poppers when you’re immobile until your heart gives out?” quizzes Josh with a rising temper.

“Well, I’m not that way yet, am I? I can stop if and when I want. He loves me for me and all of me at that. He was there for me when I didn’t go to college. You on the other hand abandoned me, best friend.”

“I’m reading between the lines here. Sounds like you’ve considered the possibility of being his 1,000-pound fuck pig. That’s disgusting. I love you both, but you need psychological help.”

“Fuck you! This is just fat shaming me and kink shaming him under the guise of concern. He will let me stop whenever I want.”

“No, he won’t. If you don’t dump him and lose the weight then in a few short years we will all be attending your funeral after you’re cut out from your home and moved with a crane,” Josh raises his voice with each cruel word.

“Get the fuck out of my apartment!” shouts Oliver. 

Dylan comes back into the living room. “What’s wrong? I heard shouting. Are you two bickering like when we were all kids?” He chuckles before noticing the rage on both of their faces. 

“I love you both. I want you to both be happy, but I also want you to be normal. I hate to say this, but Dylan, you’re not good for Oliver. If you loved him, you’d let him be happy and healthy. Healthy as in physical fit, not the Heath at Every Size bullshit,” fumes Josh.

Dylan turns to Oliver with a look of concern. “Ollie, are...are you unhappy with me?”

Oliver shouts at Josh again. “Get out!”

Josh gets up and slams his beer on the coffee table, shattering the bottom of it to pieces. The beer leaks off the table onto the floor. He gets up quietly and walks out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him. Dylan opens the door and quickly follows Josh. Oliver storms to the bedroom, buries his face in the pillow, and bursts into tears. His heart races as he hears shouting from outside even though he’s unable to make out what the brothers are yelling at one another.

Ten minutes later Dylan walks into the bedroom and lays down next to Oliver. Oliver turns away from Dylan and stares at the wall. Dylan wraps his arms against Oliver, his abs pressing against Oliver’s love handles. 

“Do you want to unpack what just happened?” asks Dylan. Oliver doesn’t respond. He tries again for a response. “How did this start? What did you tell him? A-are you upset with how fat I’ve made you or the fact I’m a feeder?”

“I’m very happy with you and you were up front about what you liked. I know what I got myself into, Dylan.” Oliver leaves a short pause before starting again. “I’m happy with my weight now. For the first time in my life I love myself. In fact, I love you and glad you helped me discover myself a little more. Good relationships are based on trust and making each other better. You’ve done that. Josh just tried to take everything away from me and I snapped. He’s supposed to be my friend and cheer me on,” Oliver replies softly through his tears.

This time it is Dylan who doesn’t respond. Oliver isn’t comfortable with silence. He speaks again. “Josh thinks you’re not good for me. He says you’re killing me because you’re overfeeding me on purpose even though I’ve clearly consented to it. I’ve told you that I’ll stop whenever I feel it’s right for me to stop, right? Do you still want to be with me after that?”

“Oliver, I love you. I want to be with you still! There’s no doubts that I want to be with you forever. You’ve told me you’ll gain until you’re no longer comfortable and then lose the weight if it’s too much. I just want to make sure that you’re still enthusiastic and your consent is freely given. You know I’d never intentionally try to hurt you for a fetish, right?” Dylan snuggles into Oliver’s back. His warm breath is still fresh with beer as it grazes against Oliver’s neck.

“I know, Dilly. I’m not worried about it. I trust you. This is about his shitty ass feelings, not ours. I just need to calm down. Can we order a pizza and get high?”

 After the event with Josh they both feel like getting high. Food sounds amazing after the beer and will sound even better when they are both stoned. Dylan pulls out his phone to order a pizza from an app. Oliver turns on the television and snuggles under the blanket with his boyfriend waiting to drown out the memories Josh left them.